Selling as they say is a combination of science and art and to be effective in it, you need to have some techniques that work in order to close that sale. When you just think about sales, in theory, it could seem pretty simple and fairly easy.
You may think that all you have to do is simply prepare really well for your presentation and then show up and say your pitch. After which, if your client has some objections, you only need to answer them and then you can already go for that sale.
In reality, reading these steps is not really that easy when you put them into practice. Instead, it can be more challenging than that because, to begin with, you are dealing with different kinds of people so you really cannot prepare 100% for their reactions. However, you can always be prepared with facts.
Falling into sales pitfalls cannot really be prevented especially if you are only starting out. It is okay to make mistakes and it is totally understandable. Just keep doing it and you will eventually become an expert. Another thing to keep in mind is that part of selling is building relationships with your clients and learning to follow them up to get a clear answer.
If you want to stand out among your competition, know how to keep your clients and stay connected with them. In sales, there are instances when clients say “no” so many times but in the end, still, say “yes”. This simply means that selling can be a long process or it can be short as well. It depends on your call and your style.
Creating some techniques in sales and following them is very important if you are keen on succeeding in this type of industry.
30 Tips to Help You Close That Sale
Here are some effective sales tips to help you in closing the deal. Remember to use them in the right situations and use the techniques that match your personality and style as well to ensure your success.
Believe that the deal is already done
When doing this technique, you need to have positive thinking and confidence so you can infect your client with the same energy. To make this work, be sure that you know what your client wants and what they do not want. Ensure that both of you are on the same page. This is an effective strategy if you already have a good relationship with your prospect and if the product suits their needs. It is best not to use this technique if it is a cold contact because it may not give you the result that you are aiming for.
Offer your client something that is time-sensitive.
Give them something that is only valid for a specific period of time such as getting some discounts if they commit right now or this certain price is only applicable for this certain period. Or if they commit today, they will be on the priority list, etc. This is usually an effective technique wherein the client agrees to make the purchase because it makes them feel that they would miss out on something if they do not avail of the offer right now. This strategy can be used if you are in the position of giving out discounts or other deals to your clients. However, this is not a good strategy to use if the client has already said their intention that the product or service does not match their requirements.
Do a takeaway close if you feel that the client is not keen on some of the details of your offer
This usually happens after presenting all the benefits and they start to not seem interested. Get back in the game by offering some alternative that is cost-effective for them. You can reduce the cost by eliminating some features that may not really be useful for them. Only do this strategy if the objection is price, but if this is not the issue, do not use this technique.
Be direct and let your client be aware of your intention to sell
You can do this by getting a decisive commitment or by asking them to sign contracts or something like this. To avoid wasting your time and energy, determine if your prospect is interested as soon as possible. This technique is not appropriate if you are still making your follow-ups in the early stages.
Get back your client’s interest and attention
Tell them about the most attractive parts of your pitch once you sense that they are no longer interested or also when they tell you about it. This can close the deal if you still have not mentioned the highlights of your pitch yet. But this will be ineffective if you have already overwhelmed them with the benefits of your product or service.
Be diligent in summarizing all the valuable points of how your product or service can benefit them
It can make a significant impact on the clients if they hear how your offer can be beneficial for them and can make them realize that it matches their needs. This will not be effective if the client has made it clear that your offer does not benefit them at all.
Letting the client try the product or service can always be useful and effective in closing a deal
Let them have a free trial or encourage them to test drive a car or let them use the product for a month, and so on. By allowing them to experience the product or the service can make them realize the value of your offer and that they would like it to be a part of their daily life.
If you do not want to hear “no” for an answer, give them two options to choose from.
Negotiate with your clients
You will for sure encounter seasoned negotiators who know how to ask for so many discounts or add- ons. You can give in to their demands but it certainly should come for a price. Also only give what you are really only willing to let them have at the start, but of course, it should be in exchange for an instant sale or a firm commitment on their end. Do not use this strategy for those who are not asking for anything out of the usual or something special from you.
Let them answer probing questions that will give you some information on whether your product or service works for them or not
By doing this, you also get the chance to inform them why your offer suits their requirements or specs. This will not be an effective technique though if your client has already given some clear reasons why your offer does not match their needs.
Offer some suggestions on what you think works for them as this would make them feel that you have a solution for their needs
This would be a great technique for clients that you already have a good relationship with or can also work for those who are easily influenced. Do not use this method for clients that you do not know much about or those you have just met. This will also not work if the client has more expertise in that area than you.
Start at the end of the process
This means that rather than selling directly to your target client, you simply ask them for referrals. This will make them feel comfortable that you are not there to sell them something so they will be more receptive to what you are going to say.
Also, when selling it is important to always get clear and definitive responses so it should only be a “yes” or a “no” and never accept a “maybe” reply.
If you are aiming for a quick sale, look for the decision-maker and start asking the right questions.
Only converse with the one making the decision. This way you save time and effort.
Determine if your prospect has your client profile by making some conversations with them and doing a little bit of research
Based on these, you will figure out if they need your offer or not. If they do not qualify as prospects, you do not have to follow them up and you save time and you can move on to your next client.
Make your client feel that you care about their needs by offering some solutions instead of just talking about the product
This would also make them feel that you are not just there to hit your sales quota.
Build a sense of urgency without putting too much pressure on the client to the point that they will say no to your offer
Give them reasons why they need your product or service and why they need them right now.
Be prepared to answer objections
Be ready for objections that you may encounter by preparing answers for those prior to making your sales calls. Some of the most common objections from clients would revolve around time, money, price of the product, or they could also say that they do not need what you are offering at the moment or just send them more information, etc. If you know how to respond to their concerns, you can still turn things around and close a sale whatever the circumstance may be.
Learn to know when is the right time to ask when they are ready to buy and learn to say it properly
If you are in sales, you just really have to be comfortable asking this question because that is what you are supposed to do.
Learn about some of the effective closing questions to help you get yes answers from your clients or when they say no, get them to turn it into a yes
Some of the examples would be: “If I was able to give you a 50% discount for this type of service, would you sign up today?” or “What can I offer you that would allow us to make this deal happen right now?” You can also offer two options to make sure that your client would definitely choose something. Other questions can be “when is the best time and day for us to meet again?”, “may I know your reasons why we are not moving forward with a deal today?” or “if everything looks good for you, can I send the contract today?”
Do not forget to always be sincere because your client can sense if you are being real and genuine.
Always be aware of your competition by doing research and determine your own services’ and products’ advantage over the others and make it your selling point.
Be mindful of your words and always watch what comes out of your mouth
Stick to the point and stay within your expertise. When dealing with clients, always maintain a certain level of professionalism while still being personable.
Even if you are feeling impatient, nervous, or anxious, do not let your clients catch you with those.
When you feel upset, try to keep it to yourself and maintain professionalism.
Gain respect and confidence from your clients by modulating the tone of your voice and adjusting your speech rate. This way, your clients will also maintain their attention to you.
Always keep the focus on your client
There may be times when the client would distract you whether intentionally or not, when this happens keep the focus back to them so you will have an idea about their needs and maintain their engagement. When you are talking about them, it will also be easier for you to say your pitch and get to present your service or product with ease.
Get your clients to talk about their goals at least for the year because this can give you an opportunity to make an offer that matches what they need.
Figure out if your clients are ready to make a deal with you by learning about how much they want to find a solution to their concerns. If they want some resolution soon, most likely that they will take your offer, but if they seem like they can take their time, chances are they will not make the deal right now.
There are clients who may tend to interrupt or distract you. When this happens, try to interrupt them but in a polite manner and get them to let you finish what you are saying then make a compromise that they can talk about whatever they want once you are done.
Do not make your clients feel that you are superior to them but instead, show that you are also interested to hear about their own opinion. Always try your best to be objective while sharing information.
Other Important Reminders to Close the Deal
While closing the deal is always the end goal, you must remember that you have to first start from somewhere. The beginning is finding clients that you should know how to pre-qualify so that you do not waste each other’s time. Get to know your prospect by asking the right questions.
Once you have determined if your prospect has your client profile, then you can start presenting your pitch and trust that either your product or service is a good match with your client. Then finally go for the sale!
This will not always be easy because every client is different from one another. Some may be easy to approach and make a sale to while others can be difficult clients that you really need to make so much effort and use a few strategies to win over.
Whatever type of client you encounter, you always need to be prepared for them and this can be done by doing research constantly and getting to know your clients better. As a sales professional, you have to know how to handle objections and deal with rejections.
Remember that a “no” answer does not really always mean “no” because if you have the ability, you can still turn it into a “yes” and eventually make a deal or close the sale. If you hear the word “no”, try not to be discouraged right away and instead, try to follow up with a question.
Try to probe for reasons why the client said no and from there, offer some solutions that align with the reasons that they gave you. When you are able to do this, they might actually just change their minds and give you a “yes” answer.
Build good relationships with your contacts because when they know that they can trust you, they will listen to what you have to say. And they will be open to your offers. How you interact with your clients also plays a big part and part of this is using the right tone of voice.
Also, use a style that matches your personality so that you will comfortable. If your approach can be strong but friendly, it can work really well. When clients sense a friend in you, they will feel that you have their best interest and they know that you are there to offer help and solutions to their concerns rather than merely selling to them.
But while being friendly with your clients, you still need to watch out and put down your guard so that you do not find yourself saying yes to all their demands or giving deals or discounts all the time. You still need to have control over the situation.
Do not forget to always maintain a professional approach and as much as possible, keep the atmosphere respectful and pleasant. If you have negative emotions, keep them to yourself and do not let your clients see those all costs. Also, watch out for bad gestures to avoid clients being turned off.
Even if your client is unpleasant, still try your best to go beyond it because you might just end up with a huge deal. After all, a client is a client so whether they are pleasant or not, you can gain something from them whether a closed deal or a big referral, etc.
Selling may seem easy but it can really be more complicated than that. The process can really take time but it can be so quick as well. It also depends on you as a salesperson. There are so many techniques and strategies that you can use effectively if you learn about using them properly.
Some techniques may work while others may not because it depends on how you use them which is why knowing when to use the right technique is very important. This could make or break your sale.
If you are only starting out or a newbie in this industry, do a lot of research and learn from the experts in the field. While doing this, you must also know your product or service by heart and learn about your advantage or edge over the others.
And of course, keep practicing until you really get it. Even if you have knowledge and tips on how to effectively close a sale, it will not work until you go out there and do it. It is okay to make mistakes especially if you are new because this is also another way to learn but strive to always be better than your last presentation.
Meet people. Create relationships so you can build your network because you can always use this to your advantage. While trying the strategies to close a sale, do not forget to have fun as well and try to create an approach that can be uniquely yours.
Try not to get intimidated by clients and build your self-confidence so you are ready to face any type of client.
