You know what’s better than a fast sales cycle?

A fast awareness velocity.

You're familiar with the stages of awareness:

1. Unaware

I bought an Apple TV and the remote is really small.

2. Problem Aware

I keep losing the Apple TV remote.

3. Solution Aware

My wife tells me there's small devices that you can put on easily-losable items.

4. Product Aware

I ask around and hear about a company called Tile.

5. Most Aware

I compare different size Tiles and find one that fits the Apple TV remote.

At each stage, there's an implicit question that must be answered in order for the person to move closer to a buying decision.

1. Unaware

How quickly can you convince them they have a problem?

2. Problem-aware

How easy is it convince them a solution exists?

3. Solution-aware

How believable is your specific solution?

4. Product-aware

How much more compelling is your product than the competition?

5. Most-aware

How likely are you to close the sale?

Sales velocity only focuses on the the last two stages.

But if you can’t get them past the first three, you are sunk.