The Fear of Hearing No
In the intricate landscape of energy SaaS sales processes, sales professionals must navigate a myriad of requests to gauge the prospect's commitment to moving towards the "close" . This scrutiny is pivotal for software vendors in the energy sector, ensuring that an opportunity for a real deal is present. Absence of specific behaviors or unfulfilled requests from prospects often signals a disconnection, leaving one outside the competitive race or questioning the efficacy of their sales engine.
Turnover in the salesforce exists many times because the sales resource either (a) doesn't know what to request of the prospect; or (b) is unwilling to make the request. This second one is so interesting. The reality is that many times the sales resource is eager to get to "yes", they avoid something that may indicate "no". This is why they don't make the requests. This paradox highlights the necessity of a robust sales engine, equipped to navigate the complexities of energy software solutions.
The Consequence of the Fear
There is a certain irony that stems from the avoidance of making these requests within the energy SaaS sales process. So many times the 
sales resource believes simply making the request can prompt the "no" but (wait for it)...its absence can actually prompt the no. WAIT....WHAT?
Upmarket, sophisticated buyers in the energy sector many times expect certain things to happen during the course of a buying cycle. If a vendor doesn't exhibit those things within the sales motion, the buyer takes notice and confidence erodes. This scenario prompts buyers to question the vendor's sophistication and potentially fear a failure in execution. So in a way of thinking, a sales resources concern for blowing up the deal actually blew up the deal...this sounds so human.
How Do You Know if This is Happening to You?
Examine your sales motion playbook closely, especially through the lens of an energy SaaS or energy software provider. Reflect on the following critical aspects:
- How granular is my playbook - (i.e. how many steps does it have - does this feel right)? Does it incorporate the necessary steps for a robust sales engine?
- To what extent does my playbook demand active participation from prospects? Is it aligned with the sales processes and work typical of the energy software industry?
- How many times are steps allowed to be bypassed and this is excused? How does this impact the effectiveness of our sales engine?
It is rare to sit in a board meeting and hear someone probing around these questions. We rightly focus on bookings outcomes BUT sometimes miss the locations and subtleties of root causes. We tend to succumb to explanations of "we don't have the right people", but realistically you should know very early in the execution of the sales playbook if you had the right people. They were doing the hard stuff or they were not. Is the coach really blaming the players?
When you have the opportunity to observe results improving with a change in your sales playbook, you can start to see that "Your Process if Your Product".
About MOIC Partners
At MOIC Partners, our mission is to elevate mid-sized B2B SaaS companies in the energy sector to unparalleled heights of success. Our unique approach transcends mere scaling; we focus on amplifying valuation through meticulously refined sales processes and comprehensive strategic exit planning.
