When to remove urgency in sales emails

Truth Number 1: Time kills deals.  Truth Number 2: The party who is least concerned about time often has the most leverage. In a negotiation, time is a massive two-edged swords in a negotiation. Nearly every single in flight deal that I was involved in last week leveraged an EOQ lever. Do I think this is a right and effective play in some cases? Absolutely. Do I think it’s unnecessary and can do more harm than good in other cases? Also absolutely. 2 weeks ago a salesperson (and a friend) called me up. They wanted some advice on a deal they were working on. They explained that they had deployed the EOQ lever and the stakeholder still hadn’t committed and in fact was asking for more. Here’s what I coached him to say: “Hey Bill - Previously I had mentioned that the additional 8% concession was contingent upon a signature by the EOQ. While I think signing by the 31st would certainly be ideal so that we can have the biggest impact for your team in Q2, I also understand that you have a lot going on and I don’t want you to feel rushed. Bottom line, I talked to my leadership and got them to agree to remove the contingency.  We’ll honor the 8% whether you sign this quarter or next. At this point, we feel really good about the proposal on the table. The ROI should be really strong and the SLA reflects that. The team seems really excited. Let me know if there is anything else you need from me.” In this case, Bill responded: “Wow, thanks. I actually think we can get it done but I appreciate the flexibility.” This salesperson texted me last Friday that the deal got signed. I’m genuinely not sure it would have (without additional concessions) if the rep didn’t take away the contingency. Time kills deals. Totally get that. But over-rotating on urgency can in some cases destroy leverage. You intend to put the pressure on the buyer but sometimes we’ll flip it right back on you because it’s so obvious the seller wants the deal by EOQ.  And often times, it can chip away at ACV unnecessarily. Again, each situation is different but it’s a good reminder that there are two sides of the sword. Wield it wisely. (And yes, the name of “Bill” has been changed. Isaiah has convinced me that when changing the name of the prospect, you should always use the name Bill. Not sure why, but I trust his judgment). 

Your "limited time offer" isn't creating urgency. It's creating skepticism. "Act now! This price expires at midnight!" "Only 3 spots left at this rate!" "Never again will you see this deal!" Prospects have heard this 1,000 times before. They know your midnight deadline is fake. They know you'll run this "special" again next month. They know your scarcity is manufactured. Real urgency doesn't come from artificial deadlines. It comes from genuine consequences. Instead of "This offer expires Friday," try: "We typically start new projects in March, but our January and February are filling up. When did you want to begin seeing results?" Instead of "Only 5 spots left," try: "We only work with 2 companies per industry to avoid conflicts. Are there competitors you want to make sure we don't work with?" Instead of "Special pricing this week only," try: "Our rates increase with demand, and we're busier now than we've ever been. This is what we can do right now." The difference? These statements are true. Your calendar really is filling up. You really do limit clients per industry. Your rates really do increase with success. Authentic urgency beats manufactured pressure every time. People can smell desperation. They're attracted to confidence. Stop creating fake deadlines and start creating real value. The urgency will take care of itself. What's the most authentic way you create urgency in your sales process?