What's the #1 Thing a Sales Rep Can Do to Win Deals?

Advancing every deal, every day.

It sounds simple, doesn't it? But any seasoned sales professional knows that this is what separates the good from the truly great. The ability to consistently push deals forward—not just touch them, but actually advance them toward a close—is what drives higher win rates and shorter sales cycles.

And yet, despite its critical importance, this task often receives the least amount of attention within a sales rep's day. Why? Because advancing deals requires precision, strategy, and actionable next steps. It's not a question of sending one more "value-added" email or checking in—for the tenth time—with, "Just following up!" It's about taking meaningful actions that move prospects through each stage of the sales funnel.

Unfortunately, in the hustle of managing a pipeline, creating proposals, and trying to hit numbers, sales reps often struggle to prioritize this. The result? Stagnant deals, frustratingly long sales cycles, and missed opportunities.

Why Advancing Deals Gets Overlooked

Advancing deals requires effort and strategy, yet the barriers that come with it often prevent it from becoming a core focus for many reps. Here's why this critical task gets overlooked and what's standing in the way:

1. It's Hard Work

Sending a quick email or replying to an inbound query is simple. But identifying meaningful next steps and executing them requires effort. To effectively move a deal forward, you need to:

• Have a deep understanding of where the prospect is in their buying cycle.

• Know their pain points and challenges.

• Tailor your messaging, resources, and actions for impact.

This level of engagement often feels overwhelming, especially when managing a large pipeline.

2. The "Value-Added" Trap

Many sales reps fall back on sending generic "value-added" emails. These are often repetitive, lack depth, and don't actually move the needle. For example:

• "Have you had a chance to review my proposal?"

• "Following up to see if you had any questions."

These emails don't bring new insights, spark interest, or address the critical factors driving the deal forward. They're low-effort touches that barely nudge the prospect, if at all.

3. Lack of Clear Guidance

Even experienced sales professionals can feel lost when it comes to identifying the best next steps for each prospect. Without effective tools or guidance in place, many revert to guesswork, focusing on "activity" rather than directed actions that lead to progress.

4. Content That Fails to Deliver

Marketing often provides great resources, but without personalization, even the best collateral can feel irrelevant. Reps need content tailored specifically to their prospects' needs at each touchpoint in the sales process. When that isn't available, their outreach can fall flat.

What Really Makes Deals Move?

Thankfully, there's a solution to this challenge. The most effective way to help every rep consistently advance their deals is to arm them with two essentials:

1. Clear, Actionable Next Steps

2. High-Quality, Purposeful Content

When reps have the right tools and resources, they can stop relying on busywork and start making real progress within their pipelines.

Here's how these two elements supercharge a sales team:

1. Clear, Actionable Next Steps

Great sales doesn't rely on vague follow-ups or ambiguous check-ins. Effective deal advancement comes from having a strategy that provides clarity and accountability, including:

• Defined Objectives for Each Stage: Know exactly what outcomes to achieve before moving on to the next stage.

• Collaborative Touchpoints: Reps should use intentional, impactful steps like scheduling product demos, involving additional decision-makers, or presenting ROI-focused solutions tailored to the customer's challenges.

• Specific Calls to Action (CTAs): Every communication should end with a concrete ask, whether it's securing time for a deeper conversation or agreeing on implementation details.

When sales reps have crystal-clear guidance, their efforts become purposeful, leading to shorter sales cycles and fewer deals left stagnant in the pipeline.

2. High-Quality, Purposeful Content

Content plays a pivotal role in advancing deals, but not just any content will do. The best-performing sales teams benefit from marketing assets that directly address prospect needs. This includes:

• Case Studies: Highlight relevant success stories for the industry or business size of your prospect.

• ROI Calculators: Build a compelling business case by showing tangible gains.

• Tailored Decks or Proposals: These should address the specific pain points and goals uncovered during discovery calls.

• Industry-Specific Research: Sharing stats that reflect market trends relevant to the prospect can position you as both helpful and knowledgeable.

When content is aligned with the prospect's objectives, sales reps can add real value without feeling like they're sending the same generic resources every time.

How Sales Teams Can Enable Reps to Advance Every Deal

Advancing deals successfully isn't just the responsibility of individual sales reps. For any sales team to truly excel, the organization must provide systems and processes that empower stronger deal management.

1. Provide Coaching and Visibility

Reps need continual coaching to understand what's working and what isn't. Deal reviews, roleplays, and productive feedback can enhance their ability to advance deals. Additionally, providing visibility into the pipeline eliminates guesswork, helping reps focus their efforts on high-priority opportunities.

2. Use AI and Technology to Identify Next Steps

AI-driven sales platforms can help reps prioritize their time and suggest concrete next steps for every deal. Tools that analyze deal data, track buyer signals, and provide actionable recommendations are game-changing for ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.

3. Build Collaboration Between Sales and Marketing

Your marketing team shouldn't just supply content; they should actively collaborate with sales to create resources that address the specific roadblocks and objections prospects commonly face. Fostering open communication between both teams can significantly enhance the quality of content and ensure it's effective in enabling deal progression.

4. Celebrate Incremental Wins

Advancing deals isn't a single action; it's the culmination of multiple small steps. Recognizing and celebrating incremental progress helps keep reps motivated to push every opportunity forward.

Transform Your Pipeline by Advancing Deals

Ultimately, advancing deals every day isn't just the most important thing a sales rep can do; it's the thing that delivers results. When reps focus on meaningful actions designed to progress their opportunities, they create shorter, more efficient sales cycles and experience higher win rates.

And the best part? With the right tools, resources, and guidance, any sales team can make advancing deals a standard practice. Start empowering reps to prioritize actionable steps, create killer content, and watch as your pipeline turns into a well-oiled, revenue-generating machine.

Want to see what modern tools can do for your sales team? Try Jasper AI for free and discover how AI-driven deal coaching can help you close more deals, faster.

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