Closing sales doesn't take magic. Just follow this simple 10-step plan:
- Get your prospect to say "yes" right away. As you talk to a customer, ask questions to which he or she will answer yes. This helps to establish the right frame of mind.
- Keep digging for the reasons behind the prospect's objections. To every objection, ask a "why" question: Why do you do business with only one company? Why don't you want to switch?
- Find out what the prospect wants. Show how your product will get it.
- Sell benefits, not features. This advice is familiar. Remember that people respond to how a product or service will make their lives easier.
- Concentrate on a single point. Don't scatter your fire. Focus on a single point and don't get distracted.
- Know when to shut up. Many sales are lost because the salesperson keeps talking past the point where the prospect is willing to buy. Learn how to read people and recognize when they're ready.
- Sell to the right person. If you enlist the support the people who'll actually use your product or service, they'll help you persuade the person who makes the final decision on whether to buy.
- Be persistent. If a prospect is worth calling on, keep going back until you get the sale.
- Clinch the sale by asking the prospect to sign the contract. This focuses the customer's mind on the signature, not on objections.
- Reassure the prospect that he or she has made a wise decision. Stress the benefits the person and the company will enjoy from doing business with you. And don't forget to check back periodically to find out how things are going.
