Closing Techniques :

Opinions Count :
Adding the phrase in your opinion ... to a question
softens the reply if the customer has an objection. In your
opinion, will this solve your problem? If the customer
says no, its an opinion, not a fact, and you can address
his concern. !his is a great trial close to use as the sales
cycle progresses so that you dont encounter any
surprises when its time to wrap up the deal.
Sharp Angle Close :
"hen the customer as#s for a concession, whether it is
price, delivery or additional features, respond by as#ing,
If I can do that for you today, will you sign a purchase
order? !his is an important closing question $ if you
agree without as#ing for close, then the customer has an
open door to continue as#ing for concessions.
Assumptive Close :
If you have an established relationship with the customer
and he respects your judgment, jot down the items he is
considering on an order form as you are discussing his
needs. "hen the timing is right, put an % on the signature
line, hand it to the customer and say, &ere. !hen be
quiet.
Something for Nothing :
A free add'on may be gimmic#y, but it can wor# if handled
correctly. I happen to have an e(tra charger with me. If
you sign off on the order today, Ill throw it in at no
charge.
Ben Franklin :
)en *ran#lin is said to have made decisions by creating a
list with two columns $ the pros and the cons $ and basing
his choice on the longer column. !his approach wor#s well
with analytical personalities. If you use it as a closing
technique, just be sure you have a lot of benefits in the
customers +pro+ column.
The Porcupine :
,ou must be careful stro#ing a porcupine and you must
also be careful answering customer questions. "hen your
prospect as#s a question li#e -oes it come in red?
answer by tossing bac# the question. "ould you li#e it in
red? &is answer will give you a measure of the depth of
his interest and help you adjust your presentation
appropriately.
Impending vent :
If you truly have a deadline or reason for the customer to
ma#e a quic# decision, the impending event closing wor#s
well. I have an installation crew in town ne(t wee#. /an
we schedule a day with you? If the deadline is in your
interest and not the customers, it will be seen as self'
serving and will not wor#.
Solicit O!"ections :
If you have gone through the discovery phase of the sales
cycle and are confident that the customer understands that
your product or service addresses his needs, then as# for
the sale by as#ing for an objection. +Is there any reason
why we cant proceed with this deal?+ !his oblique
approach allows the customer to raise any final objections
'' if he has one '' without saying no to the sale.
#evel $ith %e :
As you approach the end of the selling process and the
customer says he wants to thin# about it, as# him to get to
the point. 0evel with me. &ave I failed to show you the
value that you will receive from your investment? !hen be
quiet.
&irect Close :
"hen you have addressed the customers concerns and
you are confident that he #nows the value of your product
or service, then pose the question directly, +1o, are you
ready to place the order?+ 2se this closed'ended, yes'or'
no question only if you are very confident that the answer
will be affirmative.
Regards,
Gurmeet Sahani
Executive-Implementation
INDIAN INSTITUTE of LEARNING and DEVELOPMENT PVT. LTD.
Mobile: 09987226109
Office : 022 4127 1011
E-mail: gurmeet.sahaniiil!.com
"ebsite: ###.iil!.com
However good your product or service is, the simple truth is that no-one will buy it if they
don't want it or believe they don't need it. And you won't persuade anyone that they want or
need to buy what you're offering unless you clearly understand what it is your customers
really want.
Knowing and understanding customer needs is at the centre of every successful business,
whether it sells directly to individuals or other businesses. Once you have this knowledge,
you can use it to persuade potential and eisting customers that buying from you is in their
best interests.
!his guide tells you what you need to know about your customers, how to use this
information to sell to them more effectively, and how to win business from your competitors.
Why do your customers need you?
What do you know about your customers?
The customer's current supplier
Ten things you need to know about your customers
Why do your customers need you?
"very business needs a reason for their customers to buy from them and not their
competitors. !his is called a Unique Sales Proposition #$%&'. (our $%& can be identified
by completing the phrase )*ustomers will buy from me because my business is the only...)
(our $%& can change as your business or your market changes, and you can have different
$%&s for different types of customer.
+or eample,
a stationery store could offer a free same-day delivery service for its business
customers within a local area - an effective USP for businesses that need fast
delivery
the same stationery store could offer a per cent discount to businesses that
spend more than !"#$$$ a month - this would be a USP for cost-conscious
customers
the stationery store could also make sure it offers the most comprehensive
stock of artists' materials in the area - a USP for local professional or amateur
artists
All of these $%&s can be effective because they are driven by what the customer looks for
when making a buying decision.
-t's a good idea to review your $%&s regularly. *an you tailor your products or services to
better match your customers' needs. *onsider asking your customers why they buy from you.
!his will tell you what they think your $%& is - this may differ from what you think your
$%& is.
-t's also useful to check constantly what your competition is doing. /emember - if your
competitors are doing the same, your $%& isn't uni0ue any more.
What do you know about your customers?
!he more you know about your customers, the more effective your sales and marketing
efforts will be. -t's well worth making the effort to find out,
who they are
what they buy
why they buy it
-f you're selling to other businesses, you'll need to know which individuals are responsible for
the decision to buy your product or service. +or information on targeting decision-makers,
see our guide on how to target the right people in an organisation.
(ou can learn a great deal about your customers by talking to them. Asking them why they're
buying or not buying, what they may want to buy in the future and asking what other needs
they have can give a valuable picture of what's important to them.
%trong sales are driven by emphasising the benefits that your product or service brings to
your customers. -f you know the challenges that face them, it's much easier to offer them
solutions.
-t's also well worth keeping an eye on future developments in your customers' markets and
lives. Knowing the trends that are going to influence your customers helps you to anticipate
what they are going to need - and offer it to them as soon as they need it.
(ou can conduct your own market research and there are many eisting reports that can help
you build a picture of where your customers' markets - and your business - may be going.
The customer's current supplier
*hances are your potential customer is already buying something similar to your product or
service from someone else. 1efore you can sell to a potential customer, you need to know,
who the customer's current supplier is
if the customer is happy with their current supplier
if buying from you would offer the customer any benefits - and# if so# what
those benefits would be
!he easiest way to identify a potential customer's current supplier is often simply to ask
them. 2enerally people are very happy to offer this information, as well as an indication of
whether they're happy with their present arrangements.
-f you can find out what benefits they're looking for, you stand a better chance of being able
to sell to them. !he benefits may be related to price or levels of service, for eample. Are
there any benefits your business can offer that are better than those the potential customer
already receives. -f there are, these should form the basis of any sales approach you make.
Ten things you need to know about your customers
"% "ho they are
&f you sell directly to individuals# find out your customers' gender# age# marital
status and occupation% &f you sell to other businesses# find out what si'e and
kind of business they are% (or e)ample# are they a small private company or a
big multinational?
*% "hat they do
&f you sell directly to individuals# it's worth knowing their occupations and
interests% &f you sell to other businesses# it helps to have an understanding of
what their business is trying to achieve%
+% "hy they buy
&f you know why customers buy a product or service# it's easier to match their
needs to the benefits your business can offer%
,% "hen they buy
&f you approach a customer -ust at the time they want to buy# you will
massively increase your chances of success%
% &ow they buy
(or e)ample# some people prefer to buy from a website# while others prefer a
face-to-face meeting%
.% &ow much money they have
/ou'll be more successful if you can match what you're offering to what you
know your customer can afford%
0% "hat ma#es them feel good about buying
&f you know what makes them tick# you can serve them in the way they prefer%
1% "hat they e(pect of you
(or e)ample# if your customers e)pect reliable delivery and you don't
disappoint them# you stand to gain repeat business%
2% "hat they thin# about you
&f your customers en-oy dealing with you# they're likely to buy more% 3nd you
can only tackle problems that customers have if you know what they are%
"$% "hat they thin# about your competitors
&f you know how your customers view your competition# you stand a much
better chance of staying ahead of your rivals%
11.Top Ten Sales
Sayings
12.
13.George N. Root III, Dean! "e!ia
1#.There are sayings a$out sports, politics, religion an!
$usiness. %no&ing the top sales sayings is a'in to ha(ing
goo! sales a!(ice a(aila$le to you &hen you are getting
rea!y to close the $iggest !eal o) your career. Spen! soe
tie $ecoing )ailiar &ith the top 1* sales sayings an!
un!erstan! ho& they can help you.
15.
16. The Customer Is Always Right :
17. The customer is always right because the customer knows what
she/he wants. Until you ask the right questions and find out the
right information, you need to assume that the customer is right.
Of course, this saying has its limits. You always want to steer the
customer toward solutions beneficial to their situation. ut in the
initial stages of the sales !rocess, the customer is always right.
18.
19.
20. Tomorrow's Sales Require Plaig To!ay :
"1. ook your schedule well in ad#ance so that you know today
what business o!!ortunities you will be looking at tomorrow.
$tay !roacti#e in your !ursuit of new o!!ortunities, and use
some of your time to maintain relationshi!s with e%isting
customers to facilitate re!eat business.
22.
2".
2#. Customers $uy %rom Peo&le' (ot Com&aies :
"&. eing !rofessional means listening to your customers, being
!ositi#e and remaining friendly. To get your customers to buy
from you, it is im!ortant to get them to like you.
*.%
*0%
2). Chage *our +etho!s To Chage *our
Results :
"'. (f a sales method is not generating the results you are looking
for, then change it. This can seem like one of those sales sayings
that is sim!listic in its message, but some sales !rofessionals
continue with the same methods assuming that they are doing
something wrong that is !re#enting results. )o not stay with a
losing method. (f it does not work, mo#e on to another a!!roach.
30.
+"%
"2. ,el& The Customer $uy *our Pro!u-t :
**. +hen you can get a customer to admit that your !roduct is
beneficial to his situation, then you are on the brink of ha#ing the
customer close the sale for you. +ork with your customers to get
them to say ,yes, as often as !ossible until they see the benefits
of your !roducts.
34.
+%
"6. Put It I .ritig :
*7. +hen you make a !romise to a client, you need to !ut it in
writing. You eliminate ambiguity and create clear e%!ectations
when all of the !romises you made in your sales !itch a!!ear
somewhere in writing. (f you are quoting the !roduct warranty
card, then make sure the customer gets a co!y of that card. (f you
are making !romises in regards to !roduct financing, then !ut
your !romises in the contract.
38.
+2%
#0. I /o (ot ,a0e The Aswer' $ut I .ill 1et It :
-1. .ustomers e%!ect a sales!erson to ha#e all of the !roduct
answers at all times. /ather than admit that you do not know
something, !ut a !ositi#e s!in on it by telling the customer that
you will do the work necessary to get the correct answer to their
question.
42.
,+%
##. A Re2e-tio Is A 3&&ortuity :
-&. +hen a customer re0ects your offer, do not let that be the end of
the sales !rocess. 1 re0ection should be #iewed as an o!!ortunity
to ask the client questions that will hel! eliminate all doubt about
your offering.
-2.
-7.
#). ,ow /oes That Sou! To *ou 4
#9. 5ee& your -ustomer i0ol0e! i the sales &ro-ess 6y as7ig
questios that ma7e sure he is &ayig attetio to what you are
sayig. The questio 8,ow !oes that sou! to you48 will gi0e
the -ustomer a -ha-e to 0oi-e -o-ers a! let the -ustomer
7ow that he shoul! 6e &ayig attetio to what you ha0e to say.
50.
"%
92. Tha7 *ou %or *our $usiess :
&*. Thanking a customer for their business and following u! to
make sure he is com!letely satisfied are two of the keys to
creating re!eat business.
54.
+s "aria Ro$inson once sai!, ,No$o!y can go
$ac' an! start a ne& $eginning, $ut anyone can
start to!ay an! a'e a ne& en!ing.- Nothing
coul! $e closer to the truth. .ut $e)ore you can
$egin this process o) trans)oration you ha(e to
stop !oing the things that ha(e $een hol!ing you
$ac'.
'( Stop running from )our pro!lems( *
Face them head on( No+ it ,on-t !e eas)(
There is no person in the ,orld capa!le of
fla,lessl) handling ever) punch thro,n at
them( $e aren-t supposed to !e a!le to
instantl) solve pro!lems( That-s not ho, ,e-re
made( In fact+ ,e-re made to get upset+ sad+
hurt+ stum!le and fall( Because that-s the
,hole purpose of living * to face pro!lems+
learn+ adapt+ and solve them over the course of
time( This is ,hat ultimatel) molds us into the
person ,e !ecome(
.( Stop l)ing to )ourself ( *
/ou can lie to an)one else in the ,orld+ !ut )ou
can-t lie to )ourself( Our lives improve onl)
,hen ,e take chances+ and the first and most
difficult chance ,e can take is to !e honest
,ith ourselves(
0( Stop tr)ing to !e someone )ou-re not(
*
One of the greatest challenges in life is !eing
)ourself in a ,orld that-s tr)ing to make )ou
like ever)one else( Someone ,ill al,a)s !e
prettier+ someone ,ill al,a)s !e smarter+
someone ,ill al,a)s !e )ounger+ !ut the) ,ill
never !e )ou( &on-t change so people ,ill like
)ou( Be )ourself and the right people ,ill love
the real )ou(
4. Stop !eing scared to make a
mistake(
&oing something and getting it ,rong is at
least ten times more productive than doing
nothing( ver) success has a trail of failures
!ehind it+ and ever) failure is leading to,ards
success( /ou end up regretting the things )ou
did NOT do far more than the things )ou did(
1( Stop !eing idle ( *
&on-t think too much or )ou-ll create a pro!lem
that ,asn-t even there in the first place(
valuate situations and take decisive action(
/ou cannot change ,hat )ou refuse to
confront( %aking progress involves risk( /ou
can-t make it to second !ase ,ith )our foot on
first(
2( Stop thinking )ou-re not read) ( *
No!od) ever feels '334 read) ,hen an
opportunit) arises( Because most great
opportunities in life force us to gro, !e)ond
our comfort 5ones+ ,hich means ,e ,on-t feel
totall) comforta!le at first(
6( Stop tr)ing to compete against
ever)one else( *
&on-t ,orr) a!out ,hat others are doing !etter
than )ou( Concentrate on !eating )our o,n
records ever) da)( Success is a !attle !et,een
/O7 and /O78S#F onl)(
9( Stop !eing "ealous of others ( *
:ealous) is the art of counting someone else-s
!lessings instead of )our o,n( Ask )ourself
this: ;$hat-s something I have that ever)one
,ants<=
>( Stop !laming others for )our
trou!les( *
The e?tent to ,hich )ou can achieve )our
dreams depends on the e?tent to ,hich )ou
take responsi!ilit) for )our life( $hen )ou
!lame others for ,hat )ou-re going through+ )ou
den) responsi!ilit) * )ou give others po,er over
that part of )our life(
'3( Stop ,orr)ing so much ( *
$orr) ,ill not strip tomorro, of its !urdens+ it
,ill strip toda) of its "o)( One ,a) to check if
something is ,orth mulling over is to ask
)ourself this @uestion: ;$ill this matter in one
)ear-s time< Three )ears< Five )ears<= If not+
then it-s not ,orth ,orr)ing a!out(
''( Stop !eing ungrateful ( *
No matter ho, good or !ad )ou have it+ ,ake
up each da) thankful for )our life( Someone
some,here else is desperatel) fighting for
theirs( Instead of thinking a!out ,hat )ou-re
missing+ tr) thinking a!out ,hat )ou have that
ever)one else is missing(
5ow *our Customer: # ti&s :or
i-reasig your -ustomer retetio
rate
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$y Collee %ra-is
-t's much easier - and more profitable - to keep an eisting customer than it is to land a new
one.
3on't believe me. 4ust look at the numbers.
/esearch tells us that most 5orth American companies lose half of their customers every five
years. 6e also know that as little as a five-percent increase in customer retention can increase
profits by a whopping 78-98 percent. 6hile this percentage can vary by industry, the
overwhelming increase in profits is caused by three ma:or factors,
4ower costs - selling to e)isting customers is between five to fifteen times less
e)pensive 5and takes far less of your time6 than ac7uiring a new customer8
9ore referrals - satisfied customers are only too happy to refer you to their
friends and colleagues# further reducing the time and cost of landing new
business8 and
:reater revenues - every time you lose a loyal customer# you also lose the
revenue stream they generated until you can find a new client to take their
place%
!he key to keeping your customers happy is to find out precisely what motivates them, what
is most important to them and what they want most. !hen, simply find the product that gives
them what they want at the best value.
!he following are four of the best practices used by some of the top firms in the country to
increase their customer retention rates - and maimi;e their profits.
! "easure your current status
A very effective techni0ue - discovered a couple of years ago is the third-party interview.
*ustomers often won't tell you to your face the things you most need to hear, especially if it
involves a criticism of your product or service. However, they're not nearly so reticent - or so
flattering - when an independent third party asks them for their feedback.
-f you want to know what your customers are really thinking, consider hiring a professional
consulting company or telemarketing firm to conduct customer-satisfaction surveys on your
behalf.
#! $onfirm the criteria for success
3etermine what's most important to the parties involved - and make sure your definition of
success is consistent with that of everyone else.
%ales people often take action based on what they think is important, rather than what is truly
important to their clients. !o be certain you understand your prospect's real challenges, ask
leading, open-ended 0uestions that allow them to reveal their real needs. +or eample, you
might begin a conversation with something like,
"John, when I speak to executives like yourself, most often they tell me that although their
business is going great, they have concerns about (name a problem your product addresses).
Is this a problem for you"
Or,
"!ary, when I speak to executives like yourself, they find our products are able to solve
problems in one of three areas" (specify the three key issues your product addresses). #re
these problems ones that you can identify with"
!his process helps you determine which product features or benefits you should focus on.
!he key is to pick a few serious or common problems that your product can solve. !hat way,
you're almost guaranteed that your prospect will say, "$es, that%s a problem for me, too&"
!hen you can follow-up by asking them to be more specific about the problems they're
facing.
/emember, as a general rule, a sales person should talk only <=->= percent of the time, and
spend the remaining 7=-?= percent of their time listening.
%! &now your customers
!o serve your good clients well #and to decide which clients deserve the best service', you
have to understand their strategic direction, how they operate and who makes their decisions.
(our salespeople can collect this information by writing up detailed account plans for your
top >= percent largest or most profitable accounts. !hese plans should include a review of the
client's industry and revenue pro:ections as well as information on how you are positioned in
their industry, the threats to your position, your most recent customer satisfaction results and
plans for epanding within the account and building and maintaining eecutive relationships.
(ou can also ask your salespeople to review the plan with your eecutives to get additional
insights on how to maimi;e the opportunities presented.
'! (sk questions
%uccessful sales people uncover specific problems first, and then align their products as
solutions to those problems. %o what are the right 0uestions to ask your prospect.
!hose that move the prospect from an intellectual position of knowing they have a problem
that needs to be solved, to an emotional state of trusting you to solve that problem for them.
!he right 0uestions, in other words, are those that reveal true buying motivations and get the
customer engaged in a conversation. $nfortunately, many people are often vague when asked
what is most important to them.
!o help clarify eactly what your customer needs, avoid non-specific in0uiries and focus
instead on probing 0uestions that will establish eactly what is epected - 0uestions like,
What are your top three priorities defining the success of this pro-ect?
Specifically# what is most important to you?
When you reflect on this pro-ect# what needs to be in place for you to feel that
it is a complete success?
What does success on this pro-ect look like for you?
;ow will you do that?
;ow will you deal with that?
What plans have you made to handle that?
;ow is that working for you?
;ow do you mean?
What have you done to fi) that?
When you say (insert vague word here)# what do you mean by that?
;ow will you use that to your advantage?
;ow will your toughest competitor react to that?
&s that what you really want?
-f your prospect still has trouble being specific, make some suggestions to help them. -f they
really don't know what they want, start by asking them what they don%t want. "plain that
your 0uestions will help you better serve their needs, so they can take their own business to
the net level.