The sale is yours. You can taste it.
The customer is ready to buy and everything is in place. The order is going to be a nice way to jump start the business.
Just when you expect the customer to say “yes,” they hit you up with a very small request. They would like to have one slight change made to the order. You think about it for a split second and say, “Sure! Not a problem.” You realize how slight the change is in comparison to how big the order is and it becomes a no-brainer to do.
You alter the paperwork and are ready to get the customer’s signature when suddenly the customer informs you they need to wait a day or two. They say it’s not a big deal, but they need to take care of a couple of other things first. Certainly in a day or two they’ll get back to you and get the order placed.
A couple days pass with no response, so you reach out to the customer, only to have them ask you for another change. Again, after thinking about it, this time for 2 seconds, you say it wouldn’t be a problem if you can get the order processed today. Your thinking is you’re going to use the element of time to push the customer, especially if they want this second change.
Problem is the confidence you had telling the customer they need to order today is suddenly shot down when the customer throws back at you another change they want made.
Do you see what is happening?
You, the salesperson, is getting suckered into one concession after another. Customers love to try techniques to see what they can get away with. The reason they do it is because more times than not, they get more.
Best approach in handling a customer like this is by using the time-driven close right from the start and being prepared to walk away should they not buy in the timeframe you’re requesting.
You have to hold your firm and be confident you may lose a sale.
Surprising that what you often will find is you will lose far fewer sales than you think. And all of other sales will close faster and without any risk to margin.
Copyright 2013, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
