MEMBERSHIP SELLING AND
SALES MANAGEMENT INSIGHTS

Urgency Isn’t Created, It’s Discovered

One of the most common questions we receive from chamber membership reps is “How do I create a sense of urgency for a prospect?”

Honestly, it’s not unique to the chamber biz.  It’s the number one challenge that salespeople of any sort face.

But what we’ve found is that urgency isn’t created so much as it is discovered. And in the chamber of commerce industry, member reps struggle because they are too busy trying to sell prospects on the features of membership, instead of taking the time to understand their prospects’ challenges.

For example, let’s say you are having a conversation with a prospect, and she mentions that she thinks she should be networking more. How would you respond?

We bet you would say something to the effect of “Well, you’ve come to the right place. We have an event next Thursday.”

You may think that by mentioning next week’s event you are creating a sense of urgency for your prospect.

It’s true that deadlines and timeframes can help influence decisions. But, the kind of urgency that compels a prospect to make the decision to join the chamber cannot be artificially created by dates on the chamber calendar.

It lies in wait, and is only discovered when you make the effort to get to know your prospect and understand her challenges.

It runs deep. And if you can uncover it, it’s far more powerful than even the best sales pitch.

IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT

Uncovering a sense of urgency within your prospect isn’t easy. But it is worth your time, because once that urgency reveals itself to you and your prospect, your success in signing your prospect as a new member is highly likely.

To get there, you need to stop talking about the bells and whistles of membership and instead, ask questions and truly listen when your prospect answers them.

DIG DEEP

If your prospect feels like she needs to be networking more, dig deeper. Ask why. What problem is she facing in her business that has brought her to that conclusion?  

Probe for problems and challenges that the chamber can help with.  As your prospect communicates her challenges, it reinforces her need to find a solution, that’s when that sense of urgency begins to emerge.

CONNECT CHALLENGES WITH SOLUTIONS

Answer her challenges by emphasizing specific benefits and resources that address her unique pain points. When she connects the dots between her problems and the chamber as a solution, she is nearly guaranteed to join.

As always, we encourage you to practice this technique, make it your own, and let us know how it goes.

Remember, we’re easy to talk to. Feel free to reach out with questions about this technique or other issues.

Sign up to receive our Mid-Week Membership Sales Tip delivered to your inbox every Wednesday.