“The race doesn’t go to the swift; it goes to the responsive”
- Zero Time Selling, page 13
"This is what Zero-Time is about: using absolute responsiveness to reduce to zero the amount of time required to convert a sales lead into a satisfied customer"- Zero Time Selling, page 34
The fundamental components to achieve zero-time selling are content and speed. Paul argues that quality content that is readily available for the customer will increase their ROTI. Instantaneous response to customer inquiries is paramount not just for ROTI, but also to maintain a competitive advantage over the competition. The process in turn results in converting sales leads into satisfied customers. Zero-time selling requires implementing the following steps, bearing in mind that it cannot be accomplished overnight and requires that a company prioritizes according to their practices:
"Any Salesperson who can’t be bothered to respond to the lead is just leaving money on the table"- Zero Time Selling, page 40
The author compares leads to scratch-off lottery tickets, where both have the potential of paying off – the lottery odds are slimmer – yet not every lead is treated like a lottery ticket. Paul argues that a lead is a lead – otherwise it wouldn’t be a lead – and there is no such thing as a “bad lead”. All leads have the potential of paying off and that can only be ascertained once they are qualified by following up. The simple-fix to this situation is following up on 100% of all leads. Paul points out that with zero-time selling, sales personnel should follow up with leads within 30 minutes.
"The sharp end of the stick goes into the mammoth; the butt end of the spear sits flat on the ground and tries to stay out of harm’s way"- Zero Time Selling, page 45
If you’re out hunting with a spear, you generally have a good idea that it’s the sharp end that you need to direct towards your unsuspecting prey. Translated into zero-time selling, Paul argues that your salespeople need to have deep product knowledge. With technical information readily available by a subject matter expert, positioning them closest to customers increases your responsiveness in addition to eliminating any extra steps and time it takes to “get-back” to them with the right information. The result is increasing the customer’s ROTI, because the right information is available at the right time during the sales process. Furthermore, he argues that there is no such things as being over responsive, which may come off as “too eager”.
Zero-Time Selling was a good read. It has plenty of practical examples and easy to implement solutions that any buyer can find useful in the current cyber-market climate. Paul shares strategies to empower customers with the right information, and how to deliver it instantaneously.
A veteran of multiple technology start-ups, Andy knows first-hand how to rapidly establish a market presence and sales momentum for new products. He has extensive sales experience with nearly every type of customer situation and sales channel that exists both in the US and abroad, having been responsible for the sales of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of products and services in nearly every corner ofthe globe.
