So you've practiced your routine a million times, you've got your voice down to that perfect tone, and you've refined your strategy to get past the gatekeeper on a consistent basis. But you're still not making the sales you feel you should!
Why? What's going wrong?
Many salespeople who have the potential to be excellent never manage to crank up their dreadful conversion rates. The fact is that although they're excellent during their calls, successfully utilizing techniques likeÂ
insight sales, they always fall at the final hurdle. That's because their closing techniques are lacking and without a good grasp of these, you'll never get anywhere as a sales person.
Well, we've got quite a bit of experience in sales - and sales training - so we've put together nine techniques which are tried and tested, and guaranteed to help you close more deals!
1. Create a Sense of Urgency
Even if your product or service is an ideal fit and your prospect has every intention to sign up to whatever you've got to offer, it doesn't mean that your sale is guaranteed to close. The problem is that people will often leave things for another day ... till they "get around to it". Then something happens - and they don't.
The key to avoid this common problem is
creating a sense of urgency. And no, you don't have to lie either – just make sure that your prices and terms are created with time sensitivity in mind so that they can work in conjunction with your sales process.
For example, offer a special discount that's only valid for the first "X" customers - or until a fixed date. Throw in bonuses or improved terms and conditions, so long as they sign up on the same day. Be creative and don't make it appear that you're desperate for the sale – after all, you're helping them by giving them such a good deal!
2. The Puppy Dog Close
Is there anyone who can resist a cute puppy? Not many. And pet stores often allow a family to take home a puppy to "see how it goes". The family takes it home, inevitably falls in love with their new pet, and agrees to go through with the sale. Clever, eh?
But the puppy dog close isn't limited to just pets. The idea is based on giving your customers the chance to ‘test drive' your product or service.
It works best when you can sense that they want their hands on it, but they still have a tiny seed of doubt in their minds. Although it's obviously not possible with every product or service, try to see whether you can squeeze in a free sample with no obligations. Most people will say yes, as there's no risk (or cost) attached to the transaction.
If your product is worth the praise you're giving it, chances are your customer will see that too. Once they've fallen in love with what you've got to offer, there's very little chance they'll call back to cancel.
3. Build a Relationship
Any salesperson worth his or her salt knows that that if a customer likes you, the chances of signing on the dotted line are already odds-on. If they don't get along with you, even the best product on the planet is going to have a hard time in convincing them.
So when you speak to your leads, don't treat them like items on a list. Don't make it obvious that all you're looking for is to close the deal and pocket your commission. Â
Build a rapport with them and establish a relationship you can build on.
Remember, it's not just about how to close sales on the spot. Having a good long game is also an effective technique that may not reap rewards instantly, but can turn an otherwise dubious lead to a loyal customer. And obtaining a customer who will buy from you again and again is far more valuable than a one-off sale.
And of course how you record your customer interactions can transform your relationships. There are lots to choose from, at all price levels. But take it from us, having the
best CRM for lead generation you can afford will give you a full history of what's said, to who, and if it's used well, what each person's needs - and preferences - are. This information is gold dust!
4. The Sharp Angle Close
The sharp angle close is essentially using a customer's question to close the deal. Instead of answering directly, you instead turn the tables to asking a question that's geared towards sealing the deal. An example:
Customer: Does your package come with XYZ?
You: Not usually, but if we include it, do you want to go ahead and place the order?
Even if this doesn't work, it gives you a great platform for further negotiation. If they reply in the negative, you'll be in a position to find out what's holding up the deal. This allows you to tweak your offer, ask further questions, and ultimately guide the customer to signing on the dotted line.
5. Daily Cost Close
This technique is great if your product is a bit on the expensive side. You want to try and minimize the impact of the price tag by presenting your product as a daily cost. For example:
"The contract is only $1 a day and it provides full peace of mind."
"For a weekly cost of just ten bucks, you're completely covered."
By giving your offer this kind of a spin, people won't baulk at the hefty overall costs. They'll see the value, rather than just be scared off by a number.
6. Best-Time Close
This type of close is similar to the one where you create a sense of urgency, but it places more of an emphasis on the season. It's all about letting your customer know that it's all about the now, not later. So whether it's mentioning that you only have certain items in stock during the Christmas season, or saying how your summer products will come in handy with the upcoming heatwave, you get the idea.
7. Add a Little Something for Nothing
No matter what the situation, people like feeling special. Whether it's a compliment from a friend or a free side of fries, having the feeling that you're being given special treatment is something we're all looking for. Admit it.
And that makes the sales process just that little bit easier.
Adding bonuses or offers that are ‘just for you' may feel a little gimmicky, but they work like a charm. Throw in items or services that won't impact your bottom line, but add plenty of value to the customer. Think free service months, not free pens.
You can combine this with the above-mentioned sharp angle close. For example, say something similar to "if you sign up today, I'll throw in XYZÂ for no charge".
8. Get the Sale in Writing
Just because someone has given you a verbal ‘yes' doesn't mean your job is done. Once you get the go ahead, it's time to get it in writing. And pronto.
Don't delay, and get that contract in front of them as quickly as possible (without being too pushy...)
When they're in the middle of the buying process, people have a nasty habit of changing their minds. They'll either have second thoughts, will start doing research to find a ‘better' deal, or will come across unexpected events that make the purchase not such a good idea anymore. The key is to narrow the gap between interest, verbal agreement, and signing on the dotted line.
9. Be Prepared for Failure
Ultimately, being a successful salesperson is all about numbers. Some deals are just destined not to close, no matter how hard you try or how many of the tactics we've mentioned you employ.
Being prepared for failing at the last hurdle is a key part of becoming a fully fledged salesperson. It means you can take the hits as well as the wins. In fact, if you think about it, even the best in the business will see more rejections than successful deals. Proof? Who has a conversion rate of 50% or more? We generalizing here big-time, but a general metric is that closing one sale in three is pretty good. Which means that someone who's good gets twice as many rejections as they get sales.
So toughen up! If you haven't managed to close, move on to the next one without carrying the baggage of failure. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again.
If you'd like to learn more about selling skills, why not take a look at how we can help?
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