WHAT IS THE MOST FORGOTTEN SALES TECHNIQUE

 

This is one of the most talked about sales training topics among salespeople and sales managers. Every salesperson wants to  close the deal quickly and effectively. The expression “closing the deal” means getting the business. “

 

Successful sales people  know that there is no need to use magic phrases or techniques, because if they’ve effectively followed the sales process, closing the sale is the next step in a logical sequence. a technique used in selling to assess the buyer's readiness to make a purchase decision.

  

Trial close is a sales technique wherein the salesperson uses certain variety of questions and observations using which they then try to find out the mood of the buyer regarding the product, whether he is interested in buying the product or not.

  

WHY IS TRIAL CLOSING SO IMPORTANT?

 In my experience as a professional sales consultant and sales trainer, I’ve seen far too many examples of salespeople talking about their product/service and then asking for the sale. As such, most salespeople don’t really know where they are in the sales process. When they try to close the deal there are too many impediments or unanswered questions on the part of the buyer and the answer is “no”. The salesperson doesn’t like the word “no” and doesn’t know how to respond, so he/she walks away with another lost opportunity.

 

The first reason to trial close is to understand where you are in the sales process so you know what is important to the buyer and where to take the conversation. The close” refers to the point in the sales process at which the salesperson asks for the business. Closing is easy when you have thoroughly appreciated each customer’s specific requirements and aligned the presentation of your solution accordingly. Closing is the process of helping customers make a decision that will benefit them.You got to guage where you really are at the selling process. 

 

The second reason to trial close is to find out when it is appropriate to ask for the sale. Knowing when to ask for the sale is much more important than knowing how to ask for the order. I don’t believe in hard closing a customer – it is just too uncomfortable for me and I’d rather be a trusted advisor than a hard seller. If you know when to ask for the order, then how you ask for it is so much easier.

 

 This  should be used in your interactions with prospects and customers. Trial closing gives you valuable insights into the customer’s perspective on what you have said, and it enables you to “layer in” another agreement that helps move the customer to an ultimate close. Trial closing ensures that both you and your prospect are on the same wavelength, which adds to a feeling of deeper rapport and general agreement.

 

 HOW TO USE SALES CLOSING TECHNIQUES

 

A trial close usually takes the form of questions that ask for decisions on minor selling points; if the salesperson gets favourable responses to these questions, he or she can more confidently attempt to close the sale.

 

Here are some different examples of trial closes that can be very effective when used at the appropriate moment. Following are some common trial closing questions. Think about these in terms of how easy they are to ask and how much information you can get from your prospect.

 

·  “How does that sound to you?”

•  “What do you think?”
• How do you feel about what we have discussed so far?
• What do you think about the solution I’ve shared with you?
• How does what we’ve talked about sound to you?
• Based on what you’ve heard so far, what are your questions?
• If you had your way, what changes would you make to the proposal?
•  “Is this what you are looking for
• “If I can satisfy your concerns regarding this point, are you happy to proceed?”
•   “It appears that you have a preference for this option. Am I right?”
•     “Are we on track with this proposal?”

 ·      The close you choose should be based on what you know about the prospect and the type of close you believe they will be most open to. It’s important to choose your words wisely. Using the right persuasive language in your closing technique can have a big impact on the outcome of a deal. Here are 4 highly effective sales closing techniques that are popular with sales reps:

 

1. The assumptive close:

This technique involves using a phrase or language that assumes the close is a done deal. For example, you could close with, “What day do you want to receive your shipment?”

 

2. The option close:

Similar to the assumptive close, rather than asking for a prospect’s business directly, you ask them which option they prefer. For example, you could close with, “Do you want your shipment delivered on Wednesday or Friday?”

 

3. The suggestion close:

If you have good rapport with the prospect and they view you as a trusted expert, a suggestion close is a good approach. You could close with, “Based on what you have told me about your operations, I would suggest you receive orders on Fridays. Does this work for you?”

 

4. The urgency close:

Creating a sense of urgency places pressure on the prospect to make a decision, especially if you have identified that the client needs to make a decision quickly and is working on a short timeline. Think of the “limited time offer” as an example. However, unlike other closing techniques, this should only be used occasionally and by experienced sales reps who have a strong relationship with a client.

 

 

Remember though, these are all open-ended questions. You need to ask a trial closing question that will get the prospect talking so you can learn about where you are in the sales process and when is the right time to ask for the sale.

 

There are four important times during the sales process when trial closing can be hugely beneficial:

1.      After making a strong selling point

2.      At the end of your presentation

3.      Before handling an objection

4.      Immediately before closing

 

Once you use a trial close, actively listen to what the customers say and observe their body language to assess their reactions. It’s important to bear in mind that trial closing doesn’t directly ask the customer to buy; it asks only for an opinion. Above all else, you just need to be clear that your proposal is right for the customer and you have created a win-win relationship. Timing is everything when it comes to closing and there are a number of indicators, often produced by the trial close, that signal when a close should be attempted. Only close if the customer is ready.

 

The best part of closing, besides winning the business, is that each time you close you get the chance to broaden and deepen the relationship and move it toward a partnership.

 

Spending all that time doing the leg work, researching prospects, building rapport and understanding a prospect’s unique needs all leads to one thing – the close. Closing a sale is the goal, and if you are good at it, you will be very successful. As sales managers, we know that unfortunately, the close is perhaps the most difficult aspect of the sales process. Getting people to commit is a challenge, even if it’s to a minimal order.

 

 

CONCLUDING- Always Be Closing (ABC)

 

Closing requires putting in the work. You have to prepare for the many possible situations that lay ahead, including pushback and objections. Good sales reps understand that building to a close is a process, and it involves getting a series of commitments (or smaller closes) as you work your way through the sales process. At each step, you are further qualifying a prospect and moving them through the sales funnel. But, once you get to the final close, you have a variety of closing strategies you can employ.

 

Research is key. Sales reps need to find out everything possible about the client, their business, needs, issues, interests, and current solutions. Doing your homework will help you find great solutions and analyze factors that may potentially prevent or delay closing.

 

 

 

With best wishes

Dr Wilfred Monteiro