Hi folks, as the title says, this post is about closing the sale. The reason is that there are loads of people who think this is a mystical thing and are mesmerised by it and sometimes even scared to close.
Why listen to me though? I?ve taught and trained sales people for over ten years and had people with no confidence or experience make it to the top ten in the country. And, if I?m writing crap, I?m sure a few of the people on here will comment so too!
The fact is that there isn?t anything magical about closing. It?s is a simple process. You just have to get the right person, at the right time in the sales process and then at the right time in their lives that they are ready to buy right there. In other words be qualified.
The best salespeople are the ones that qualify people. A good definition of closing is:
?The stage of the personal selling process in which the customer agrees to purchase.?
A basic way to qualify people is: ?If you like what you see, you?ll be in a position to buy this today??
So, here are three techniques you can use with qualified people. (Just qualifying them will increase your conversions by as much as 30 or 40 percent.)
There?s a process which we probably all know -
Build rapport
Do the presentation
Close,
Handle any objections and
Close again.
But people are scared to close. I know I was. My hand was shaking all over the place!
But, I learned to be comfortable with being uncomfortable and break through that limiting comfort zone.
Here?s my closing tips:
In a shoe shop you can say ?okay that looks great, I?ll just get you over at the till.?
In a business presentation environment:
?What is it you like the most about XYZ?? ?Okay, well it looks like you?re ready to buy XYZ/get started?
This works with online chatting and on the phone and in person as well.
With the retail version, you either want to walk to the till or proceed with the sale in whatever way you do it.
If you are in business to business environment and there are contracts to be done you just want to be silent. This allows them to put pressure on themselves not from you as you?re not saying anything whilst getting the paper work out.
If they say yes, just shake hands, congratulate them and take them through the buying process or whatever it is you do to get the money in your hands.
2. When you get an objection:
We?ve all heard feel, felt, found - I know how you feel, I felt the same way but what I found was ...
This is a little bit fluffy though so you want to be more direct without being mean.
The Being Frank Close:
Just ask them. Okay lets just be frank - whats the real reason?
Or... I?m going to be frank with you. Are you in a position to make a decision today yes or no? I don?t really need you to buy anything, if you don?t want to. We can just call it quits and still be friends
Then use a takeaway - ?It?s probably not for you anyway, it?s okay - take it or leave it. I have more people to speak to today that are ready now so i?ll leave you there but when we spoke, you sounded like you really wanted it so what is it really thats stopping you??
You?re not being mean, your just being frank
The take away is psychological, they then want it. Like dogs and a bone. As soon as one picks it up, the other one wants it.
Number 2. The dummy approach:
If they ask you a question, you can say ?I don?t know. If I find the answer for you, is that going to put you in a position to start today?? This puts them at ease that they are not talking with a complete hot shot who they might be intimidated by.
3. Or the one I learned from my mentor:
Take the ?I need to speak to my spouse? objection. I used to use a version of this without the last sentence. The last sentence really is an excellent touch!
This objection could be true and thats great much respect for people who keep each other in the loop. But more than likely it?s a sub conscious answer just like when you tell a homeless guy you don?t have any change.
But: you can say...
?Can I ask you a question before we continue just so we?re on the same page?
Is it okay if I?m honest with you??
Yes -
?I realise you might have to speak with your spouse but I also realise that you might not be interested in what we?re doing today so here?s what I?m going to ask you just so we can be up front and direct. Do you want to join right now, your ready to join now and you would join if you had your spouses approval as you have the money and you want to do this or you?re actually telling me that you have to speak with your spouse because you?re not interested and you just don?t want to hurt my feelings??
Then silence again.
Powerful isn?t it? Then close again.
If they do have to speak to their spouse that?s fine follow up later if you want to it?s your call, but if they say that they?re actually just not interested...
?That?s fine, no worries thats okay its good just to be honest? and have a laugh about it.
?Well I?ve got to run but if you find that you do want to do this then get in touch okay.
See you later have a good one.?
Hope you got value from that and I?d love to hear any variations and ideas from you in the comments below.
Cheers,
Colin.
Why listen to me though? I?ve taught and trained sales people for over ten years and had people with no confidence or experience make it to the top ten in the country. And, if I?m writing crap, I?m sure a few of the people on here will comment so too!
The fact is that there isn?t anything magical about closing. It?s is a simple process. You just have to get the right person, at the right time in the sales process and then at the right time in their lives that they are ready to buy right there. In other words be qualified.
The best salespeople are the ones that qualify people. A good definition of closing is:
?The stage of the personal selling process in which the customer agrees to purchase.?
A basic way to qualify people is: ?If you like what you see, you?ll be in a position to buy this today??
So, here are three techniques you can use with qualified people. (Just qualifying them will increase your conversions by as much as 30 or 40 percent.)
There?s a process which we probably all know -
Build rapport
Do the presentation
Close,
Handle any objections and
Close again.
But people are scared to close. I know I was. My hand was shaking all over the place!
But, I learned to be comfortable with being uncomfortable and break through that limiting comfort zone.
Here?s my closing tips:
- Be direct - Assume the sale.
In a shoe shop you can say ?okay that looks great, I?ll just get you over at the till.?
In a business presentation environment:
?What is it you like the most about XYZ?? ?Okay, well it looks like you?re ready to buy XYZ/get started?
This works with online chatting and on the phone and in person as well.
With the retail version, you either want to walk to the till or proceed with the sale in whatever way you do it.
If you are in business to business environment and there are contracts to be done you just want to be silent. This allows them to put pressure on themselves not from you as you?re not saying anything whilst getting the paper work out.
If they say yes, just shake hands, congratulate them and take them through the buying process or whatever it is you do to get the money in your hands.
2. When you get an objection:
We?ve all heard feel, felt, found - I know how you feel, I felt the same way but what I found was ...
This is a little bit fluffy though so you want to be more direct without being mean.
The Being Frank Close:
Just ask them. Okay lets just be frank - whats the real reason?
Or... I?m going to be frank with you. Are you in a position to make a decision today yes or no? I don?t really need you to buy anything, if you don?t want to. We can just call it quits and still be friends
Then use a takeaway - ?It?s probably not for you anyway, it?s okay - take it or leave it. I have more people to speak to today that are ready now so i?ll leave you there but when we spoke, you sounded like you really wanted it so what is it really thats stopping you??
You?re not being mean, your just being frank
The take away is psychological, they then want it. Like dogs and a bone. As soon as one picks it up, the other one wants it.
Number 2. The dummy approach:
If they ask you a question, you can say ?I don?t know. If I find the answer for you, is that going to put you in a position to start today?? This puts them at ease that they are not talking with a complete hot shot who they might be intimidated by.
3. Or the one I learned from my mentor:
Take the ?I need to speak to my spouse? objection. I used to use a version of this without the last sentence. The last sentence really is an excellent touch!
This objection could be true and thats great much respect for people who keep each other in the loop. But more than likely it?s a sub conscious answer just like when you tell a homeless guy you don?t have any change.
But: you can say...
?Can I ask you a question before we continue just so we?re on the same page?
Is it okay if I?m honest with you??
Yes -
?I realise you might have to speak with your spouse but I also realise that you might not be interested in what we?re doing today so here?s what I?m going to ask you just so we can be up front and direct. Do you want to join right now, your ready to join now and you would join if you had your spouses approval as you have the money and you want to do this or you?re actually telling me that you have to speak with your spouse because you?re not interested and you just don?t want to hurt my feelings??
Then silence again.
Powerful isn?t it? Then close again.
If they do have to speak to their spouse that?s fine follow up later if you want to it?s your call, but if they say that they?re actually just not interested...
?That?s fine, no worries thats okay its good just to be honest? and have a laugh about it.
?Well I?ve got to run but if you find that you do want to do this then get in touch okay.
See you later have a good one.?
Hope you got value from that and I?d love to hear any variations and ideas from you in the comments below.
Cheers,
Colin.
