We all want to be able to close more sales and do it faster.
Problem is too many salespeople wind up spending all of their time chasing sales that simply take too long to close.
Let’s look at 3 things you can do now that will help you close more sales faster.
First, only spend time with those people who can buy.
Makes sense, but too many times the salesperson finds out too late that the person with whom they’ve been talking is only an intermediary who must ultimately gain approval from someone else.
Best way around is by asking, “How have you bought things like this before?” Asking this way is non-threatening, and by asking in a non-threatening approach, the customer won’t feel intimidated by the question.
Second, put the element of time into the sales process very early.
When we’re talking time, we’re looking at it from both your end as the salesperson and the customer’s end. The easiest manner is again by asking questions to get the customer thinking that buying now or earlier than they initially expected is going to help them.
Once they provide you with a fact, run with it by asking a follow-up question — with the idea to begin magnifying the importance of buying soon. A few sample questions you can ask early might include:
“What is the benefit for you to have this now?”
“If we can get this early, how would it help you with everything else you have going on?”
The same goes for how you express urgency. Don’t hesitate to bring things up such as “the calendar is filling fast and I want to make sure we have enough time.”
Third, ask for the order now.
Make it simple and easy. Offer the customer the means to step into the buying process in a way that require minimum risk on their part.
Your goal here is to gain the initial sale, which you can then leverage into the next sale. It is always far easier to gain a second sale from a customer who has already bought once from you than it is to find a totally new customer.
With that being said, the easier you make the first sale, the easier and even faster it will be for you to secure the next sale.
Copyright 2014, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
One Response
Great points. I especially like they way you ask the question to find out who the decision makers are. And, the great advice on getting an order for anything to start. I had a great sales manager that always taught me to get a small order, because that turns a prospect into a customer, and it is always easier to business with customers.