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If you browse the sales section of just about any well-stocked bookstore, you're likely to find a dozen or more books that have something concerning "closing the sale" in the title. I did a quick www.Amazon.com search and here are a few examples of the books I found:
1. Secrets to Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar
2. Sales Closing for Dummies by Tom Hopkins
3. Secrets of Closing Sales by Roy Alexander and Charles B. Roth
4. The Psychology of Selling: The Art of Closing Sales by Bryan Tracy
5. The Art of Closing any Deal by James W. Pickens
6. Big League Sales Closing Techniques by Les Dane
The list goes on an on. There are so many books with "closing the sale" in the title that it's pretty obvious that most salespeople struggle with getting a customer or prospect to say yes.
I remember vividly when I first began selling that I also struggled with closing the sale. I had excellent product knowledge and met people well, but I got a lot more nos than yeses when I asked for an order. In fact, I remember saying to myself, "If my customers and prospects would just be quiet for a half-hour or so and let me complete my full sales presentation, I'd tell them everything they need to know about my products and services to make a positive decision." But no, they kept interrupting me with questions or taking telephone calls during my visit.
I believe that salespeople do need to know how to use several professional closing techniques, so here are a few of the old stand-bys you may wish to practice using so you don't sound like a rank amateur when you use them for the first time:
Assumptive Close: "If I can get the shipment to you by Wednesday, will that be satisfactory." Or, "Will I need a purchase order number?" Or, "Do you want us to include the accessories on the same shipment with core product?"
Alternative Choice Close: "Would Tuesday be the best day to make the delivery or would Wednesday be better?" Or, "I have that product in both dark gray and dove white, which color would best match the siding?"
Ben Franklin Close: "Let's make a list of the pros, the reasons you've decided it would be wise to move forward. Now, let's list the cons, the negatives that are concerning you. Well, it looks as if we have six pros and only two cons. Do you agree that the pros win out over the cons to the point that you can authorize us to make the shipment?"
Direct and to the Point Close: "So, Bob, do you want to issue the PO so we can get your deliver set up for Wednesday?"
Fear Close: "Our computer shows that we have only 88 in stock and it looks as if you'll need 75 to complete this project. Do you want me to go ahead and reserve 75 for you now so that one of the other salespeople doesn't sell them out from under us?" Or, "The new government regulations go into effect January 1, which is going to increase the price of this product by over 10%. Do you want to go ahead and give me a PO today so we can get this purchase in this year?"
Tit for Tat Close: If I can do this for you, will you do that for me? For example, "If I can get my manager to approve this price, will you authorize the shipment?"
The Tit for Tat Close is highly effective for extracting an order from a buyer who has offered one or more objections. For example: "Mr. Buyer, if (IF is the key word that makes this close so effective) I could get company to wave the shipping charges...or, give you a money-back guarantee...or, install the product for you, etc., are you telling me that you will give me the order?
Set Aside Techique: IF it were not for _____________ are you telling me that we can do business? Fill in the blank with whatever it is that the buyer is telling you is the obstacle. Buyer: "Your prices are not competitive." Salesperson: "Are you telling me that if it were not for price; that is, if our prices were identical to the competition, that you would give me the order?"
I believe that closing is almost automatic for salespeople who have been successful in answering a customer's or prospect's questions and has earned the buyer's trust, but sometimes the disciplined use of one or more closing techniques can be just what the doctor ordered to push the buyer over the edge to say, "Yes, ship it."
My advice: Be cautious about sounding like you just got back from a sales seminar or just read a book on closing. The most natural closing technique is to know your customer's needs, satisfy those needs and earn the customer's trust. But keep these "closing techniques" in your hip pocket for use in case you need one of them to help your customer make a decision.
1. Secrets to Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar
2. Sales Closing for Dummies by Tom Hopkins
3. Secrets of Closing Sales by Roy Alexander and Charles B. Roth
4. The Psychology of Selling: The Art of Closing Sales by Bryan Tracy
5. The Art of Closing any Deal by James W. Pickens
6. Big League Sales Closing Techniques by Les Dane
The list goes on an on. There are so many books with "closing the sale" in the title that it's pretty obvious that most salespeople struggle with getting a customer or prospect to say yes.
I remember vividly when I first began selling that I also struggled with closing the sale. I had excellent product knowledge and met people well, but I got a lot more nos than yeses when I asked for an order. In fact, I remember saying to myself, "If my customers and prospects would just be quiet for a half-hour or so and let me complete my full sales presentation, I'd tell them everything they need to know about my products and services to make a positive decision." But no, they kept interrupting me with questions or taking telephone calls during my visit.
I believe that salespeople do need to know how to use several professional closing techniques, so here are a few of the old stand-bys you may wish to practice using so you don't sound like a rank amateur when you use them for the first time:
Assumptive Close: "If I can get the shipment to you by Wednesday, will that be satisfactory." Or, "Will I need a purchase order number?" Or, "Do you want us to include the accessories on the same shipment with core product?"
Alternative Choice Close: "Would Tuesday be the best day to make the delivery or would Wednesday be better?" Or, "I have that product in both dark gray and dove white, which color would best match the siding?"
Ben Franklin Close: "Let's make a list of the pros, the reasons you've decided it would be wise to move forward. Now, let's list the cons, the negatives that are concerning you. Well, it looks as if we have six pros and only two cons. Do you agree that the pros win out over the cons to the point that you can authorize us to make the shipment?"
Direct and to the Point Close: "So, Bob, do you want to issue the PO so we can get your deliver set up for Wednesday?"
Fear Close: "Our computer shows that we have only 88 in stock and it looks as if you'll need 75 to complete this project. Do you want me to go ahead and reserve 75 for you now so that one of the other salespeople doesn't sell them out from under us?" Or, "The new government regulations go into effect January 1, which is going to increase the price of this product by over 10%. Do you want to go ahead and give me a PO today so we can get this purchase in this year?"
Tit for Tat Close: If I can do this for you, will you do that for me? For example, "If I can get my manager to approve this price, will you authorize the shipment?"
The Tit for Tat Close is highly effective for extracting an order from a buyer who has offered one or more objections. For example: "Mr. Buyer, if (IF is the key word that makes this close so effective) I could get company to wave the shipping charges...or, give you a money-back guarantee...or, install the product for you, etc., are you telling me that you will give me the order?
Set Aside Techique: IF it were not for _____________ are you telling me that we can do business? Fill in the blank with whatever it is that the buyer is telling you is the obstacle. Buyer: "Your prices are not competitive." Salesperson: "Are you telling me that if it were not for price; that is, if our prices were identical to the competition, that you would give me the order?"
I believe that closing is almost automatic for salespeople who have been successful in answering a customer's or prospect's questions and has earned the buyer's trust, but sometimes the disciplined use of one or more closing techniques can be just what the doctor ordered to push the buyer over the edge to say, "Yes, ship it."
My advice: Be cautious about sounding like you just got back from a sales seminar or just read a book on closing. The most natural closing technique is to know your customer's needs, satisfy those needs and earn the customer's trust. But keep these "closing techniques" in your hip pocket for use in case you need one of them to help your customer make a decision.