Closing Rules
1) Do it.
The most important part of closing is to do it. Closing doesn’t always mean getting a sale, it may mean closing on the follow-up appointment, or whatever the next step in the process may be. Either way, you must close on every call. It’s amazing how many salespeople do not actually close. Many sales situations go something like this: The salesperson goes through the entire presentation, arrives at the end, and says something like, “So, what do you think?” which of course is not a closing question. The prospect responds, “Well, it looks pretty good. Why don’t you call me in about a week.” The salesperson says, “Okay,” packs up his materials, says goodbye, and leaves. In this case, the prospect was the only one who closed. He closed the salesperson on buying his excuse for not moving forward. If you don’t close, most prospects will be happy to simply exchange pleasantries with you and not buy today, even though they may have been perfectly willing to.
2) Work hard on your closing techniques.
Script, practice, drill, and rehearse your closes and your closing techniques. Know them in your sleep. Most important, practice and perfect your closing out in the field.
3) Always be prepared to close.
Make sure you’re mentally prepared, have all materials with you, and that your materials are presentable, operational, and ready to go. Have calculators, pens, contracts, and everything else necessary to consummate the sale. Add the numbers before you show up. Know how far you can go with your discount and other concessions. Know what all the terms and conditions of your contract are and what they mean.
4) Once a decision has been made, close the sale as soon as possible.
When a prospect is ready to buy, close the sale. If you are on the phone setting up an in-person appointment with a prospect who has just decided to buy, get over there as soon as possible. Let as little time as possible pass between the point when a decision is made and when the signature goes on the contract.
5) After you close, remain silent.
After you close, keep your mouth shut. The first one to talk buys. Either the prospect buys your product or service, or you buy the prospect’s excuse for not moving ahead.
6) Make the closing process as smooth, relaxed, and as simple as possible.
Try to limit paperwork, the time it takes, and the level of work that goes into it. Do as much of the paperwork as you can before you get there, such as filling in the prospect’s basic information. One of the worst things you can do is close the prospect then spend ten minutes filling out paperwork before getting the contract signed.
7) Keep yourself busy, avert your eyes, and stay quiet while the prospect is signing.
You don’t want the prospect to feel as if he or she is under a spotlight. Look at your calendar, phone, or anything else you have with you.
8) Smile and thank the customer for his or her business.
Make sure you cover all necessary details including what will happen next in the process.
9) Follow up after you close.
Follow up promptly after the close and make sure the sale is solid. You want to prevent buyer’s remorse and anything else that could “unclose” the sale after it’s been closed.
Some other ideas to keep in mind:
- You must be convinced that your product is a great product before you close the prospect on it being a great product. The first sale is to you!
- Close different people and personality types differently.
- Look and listen for indications that it’s time to close.
- Get in front of the prospect to put the odds in your favor.
- Bring as many senses as possible into the close.
- Be prepared to hear “no” and to handle objections and close several times afterward.
- Know how far you can go to get the deal done.
- Do what you can to get the deal done now.
- Trust your gut. If the deal doesn’t seem like a good one for some reason, let it go. Sometimes it’s better not to close business.
- Keep track of your closing success rate.
- Take advantage of holidays and Fridays when closing. Both tend to find people in better moods and with their defenses down.
- And last but not least, you will be most effective when closing, and selling in general, if you are enthusiastic, motivated, ethical, and completely believe in your product or service. If you are motivated and have a strong belief in your product, you’ll ask people to buy and you’ll fully believe they are better off with your product than without it. You’ll also have conviction when selling.
John Chapin is a motivational sales speaker, coach, and trainer. For his free eBook: 30 Ideas to Double Sales and monthly article, or to have him speak at your next event, go to www.completeselling.com John has over 33 years of sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales Encyclopedia (Axiom Book Awards). You can reprint provided you keep contact information in place. E-mail: johnchapin@completeselling.com.
