When a client goes 'dark' (i.e., they ghost you and won't return your calls or respond to your emails), something has gone wrong! But, in your mind, your demo or presentation was great! So now, you're confused!

You thought you were delivering value, yet the potential client didn't see it that way!

Before delivering your next presentation (demo), consider using this seven-step framework. I use it to train companies so they can effectively guide customers through their decision-making process and prevent them from going "dark" or not making a decision at all. 

The key is to make sure the customer is mentally joining you on this journey. 

  Don't want to read? Here's the audio version. 

Here are the steps:

Lead with Business Insight: The first crucial step is to begin the conversation by providing the customer with a business insight. I define insight as "information beyond the obvious" that makes the customer think, "huh, never looked at it that way" or "I didn't know that". This creates a paradigm shift in the customer's thinking. 

Create Curiosity: If the business insight is delivered effectively, the keyword being 'effectively', it should naturally lead to curiosity from the customer. This is often expressed through phrases like, "Tell me more about that," "I never thought about that," or questions seeking further details. This curiosity indicates that the customer is beginning to engage with your perspective and is open to learning more.

Explore Potential: The next step involves the customer exploring the potential of your insights for their situation. Questions like, "How can that work for us?" often signal this. When customers start thinking about how your insights might apply to their business, it indicates they are moving further along the decision-making path.

Explore Options: Following the exploration of potential, the customer will want to delve into real options and understand how they would use your proposed solutions in their daily operations. They might ask, "How would we use that, Victor?" or want to move beyond conceptual discussions to practical applications within their current situation. This demonstrates a deeper level of engagement and a desire to see tangible benefits.

Show Business Cases (Social Proof): At this stage, it's effective to provide business cases or use cases that act as social proof. By showcasing how you've helped other companies facing similar challenges, you can further build trust and demonstrate the real-world applicability of your solutions. It's crucial to select examples that align with the customer's industry or situation. High engagement at this stage significantly increases the likelihood of the deal not going "dark". 

This positions the salesperson as a trusted advisor who understands the customer's needs.

Move to Proposal (or Close): If the preceding steps have been executed well, you can then move towards the proposal phase. In simpler sales, it might even be possible to close the deal at this point.

And finally,...

Ensure Mental Alignment Throughout: The overarching strategy is to constantly make sure that the person or group you are speaking with is mentally joining you on this decision-making journey. This requires YOU being aware of how the conversation is progressing, noting signs of curiosity, questions about potential and options, and engagement during the discussion of business cases. Watch for non-verbal cues as well!

By leading with value and progressively engaging the customer through a logical sequence of exploration and validation, salespeople can effectively guide them through their decision-making process.