We’ve all had sales calls that simply stall out. We’re just not successful in getting the close we want.
Here are 4 Sales Closing Techniques you can use:
1. Get the customer to agree on the timeframe for something.
One way to find out how serious the customer is about making a purchase is by knowing what their timeframe is. If you can’t completely close the sale, at least attempt to get the customer to share with you what their timeframe is for making a decision.
2. Close the customer on a couple of key features and benefits they do like.
By getting the customer to agree with you as to what it is they’re looking for and a few of the key features and benefits, you will be armed now with information to follow up with them the next time you meet.
3. Ask the customer what is keeping them from making a decision now, and regardless of how they answer, ask them to further clarify their decision.
Your objective is not to challenge their thinking by being in their face. Rather, the approach is to be sure both you and the customer are in agreement as to why no decision is being made. Similar to the second point, knowing this allows you to understand how to proceed.
4. Attempt to close the sale using a future expectation.
Ask the customer if you were able to do “x” would they in turn buy it on “y” date. We refer to this as the future expectation close. By putting this option in front of the customer, you can either close the sale or understand better what is keeping the customer from making a decision.
Ask the customer to do something for you after you leave. One of the best ways to know if the customer is truly interested is by asking them to be involved in the buying process.
An example of this is to ask the customer to look at some information you plan to send them shortly and then to respond to you with their opinion. Customers who are serious will do this. Customers who have limited desire will not see a reason to respond.
This is a very effective technique you can use not only when a call stalls out, but also to verify if a prospect is really a sales prospect or merely a sales suspect.
Want to be well-prepared no matter the sales situation you encounter? Be prepared with a variety of sales closing techniques.
Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
