Sales Tools: Great tips on closing the sale

by Karen Andrews | July 26, 2010 | Sales

For many people just the thought of ‘asking for the business’ or closing the sale brings about paralysing fear of rejection and feelings of being too pushy. So what happens? It gets avoided at all costs and that doesn’t help anyone.

The problem with letting fear get in the way is that sales drag on way too long and they often get lost as a result of not following-up. Remember, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Interestingly, it’s very rare for someone to be annoyed with you for following-up. If they have been meaning to call you, you’re doing them a favour by saving them time. If they haven’t made a decision, that’s OK, just ask them when you should call them back (so you’re not bothering them unnecessarily in between).

Closing is many things, it’s not just about winning the sale; closing is moving the sale through the process and getting agreement at each step, for example:

Agreeing to a next appointment
Agreeing to prepare a proposal
Agreeing to a demonstration
Agreeing to the next step
Agreeing to get started

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, the more work you do in the early stages of the sale to understand their ‘needs’ and their buying reasons, the easier and quicker the sale will be. Here are some tips and techniques that you can follow to make the process easier.

Spend more time asking questions that uncover needs and any problems, challenges or frustrations they may be experiencing. Businesses pay money to fulfil needs and solve problems. If you have a clear understanding of the problem or the need, you can match your solution to it. If you can’t uncover any of these reasons, I would suggest there is no reason for your prospect to buy it and the sale will be difficult to close.
Ensure that both you and your prospect understand and agree on their needs or problems and the value they will receive when you help them solve it.
When your prospects clearly understand ‘what’s in it for them’ it makes their decision easier and quite often they want to buy from you. Tailor your presentation around their needs and ‘what’s in it for them’. Great presentations communicate this clearly and gets your prospect into ‘buying mode’.
Recognise when people are ready to buy. They might indicate or show they’re ready by asking questions about the product or the buying process: “How long will it take for delivery?”, “How does that work?” or “Where to from here?”. Other signs include positive body language and comments such as “we could use it like this” or “that’s a good idea”.

When it comes time to ask for the business there are 3 different techniques you can use. I find the ‘assumptive’ close tends to work best for me, but it’s important to find a technique that works for you. Here is a list of closing techniques you might like to try:

The direct close

This is the most direct because you actually ask for the order. For example, “should we get the product ready for tomorrow?” or “Would you like to place an order?”.

The indirect close

This is where you summarise and re-state the benefits and then ask for a decision. For example, “having spoken to some of our clients and heard about the benefits they have been enjoying as a result of our service, are you ready to place an order?”.

The assumptive close

This is the one I use all the time and it assumes that the customer has made the decision to buy your product. Instead of asking them for an order, you ask them to complete the first step to get the service started or goods delivered. For example, “if you need to have delivery next week, I need the order from you no later than tomorrow” or “when would you like us to get started?”.

If the client is unwilling to move ahead, perhaps you haven’t addressed all of their concerns or perhaps they have a misunderstanding about your product or service or fail to see the benefits of what you offer. If you’re still stuck, have a read through my articles on “handling objections” or “what do to when the sale stalls”.

Contributed by Karen Andrews . Karen Andrews is the Director of Shine Sales Solutions, a Sydney based Sales Coach and Sales expert, that works with businesses to increase sales and increase sales confidence through strategy development, sales management, sales coaching and mentoring. Since its inception in 2003 Shine Sales Solutions has been assisting businesses to manage and motivate their sales staff to achieve success and increase profits. P: 02 9437 6500, E: kandrews@shinesales.com.au Twitter: karenandrews.

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