A Close Call

You’ve pitched.

And pitched and pitched. The words have flowed, the ideas have been shared and you’re still talking to your client.

After 45 minutes of selling, you have the deal, right? Whoops, you don’t really have it because you forgot something that’s crucial in sales: You didn’t close.

The number one mistake people make in sales is not closing. In other words, it’s all talk and no action. You might even leave a client thinking, “It was all going so well, but he didn’t place an order. She didn’t sign up.

What went wrong? Was it me?”

The answer might be yes. Perhaps you didn’t really ask for the order.

It should be a logical progression in the selling cycle. You present your product, answer questions and then you close the deal. You should just go from one thing to the next with the end result being a satisfied buyer.

But if you forget to ask for the order, you will not close. In fact, you will wander down the entire process until you get to the point where you’ve expended a lot of energy. Now, it’s time for the magic moment and you need to make that point clear.

You must say: “Is this something you would like to do?”

The fact of the matter is you ALWAYS have to ask. Your customers simply won’t close themselves.

Remember the selling cycle. You will identify their need and transition into your presentation, which will include the solution to their needs. You are here to serve your customer. How can you be of service to them? The next step is saying, “Is this something you see working for you?”

It’s just that simple. Many of us in sales think a close must be formal, but it can be as informal as, “What do you think?”

Afterwards, it’s your time to be quiet – and wait for the answer.

There are a few ways to respond to what your client says next. Asking questions of the client is the key to handling any objections, but first you must know the objection. Here are a few “do’s” and “don’ts” of closing.

*Do become a reporter of sorts and ask them kind questions.

They say, “I still don’t know. Can I take time to think about it?”

You respond: “I can appreciate that. What is it you don’t know?”

*Don’t be defensive. This is not the time to try to pitch the entire product again just to justify your original position. In justifying, you will become defensive.

Again, ask them questions because you’re interested in their point of view.

*Don’t let it go with the fact that your customer just can’t decide.

They say: “I’m just not sure.”

You never say: “No, it’s really, really good.”

You should back off a bit and say, “What is it that you’re not sure about?”

Perhaps it’s something factual that can easily be explained. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be because there might be a simple fix.

If they say, “I’m not sure I have enough money.” Now, you know it’s about the money and can address that issue. Maybe there is a slightly less expensive plan you can offer. Maybe they will say, “I still want to look around.” Just say, “What is it you’re looking for?” I had a client say back, “I’m not really looking for anything different.” Now, you’re back on track.

You can handle any objection. A woman says, “I have to talk to my husband.” You say: “What do you need to talk about? I’m asking so I can make sure you have all the info you need for your husband. By the way, do you always make joint decisions?” She might shake her head as in “no.” Again, it’s about serving her needs.

A client might say, “I’m just terrible at making decisions. Sorry.” You can say, “I can appreciate that you feel that way. I understand what you’re thinking. Now, let me tell you a little bit more.” Isolate the problem.

Now let’s say that a client has a laundry list of objections. You will want to know the list because then you can discuss them on an individual basis.

To recap: You will be asking questions because it takes the steam out of objections and gets rid of the emotions involved in making a decision while providing the type of information that closes deals.

Remember to close with a kind tone and even playfulness in your voice. That will get you much farther than the old-fashioned “hard sell” which makes most customers feel uncomfortable and like their being sold. The idea with closing is “help me help you.”

In turn, you will be helping your sales bottom line.