And the project is awarded to...

If you have been working in sales for any length of time, at some point you have been sitting on a conference call or in a prospects office and those words that we love and hate begin to be uttered of the lips of the decision maker thats holding your next "big" project in their hands. " Thank you for taking time to meet with us today and after much evaluation have decided to.......... award you the project!"

AAAAH, music to my ears! On the flip side, we have also heard, " we have decided to go with company xyz" uggggh. So lets just say from an analytical standpoint what is the major reason's that we lose or win projects? Dr. Rick Johnson talks about this as well in an article titled Sales Success and the Art of the Question, http://www.4hoteliers.com/4hots_fshw.php?mwi=2772

When I first began working in sales, I always blamed everyone else but me. As Ive gotten wiser and have gained more insight and experience, Ive learned that I was most likely the root of the problem if it was an issue that was not based on price. Granted there will always be those opportunities that are better passed or lost, but what about the ones that you are REALLY excited about and you lose them because the other team was more prepared, presented better or offered much interesting ideas, or what if they were just better listeners?

In the early stages of my sales adventures, one of my mentors told me if I remembered nothing else to remember that the Fortune is in the Follow-Up. I have never forgotten that and with following up you have to become a better listener. I bet that a lot of sales professionals out there say, "I listen", when really they spend more time talking. In order to really understand what your clients want and need, you have got to 100% listen to them, ask them lots and lots of questions and the more you do this the more valuable information you will uncover.

Through Listening, not talking, you will uncover there problems, needs, wants, goals, desires, personal notes(this is great for reminders and follow ups) budget, time-line and even if your a fit for what they are looking for.

you just might find the more you don't talk the more you get awarded to you and your firm.