How good are you at asking for other people’s money? What I mean is, how good are you at closing sales and actually having people agree to spend money with your business?
I can almost hear a loud collective sigh from all of you as you read the words “closing sales”.
Closing a sale is a vital skill that does not come naturally but must be learnt in order to win new business.
Most people want to be sold. They really don’t like making decisions so they want you to help them make the decision.
The easiest way to close the sale is to ask for the order. You can do that by asking something like, “Well, shall we proceed?” or “Will you be taking advantage of our 7 day terms or will you be paying now by credit card?”
A closing line that I have used that can really help people is an ‘alternative choice’ close.
It goes like this: “Most of my clients fit into one of three categories. 1. They need this product or service, 2. They need it but it’s not financially viable for them or 3, they need it and it is financially viable. Which one do you fit in to?”
If they don’t need it, don’t waste your time. If they don’t have the money, they are not good clients. If they need it and have the funds – fantastic – everyone wins.
A potential client might indicate that they are ready to go ahead with the sale by asking questions about the product or the buying process. For example, they may ask “How long would delivery take?”, “What does this feature do?” or “How long is the warranty for?” Other signs include complaints about previous vendors and interested comments such as “that’s a great idea”.
Those are the potential clients that are worth your attention and they are giving you indications of being ready to buy. Make sure you give them the opportunity to go ahead with the sale that very day. Don’t chicken out and stall the process as most people are looking for you to initiate the sale and make the process happen.
The worst thing would be for someone who was once very interested in doing business with you (a hot customer) to walk away and contact someone else.
Important tip:
Sometimes your clients will try to push the boundaries of the deal once you’ve agreed to it. Don’t let that happen.
Instead, ask them if they would like a quote for any additional services that they are asking for. Not matter what – no handshakes. Everything of the deal has to be in writing with either signatures or a confirmation reply email. This is better for everyone involved and will make the delivery of your product/service much smoother.
