Two prospects hear the same pitch. One buys on the spot. The other delays and disappears. The difference? One had a reason to act now.
The truth is, most prospects don’t say no—they just don’t say yes. In many cases, it’s not because they’re unsure about your product. It’s because they don’t feel a compelling reason to act now.
That’s where event-based urgency comes in—a tactic that’s both smart and ethical, and one that I emphasize in all of my sales courses. If you want to keep your deals moving and your pipeline flowing, this strategy belongs in your sales plan.
What Is Event-Based Urgency?
Event-based urgency is the practice of using real-world timelines, external deadlines, or predictable industry cycles to give your prospect a logical and time-sensitive reason to buy now, not later.
Let’s look at this example:
“Mary, our prices will increase next month due to supplier costs. Let’s lock in the current rate today so you don’t get hit with the increase.”
Now you’ve done two things:
- Given the buyer a reason to act immediately
- Framed waiting as a cost—not just a delay
This is where psychology meets timing. People tend to delay decisions unless there’s something to lose. Event-based urgency makes inaction feel expensive.
Urgency That Serves, Not Pressures
One of the best things about this strategy is that it doesn’t feel manipulative. You’re not inventing pressure—you’re simply pointing out something real that your prospect may not be thinking about yet.
For instance:
“Jim, with Chinese New Year starting next month, we need to get your order placed this week to ensure it ships before the factory shuts down.”
That’s not a scare tactic—it’s a service. You’re helping your prospect avoid disruptions, missed deadlines, or higher costs.
The beauty of this tactic is that there are always real-world events you can anchor to:
- End-of-quarter budgeting
- Fiscal year-end spending
- Policy or compliance changes
- Seasonal buying patterns
- Industry-specific holidays or downtime
By aligning your offer with these external events, you’re creating a decision window that makes perfect sense to the buyer.
How to Build Event-Based Urgency Into Your Sales Plan
Here’s how you can start using this technique right away:
- Make a list of key events relevant to your buyer’s industry, region, or company calendar.
- Pair those events with how they might affect your buyer’s timeline or budget.
- Craft messaging that connects your offer to the consequences of delay—clearly, confidently, and respectfully.
- Practice delivering it with calm authority. You’re not rushing them, you’re guiding them.
This is what high-performing salespeople do. They don’t rely on “hope” or wait for a perfect moment. They create urgency—strategically and ethically—by using what’s already happening in the real world.
Close the Deal Before It Cools
Your prospect’s interest has a shelf life. Without a reason to move forward now, that interest fades along with your deal.
Event-based urgency is one of the fastest ways to keep deals alive and moving—without pressure, without gimmicks, and with complete integrity.
Start using it today. Build it into your process, your scripts, your mindset. As always, experience is your best teacher. Try it a few times, and you’ll see how quickly momentum builds—and how easily “maybe later” turns into “let’s do it now.”
Looking for ethical ways to create urgency and drive momentum in your pipeline? Discover more event-driven sales strategies on my YouTube channel and start closing faster, with less friction.
The best sales pros know themselves—and use that insight to close smarter. Take the free Ultimate Closing Persona Quiz to identify your strengths and refine your approach.
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