Allowing your customer to choose between two options will allow you to increase your sales by allowing your customer to feel like they’re in control.
Many times customers will hesitate to buy something, even if it’s what they’re looking for, if they feel the salesperson is pressuring them.
One way to engage your customer in the closing process and allow them to feel they’re in control is by asking them a question as part of your close. Let me give you an example as to how easy this approach is.
One question you might ask is, “Would you like this shipped on the 5th or the 12th?” Another one you could use is, “Do we write this up for 40 units or 44 units?”
The only thing that makes this difficult is if you have not planned for it from the start of the sales call. If you plan to use this approach to close, you need to make sure you’re not saying something that will automatically lock into offering an option that will not allow you to optimize the sale.
An example of this is during the sales call you and the customer get to talking about how little of a particular item they might need and how you can ship it in very small quantities. By taking things in this direction, you have now locked yourself into not being able to use quantity as one of your options. In this situation, you would want to use dates, billing options, or something else.
What I’ve found in using the option approach is how simple it is to use and how effective it is. This approach works best for customers who feel they’re smarter than you or have a large ego.
There is, however, a risk of this approach slowing the process if you’re dealing with a customer who really struggles with making a decision.
If you do have a customer who struggles making a decision, continue to focus on engaging the customer, uncovering their needs and showing them how what you offer meets those needs. Adding more options at the point of close for a customer like this may simply confuse them or cause them to hesitate more.
Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
Mark,
This is a great post and a wonderful tactic. I think there is an unbelievable art to educating and providing an option to your buyer so they feel more empowered in their buying decision.
Great post!
Jon Birdsong
SalesLoft // Sales and Marketing