Great Tips for Closing The Sale

STEP #1: Ignore the ABC Strategy

Traditional courses in closing emphasize the "ABC" (Always Be Closing) strategy. However, while it's easy to remember, it's also a stupid idea.

The reason is simple. Customers don't want to be hammered into buying. That strategy creates a sense of pressure, which inevitably creates resistance to the sale. The customer starts feeling that you're more interested in making the sale than meeting their needs.

And when the ABC stuff actually works, you've created a whole 'nuther world of woe. Here's why. When customers succumb to pressure, they inevitably resent you, and often find a way to get out of the deal and not to do business with you again

STEP #2: Cultivate the Right Mindset
Great closers believe that the clock has only one time - right now. If they get a lead, they're on that lead immediately and they follow up flawlessly.

If you want to close, you've also got to torque up your sense of persistence. If there are three salespeople competing for the same business, the closer is the one who remembered to send a tailored follow up letter or email to the customer within one day of the meeting.

STEP #3: Set an Objective for Every Meeting
Whenever you call on a customer, have an objective that is specific, measurable and appropriately aggressive.

Specific objectives aren't feel-good goals like "I will get closer to the customer"; they're goals that can be easily assessed and measured, such as "I will get a list of the key decision-makers" or "I will ask for the business."

Objectives should be aggressive, but appropriate to the stage of the sales cycle.
Setting objectives doesn't mean that you can't be flexible and adjust the goal while you're in the meeting. But a great closer always has a direction and understands where the meeting needs to go in order to maintain momentum and win the deal.

STEP #4: Constantly Check If You're On Target
Throughout the meeting, keep the customer involved. During the meeting you will (of course) identify the customer's objectives, strategy, decision process, time frames, etc. and position your ideas, products, or solutions to satisfy those needs. That's basic selling.

However, you must also ask "checking" questions to get feedback from the client about what you've said. Asking open-ended, non-leading checking questions allows you to gauge how the customer is responding and to adjust your solution accordingly. Most importantly, this checking process will give you the information you need to confidently close.

In short, every time you position your products and services, you must check to get feedback. The best part about constantly checking is that, if you do it correctly, the client will often preemptively close the sale for you by saying something like "So, when do we start?"

STEP #5: Summarize, Then Make a Final Check
If the customer does not preemptively close, then you MUST move to close or you will lose ground and possibly the entire deal.

You've positioned your products or services so that the customer understands how they meet his or her needs up to now. You've used checking to get feedback to make sure there is agreement and understanding. Now comes the mechanics of the close.

First, give the customer a concise, powerful summary that reiterates the benefits of your products or services. Once you've done this, make one final check - not for understanding but for agreement.

STEP #6: Ask for the Business
Now it's time to be direct and to ask for the business or next step. This must be done confidently and clearly. Example:

You: "We are ready to start. Will you give us the go-ahead?"

If the customer declines, acknowledge that fact to the customer and then find out why. As appropriate, make a second effort. Regardless of whether you actually closed, end the meeting with confidence, energy, and rapport to make a positive last impression.

Thank the client for the business or reinforce the desire to work with the client.

Follow up immediately.

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