Urgency vs. Desperation in Sales
Why the Difference Matters & Understanding the Distinction
By Beth Standlee, CEO, TrainerTainment
Urgency in sales is a proactive, confident approach that motivates action by highlighting real opportunities or consequences of delay, while desperation is a reactive, anxious behavior that signals scarcity or fear of missing out on sales.
Buyers can sense desperation like a dog understands fear. Being desperate is about the seller meeting their own needs, which I believe is the opposite of why people buy the things sellers sell. It may seem counterintuitive, but people buy what they want or need, not what you sell!
Urgency is rooted in helping buyers recognize genuine value and the cost of inaction, creating psychological momentum without damaging trust. Desperation, on the other hand, often manifests as pushy tactics, excessive discounting or frantic follow-up behaviors that erode credibility and repel prospects.
The Power of Daily Meaningful Conversations
In the FEC industry, especially during uncertain economic times, the key to avoiding desperation is consistently prioritizing daily activities that generate sales. This means having enough meaningful conversations with those most likely to book group events, now and throughout the holidays. When you focus on connecting with your ideal prospects every day, you keep your sales pipeline full and avoid the last-minute scramble that leads to desperation.
Three “must-do” moves today that will guarantee sales tomorrow:
1. Connect with high schools and find out where they had their end of year parties and if they had them with you, rebook or plant the seed of re-booking now.
2. Plan a “Christmas in July” event. Send invitations (either written or email). Plan to hand them out at your June and July chamber of commerce or other networking events. Decide on your tasting menu. Put a party planning committee together and make this event spectacular. Include all the biggest events you had in the last two years, whether they were during the holidays or not.
3. Hold a half-year birthday party in July for all those kiddos with December birthdays. Or, why not celebrate your center’s birthday? Holding a big party event in July (mid-year) can easily get everyone in the spirit. And getting a deposit and a commitment now is better than waiting to see what the future might hold.
CQPC: The Foundation for Urgent, Not Desperate, Selling
My “CQPC” sales process – Connect, Qualify, Propose and Close – centers on building genuine relationships, understanding needs and offering tailored solutions. By urgently and consistently performing these day-to-day behaviors, you maintain control over your sales goals and avoid falling into desperation mode when quotas loom.
Every interaction must start with a genuine connection and curiosity about others. As an example: What are you planning to do for your team this year in way of recognition or celebration? How often do you take your youth group for entertainment-type experiences? How do you decide what field trips your school takes each year? Who’s the best person for me to talk with about how we might help create a memorable experience? You see, NONE of that interaction is about what you can do for them. You must connect and qualify BEFORE you try to sell.
Top Tip: Holding 10 to 20 meaningful conversations per day will put any sales pro in the position to meet and exceed their goals. A meaningful conversion is one where you know what to do next!
“When you have a sense of urgency about your sales goals, you are more inclined to act and complete tasks. This will allow you to fine-tune and improve your sales strategy.”
Why This Matters Now
With economic uncertainty and talk of recession, sales teams may feel pressure to close deals at any cost. But urgency – rooted in daily, focused activity and a proven process like CQPC – keeps you proactive and customer-focused. Desperation arises only when the pipeline is empty and goals are missed due to inconsistent effort.
Final Takeaway
Urgency is about disciplined, daily action and meaningful conversations with your best prospects. Desperation is what happens when you skip the process and try to make up for lost time. In today’s climate, the difference isn’t just important – it’s everything for sustainable sales success!
Beth is the CEO of TrainerTainment LLC, a coaching company devoted to the family entertainment and hospitality industries. Beth and her team are focused on helping the companies they serve make more money through sales, guest service, leadership and social media marketing training. Training products and services are delivered in person, through books and DVDs, and virtually with e-learning courses, webinar development and 24/7 online access. Beth is also president of AAMA. Visit her company’s website at
www.trainertainment.com.