If you're in sales and have never had to think about the sales cycle, you're not alone. Many sales professionals land in the sales arena almost by mistake. It's as if one morning they awaken and discover that they have to sell a product or service for a living. Because they must get “up to speed” on the sales world so rapidly, they give little thought to the process known as the “sales cycle”. However, that sales cycle could help them not only become better sales persons; the sales cycle could also help them greatly increase their weekly take-home pay. Truly, the sales cycle is a mystery worth solving!



A Sales Cycle Primer

There's nothing too peculiar about the sales cycle, though. For instance, let's consider the fictional sales cycle of a retailer of CDs, DVDs, and electronics equipment. First, the seller must obtain the CDs from another company; then, he or she must find buyers for those CDs; finally, when the cash register rings, the sales cycle has ended. Procurement basically leads to a sale – and the sales cycle is as simple as that. Of course, all sales cycles are not that uncomplicated; your organization's sales cycle may be quite complex, in fact. However, all sales cycles follow a fairly standard format.

Why Knowing about Sales Cycles is Good Business

So why should you understand your own company's sales cycle? After all, if you've been successful thus far without even thinking about the sales cycle, why bother? This is the reason many business people eschew finding out more about their own business's sales cycle; however, their reasoning for not understanding the sales cycle is flawed. If you are earning a good income in spite of not understanding or knowing your own sales cycle, imagine how much you could be bringing in if you were up-to-date on your sales cycle! In fact, knowing about your sales cycle could be the difference between having a so-so year and a stellar 12 months!

How to Find Out More about Your Sales Cycle

There are many methods to uncover the intricacies of your corporation's sales cycle, some significantly more time-consuming than others. For instance, you could hire a consultant to assist you in developing a sales cycle model for your operation. Or you could spend countless hours evaluating facts and figures culled from a variety a sources in order to pinpoint your sales cycle. (And good luck finding all the sales cycle data; it's probably in a number of different programs or buried in manila folders.) Obviously, those techniques may not be applicable or lucrative for your on-the-go, no-time-to-waste enterprise. Instead, why not choose a sales management software program to help you develop a better understanding of your sales cycle?

About Sales Management Software Programs

A sales management software program, such as the popular and highly touted Prophet (available at Avidian.com), is a quick and relatively inexpensive way for you to determine how your sales cycle works. Through tables and reports, you'll be able to figure out the best possible sales cycle scenarios and trend analyses for your company. The trick is to find a software program that is easy to learn and operate as well as geared toward helping you in your quest for a more lucrative sales cycle, and Prophet definitely fits the bill. Prophet runs “on top” of your MS Outlook program; that makes it highly user-friendly. And it will not only assist you in uncovering the ins and outs of your sales cycle; it will also help you perform that sales cycle at optimum levels. It's almost like hiring another employee who has innate knowledge of sales cycles… without having to pay the salary or the benefits!

Getting Your Colleagues' Buy-In

If you're ready to investigate your sales cycle and take your selling approaches to unheard-of levels, the next step you need to take is “selling” your co-workers on the profitability of understanding your company's sales cycle. Doing this is actually easier than you might think, but only if you make it crystal clear to all your sales staff that by delving into your sales cycle and streamlining the sales cycle process, everyone will profit. Suddenly, your sales professionals will be “on board”, because you will have spoken to their wallets. It's one of the oldest sales tricks in the book (aka, selling to the prospect's bank account), but it definitely works wonders.

After You've Unraveled the Mystery of Your Sales Cycle

Once you've determined what your company's sales cycle looks like, you can begin to improve your selling. Slowly, you'll be able to eliminate areas of wasted time or opportunities, and you'll start to tighten the sales cycle process. This means if a sales cycle now takes you two weeks, it might only take you eight days after you evaluate your sales cycle and remove any “waste.” As you start to pare down any extraneous elements of your previous sales cycle, you'll be able to formulate a new sales cycle that will be much more successful than was your prior one.

Are You Ready to “Prophet”?

If you have the desire to uncover your sales cycle, why not start today? Check out Avidian.com and find out more about the Prophet software management program that can assist you as you begin to define your business's sales cycle. At the Avidian website, you'll find many helpful items, including other ways to use the software to help eliminate the “fluff” from your current sales cycle. You'll also read testimonies from sales professionals like yourself who were blown away by how profitable their companies became after their sales cycle was “trimmed” of the “fat” with the help of Prophet. Even if you're not 100% convinced that your sales cycle needs any alterations, we encourage you to log on to Avidian.com during your next coffee break or lunch hour. After all, you have nothing to lose; why not find out how you can increase your sales acumen and ability by “tweaking” your sales cycle? Visit Avidian today!