Sales
Marketing
How to Drive Urgency in Your Sales Process
Learn how to drive urgency in sales without being pushy. Boost your close rate with these effective, non-manipulative techniques.
Learn how to drive urgency in sales without being pushy. Boost your close rate with these effective, non-manipulative techniques.
Your prospect might like your product or service, but they'll keep putting off the decision without a compelling reason to act now. Driving a sense of urgency can nudge prospects toward a purchase.
Creating a reason for customers to act sooner rather than later increases your chances of closing the deal. But how exactly do you create this urgency without being pushy or manipulative?
This blog post explores exactly that. We'll explain what driving urgency means in a sales context, when to use it, and, most importantly, how to do it effectively.
Driving urgency is one way of overcoming objections in sales. Objection handling is the process of addressing the reasons why a customer might not want to buy and then convincing them to buy anyway.
Maybe they think your product is too expensive or unsure if it'll work for them. These are objections, and a good salesperson knows how to address them.
But here's the thing: sometimes, the real objection isn't something the customer says outright. Sometimes, it's simply that they don't feel any rush to make a decision.
They might like your product, but they figure they can always buy it later. That's where driving urgency comes in.
Driving urgency is about creating a reason for the customer to act now rather than later. For example, when a store has a "One Day Only" sale, they're trying to create urgency so you'll buy today instead of putting it off.
Why should you drive urgency? In sales, timing plays a significant factor in closing deals. Urgency can significantly increase conversion rates. For example, an A/B test showed that adding urgency to a sales pitch nearly tripled the conversion rate from 3.5% to 10%.
Now, before you start throwing around "limited time offers" left and right, let's talk about when to use this technique. Creating a sense of urgency can be powerful, but it's not always the right move. Here are a couple of common mistakes to avoid:
Imagine you're selling umbrellas on a sunny day. A potential customer says, "I don't need an umbrella right now."
You might think, "Aha! I need to create urgency!" But hold on a second. Is the real problem a lack of urgency, or is it that they don't see the value in owning an umbrella on a sunny day?
Always dig a little deeper. A lack of urgency might be hiding other issues:
So before you start creating urgency, ensure that's the problem.
Say you've had a great conversation with a prospect, explained all the benefits of your product, and then at the very end, you say, "But you have to decide right now!"
Feels a bit pushy, doesn't it?
Driving urgency isn't something you should leave until the last minute. It's most effective when woven throughout your entire sales process, from the first hello to the final handshake.
So, how do you do this? Here's a simple two-step approach that can help you build urgency naturally throughout your sales process:
The trick is to get your prospect talking about their own sense of urgency. You're not telling them they should feel urgent; you're helping them realize it for themselves.
Try asking questions like:
Asking questions helps you understand the prospect's situation. You spot the real problems and motivations driving the prospect's interest. This step helps you tailor your approach and solution to their specific needs, so you have two goals here.
The first goal is to get the prospect to articulate why getting your solution is urgent for them. The second is to gather information that will help you position your solution effectively.
Asking the right questions not only creates urgency but also builds rapport and demonstrates that you genuinely care about finding a solution.
Let's say you're selling accounting software. Your conversation might go something like this:
You: "What made you look for new accounting software now?"
Prospect: "Well, tax season is coming up, and last year was a nightmare with our current system."
You: "I see. How did that impact your business?"
Prospect: "We spent too much time on paperwork and nearly missed the filing deadline. It was stressful."
You: "And if you don't find a better solution before this tax season?"
Prospect: "Ugh, I don't want to think about it. We'd probably have to hire temporary staff just to get through it."
See what happened there? The prospect just laid out their case for why they need to act soon. You didn't have to say a word about urgency; they did it for you!
Not all prospects will be forthcoming with information. Some might be guarded, vague, or simply unsure about their needs. In these cases:
Remember, the goal is to have a conversation, not an interrogation. Be genuinely curious and empathetic.
Now that your prospect has expressed their sense of urgency, you can use their words to reinforce why acting soon is important.
At this step, you want to reinforce the urgency the prospect expressed, connect their stated problems to your solution, and create a clear picture of the positive outcomes that could result from taking action now.
When you're presenting your solution, you might say something like:
"You mentioned that last tax season was stressful with your current system, and you're worried about hiring temporary staff if you don't find a better solution soon. Our software is designed to streamline your tax preparation process, potentially saving you both time and the cost of extra help. And if we get started now, you'll be up and running well before tax season hits."
This approach feels natural because you're not introducing new urgency; you're just reminding them of the urgency they've already expressed.
Sometimes, prospects might not have expressed clear urgency in Step 1 or have been vague about their situation. In these cases:
In all cases, remain focused on the prospect's best interests. You're not creating false urgency; you're helping them understand the full implications of their situation and the potential benefits of your solution.
Your goal is to guide them towards a decision that will genuinely benefit their business. Keep learning how to build rapport with your customers naturally.
Sometimes, even after all this, a prospect might still be dragging their feet. That's when you might need to introduce some more direct urgency techniques:
This is the classic "act now" approach. You might offer a discount that's only available for a limited time. For example: "If we can get this contract signed by the end of the month, I can offer you a 10% discount on the first year's subscription."
Suddenly, the customer’s more interested in your solution. Time-bound offers work because they tap into our natural fear of missing out (FOMO).
They create a sense of urgency by putting a ticking clock on a great deal. It's like when you see that countdown timer on an online sale—now, you're itching to hit that "Buy Now" button!
55% of people who sign up for email newsletters do so because they want to receive discounts and special deals. This shows that offers with savings are very appealing to customers.
This is about highlighting limited availability. It could be something like, "We only have three implementation slots left before tax season. After that, we can't guarantee you'll be set up in time."
The customer would now consider your solution more seriously because they’re afraid they’ll lose their slot and their chance to solve their problem.
Scarcity may also play on our desire to have what others can't. When something is in limited supply, it suddenly becomes more valuable in our eyes. It's the same reason limited edition products often sell out fast!
A study of 1,289 car dealerships over six months found that sales went up by 5% when there was a wide variety of cars but fewer of each model. This is evidence that when items are less available, people are more eager to buy them.
Reward quick decision-makers with extra perks. For instance: "For customers who sign up this quarter, we're offering free premium support for the first six months."
Fast mover incentives make customers feel like they're getting extra value for being decisive. It's like being first in line at a grand opening and getting a special gift—it makes you feel smart and savvy.
Remember, no matter what tactic you use, the goal isn't to pressure your prospects but to give them a good reason to act sooner rather than later.
Driving urgency isn't about being pushy or creating fake deadlines. It's about helping your prospects understand why acting now is in their best interest. Asking the right questions and using your prospect's words creates a natural sense of urgency that feels genuine and helpful.
Remember, the best salespeople aren't just there to close a deal but to solve problems. If your product or service can truly help your prospect, then creating urgency is just another way of guiding them toward a solution that will benefit them.
So go forth and sell with urgency—not because you need to close the deal, but because your customers need the solution you're offering.
Ready to improve your sales game? Download Lunas’ Complete Guide to Sales Enablement now! This resource offers insider tips on creating killer sales collateral, mastering objection handling, and driving urgency to close deals faster.
You’ll learn:
Don't let another deal slip through your fingers. Download Lunas’ Complete Guide to Sales Enablement and close more deals faster!
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