The Close
Your sales presentation has been designed to get the Professional Salesperson from A to Z. After arriving at point Z, you want the prospect to do one of two things: Buy, or give an objection. Closing techniques are designed to draw out the prospect's commitment or a real objection to buying. Your closing technique is the one talent that will define your success as a Professional Salesperson. The most important thing to remember about closing is to close early, close often, and in a variety of ways Ask For The Sale!A closing question is Any question that asks a Prospect for a Commitment.
Example: "Would you like the CrossCheck decals on the windows, or would the door be better?"
If the prospect agrees, you have closed him. Build the prospect's excitement and enthusiasm toward the close with a series of trial closes and closing questions. Remember, it is very important to remain quiet once you have asked your closing question. Any additional comments may negatively impact the sale.
Closing Techniques
Here are a few closing techniques that have proven to work in the Check Approval marketplace. Try each a few times to find which technique works best for you. Remember, the only wrong way to close a presentation is to fail to ask for the order. Your closing technique is the single most important skill that you will develop as a Professional Salesperson.
Agreement Close
After or during the presentation, when you are going for the order, you can try the Agreement Close.
Just pull out an agreement and say: "Now Joe, that's the way our program works. My suggestion is that we get started right away." Pull out your agreement, and say "Joe, would you give me one of your business cards so I can get the address and zip code correct?" Break eye contact and start writing. You will either close the sale or get an objection.
Minor Decision Close
Let's face it, people hate to make decisions. They would rather put them off until another day. The minor decision close takes advantage of human nature. Small decisions seem to be easier to make than large ones. So rather than ask for an order, ask substitute closing questions in its place:Do you want to train your sales clerks or would you rather I train them?Do you want a $300 limit on your checks or would $600 be better?Do you want the service to start today or would tomorrow be better?You are allowing your prospect to make a decision on a minor point, and using it as the decision whether or not to buy.
Benjamin Franklin Close (Balance Sheet Close)
Use this close after one or more closes have failed...the Benjamin Franklin close takes awhile, but the investment in time can be more than worthwhile if done correctly. Before you start, you must get agreement that if you can show that there are more benefits than disadvantages your prospect will say "yes." By getting your prospect to think about benefits and writing them on paper, you are focusing his attention in a way no other closing technique can. There is no more effective way of reinforcing benefits in your prospect's mind. The idea is to get the order. So you must let your prospect know your intentions.
Let Me Think About It Close
Well, here it is, the nonobjection. It comes in a great variety of statements: "Leave me your card, I will get back to you." Or, "Let me talk it over with my manager and call you back." No matter what form it takes, you must smoke out the real objection.
First, show empathy, then use a series of "is it" questions to try to get the real objection started. Prospects want time to think things over, mostly so you will let them off the hook. They want to put off a decision. They do not want to commit. It's important that you make the prospect feel as if you are going to do just that, let him off the hook. Look slightly hurt and defeated. Even try to look as if you are going to leave. This will let your prospect think he is home free, and relax his guard. He thinks you have given up.
Look slightly hurt and defeated (even look as if you are about to pack up and leave).
Let the customer relax...then "What seems to be bothering you about CrossCheck ? Is it the......."Is it the ....... (Important: Do not pause or take a breath at this point, or your prospect might cut you off right here.)
Just to clarify my thinking, what is it you are concerned about? Is it...?"
Is it the floor plan where checks under $100 do not have to be phoned in?
Is it the ease of approving checks over $100?
If you give the prospect the opportunity to talk before you smoke out the real objection, the technique doesn't work. Be sure you run all your "is it" list questions. You must maintain control, that's the secret.
No matter which of these techniques you use, or any combination, the most important thing is to get the Prospect's signature on the Agreement. If you've done that, you've won!
Good Selling!SM
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