What’s the number one deal killer, and how can you stop it from happening? Find out in this episode of “The Sales Evangelist Podcast.” Join me as I delve into a conversation with Feras Alhlou, a seasoned professional with a wealth of knowledge in sales strategies, business growth, and entrepreneurial advice. With a career spanning over two decades, Feras is a treasure trove of insights on deal killers, effective follow-up techniques, and customer engagement strategies that boost sales performance.  Don't miss out on the opportunity to gain from his expertise-hit play now! Feras Alhlou’s Background Feras Alhlou boasts over 25 years of experience in Silicon Valley, having navigated the highs and lows of the startup ecosystem.  Originally hailing from sunny Florida, he found himself in the tech hub of the world, where he rose to the position of Vice President at a cutting-edge high-tech company. However, after experiencing a layoff during a dry job market, Feras took destiny into his own hands by co-founding a business with a friend.  Today, Feras is dedicated to helping other entrepreneurs scale their businesses to seven and eight figures while avoiding the pitfalls he encountered on his journey. Identifying and Eliminating Deal Killers Right at the beginning of the episode, we tackle one of the most critical issues in sales: deal killers.  Listen to Fera discuss how delayed response and poor time management keep reps from closing deals at 4:58. The 2-1-2 Sales System Around the 10:05 mark of the episode, Feras introduces the 2-1-2 system. It’s a robust framework to enhance sales responsiveness and efficiency.  The system emphasizes responding to inbound leads within 2 hours, taking the first available meeting slot provided by the client, and sending follow-up proposals within 2 business days. This proactive approach to sales follow-up can make or break deals. Effective Follow-Up Techniques Traditional follow-ups like sending a generic "checking in" email are ineffective. Instead, Feras advocates for adding value to every communication.  Whether it’s an insightful article or data relevant to the client's industry, providing meaningful updates keeps you in mind and demonstrates your commitment to their success. Always add value in follow-up communications to stand out and build stronger customer relationships. "If you left a positive impression on these people, guess what? They'll remember you the next time around when they go to another company." - Feras Alhlou. Resources Startup With Feras Startup With Feras YouTube Feras Alhlou on LinkedIn Startup With Feras Facebook Startup With Feras Instagram Feras Alhlou on X Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.