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Sale's Critical Step: The Close

Guest articles > Sale's Critical Step: The Close

by: Daniel Milstein

Closing a sale is the last critical step. The most important goal ins sales is to actually close the sale; without this step you will not succeed.

5 KEYS TO EFFECTIVE CLOSINGS

1. Put yourself in the customer's shoes, anticipating their needs.
2. Listen carefully to customers discuss their concerns. Buyers frequently 'close themselves,' by reviewing their situation and concluding they have made a wise decision. Avoid talking so much that you inadvertently create new closing obstacles.
3. Answer each of their objections.
4. Restate your solution: 'So Helen, as agreed, this (product/service) will help you realize your goals by_____________________. You have made a good choice.'
5. Request the action. ('Let's start your application now,' or 'I will have all of the paperwork ready for you; let's meet tomorrow at ___.')

You can strengthen your closing expertise by:

Answering Objections: All salespeople encounter objections or other potential closing delays that are often imposed by the prospect. I have talked with many salespeople who are adept at most areas, but have a marginal ability to effectively handle objections. The key is to develop a list of the most frequent customer objections that your customers have made and be certain that you are able to answer them convincingly. The ability to answer objections to the client's satisfaction can make the difference between a timely close and no close.

Confirming Their Needs: As you approach the end of a sales call or presentation, you may think you have answered all of the prospect's questions or concerns. However, there still may be some uncertainty about the price, product guarantee, delivery date or other important details. The best way to be certain there are no remaining issues is to verify with the customer. For instance, if you believe the prospect has any final reservations, just say 'Mr. Jones, what would it take to gain your business today?' or 'What else can I do to help you make a decision today?' At this point, they typically will suggest any remaining questions and allow you to move forward to the final step.

Asking for the Business: Some salespeople have difficulty closing the sale because they miss one final element: asking for the business. They already have provided the necessary information, offered solutions to the customer's situation and answered the primary objections, yet not made the final move. They inadvertently let the customer take control of the situation by stalling. 'Let me think about it for a couple of days,' or 'It all sounds good, but I don't know' are two common customer responses. It may be as simple as advising the prospect, 'Why don't we proceed and complete the application,' or 'Let's sit down and write up the contract for your new computer system.' Prospects often just need a slight encouragement to get them to act.

After you have engaged the customer, these stills will enable you to close the sale and meet your company mandated closing goals.

Daniel Milstein is the bestselling author of ABC of Sales. For more information, visit: http://amzn.to/ABCARTICLES.

Contributor: Daniel Milstein

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Classification: Sales

Website: http://amzn.to/ABCARTICLES