CLOSING Tips
Read these 12 CLOSING Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Selling tips and hundreds of other topics.
Two Words
There are two words that you should be aware of when presenting your materials, recommendation, overcoming objections, and especially when in the closing step.
1. Think
2. Know
Examples:
I ‘think' this will really reduce your electric expenses.
Mr. Prospect, I ‘know' you're going to be impressed with the savings on your electric bill.
The word ‘think' implies ‘doubt'. The word ‘know' implies ‘belief'.
Listen to what you're saying. How many times do you say, “I think….”
Disappointment
It doesn't matter how great of a sales professional you are, there are some sales that will not close. These can cause a destructive toll on self-esteem and feel like an ole umph in the belly. You may feel let down and wonder what went wrong. The best thing to do when you've given it your all and this is one that just doesn't happen - is to figure out something that you can learn from what did happen. Deal with it, learn from the situation, and move on...quickly.
Why people really buy.
People buy for their own reasons, not for yours. Until you know your customer`s reasons for wanting, or not wanting, to buy your product/service...you`re in the dark! It doesn`t matter how many reasons you give for believing your product/service is a great buy, they will mean nothing unless your customer has solid reasons of his own for wanting to do business with you. Customers face new problems every day that can radically alter their needs for your products/services. The key is to stay in contact with your prospects...and ALWAYS ask questions to learn where they are in terms of needing your product/service.
Know Thy Competition
We all have competitors. When you call on a prospect, you will likely encounter a situation where the prospect knows your competitors. In order to sell all the reasons why YOUR product or service is best for the prospect...you need to know as much as possible about your competitors. This allows you to point out the strengths and weaknesses of comparing organizations and products. Be able to explain 'why' your product is better than the rest - to solve a specific need of your client.
Develop URGENCY to buy
When a prospect avoids making the decision to `buy` from you, it`s typically because they have no sense of urgency to buy. Your challenge is to prove to the prospect that buying `now` is best for them and you must be able to offer support and quality reasons `why`. What will they miss if they wait even one more day? What are the potential opportunities if they go ahead and get started on the program `now`? WHY is it important for them to buy `now`? In other words, what`s in it for them? Remember...the reason a customer buys your product or service is because of what it can do for `them`. Tell them.
Closing the sale
So, what is the "Ben Franklin" close? Well, if you`re in sales you`ve probably at least heard of that one, and you probably have even read and studied about it ... but what is it? Some sales people tend to think that a specific close strategy will work for every sale. That just isn`t the case in sales today. To close a sale, you must first go through a selling process (preparation, gathering information about your prospect, presenting information about your company and product/service, etc.). Closing the sale is very simple: When you`ve gone through the selling process, you simply "Ask them to buy". Put yourself in your prospect`s shoes and ask them to buy in a way that you`d want to be asked.
What's in it for me if I buy 'now'?
When a prospect avoids making the decision to 'buy' from you, it's typically because they have no sense of urgency to buy. Your challenge is to prove to the prospect that buying 'now' is best for them and you must be able to offer support and quality reasons 'why'. What will they miss if they wait even one more day? What are the potential opportunities if they go ahead and get started on the program 'now'? WHY is it important for them to buy now? In other words, what's in it for them? Remember...the reason a customer buys your product or service is because of what it can do for 'them'. Tell them.
Return on Investment
ROI....Return On Investment...
Keep ROI in mind when you're making a proposal or recommendation to a potential customer. Understanding the ROI helps a prospect to justify the expenditure for buying your product or service in most cases.
Sense of Urgency!
When a prospect avoids making the decision to `buy` from you, it`s typically because they have no sense of urgency to buy. Your challenge is to prove to the prospect that buying `now` is best for them and you must be able to offer support and quality reasons `why`. What will they miss if they wait even one more day? What are the potential opportunities if they go ahead and get started on the program `now`? WHY is it important for them to buy `now`? In other words, what`s in it for them? Remember...the reason a customer buys your product or service is because of what it can do for `them`. Tell them.
Competitors
When you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors products and services (various methods of solving a problem), you will be in a position to prove the benefits and values of your own products and services.
Why my product is best
In order to make a decision to buy your product and/or service, a buyer will need specific information about you, your company, your products, services, etc. Provide them with specifics on your reliability, special features of your products and services, and your company image. Tell a complete story of why they should buy from YOU rather than your competition.
Does you have a name for your close?
These are some of the different types of closes:
APPOINTMENT: "Invest 20 minutes to....?"
DEMONSTRATION: "If I could show you ...?"
TEMPERATURE: "On a scale of 1 to 10 ...?"
ALTERNATIVE CHOICE: "This week or next ...?"
ASSUMPTIVE: "When to be installed?"
DIRECT: "Do you want to order today?"
When it comes to closing, the most important factor is to ask for the order in a way to get your customer to buy!
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| Heidi Splete |
