Do you believe that if you do a good job during the sales process, then closing is simply a natural conclusion? Not something in and of itself and certainly not something to fear but simply the logical next step?
Or –
Do you believe that closing should include clever closing techniques (think Colombo), negotiating, handling final objections and pressing the prospect for a decision?
If the former sounds better to you, then try these three tried and true approaches – they work like a charm.
Qualify Like You Mean It
Sellers tend to rush through or skip the qualifying stage, going right from suspect to discover and on to propose. However, the qualifying stage is probably the most important stage of the sales process. The qualifying stage is where you’re confirming a mutual fit and gaining essential information that will help you during all the rest of the stages. In addition to learning about the basics like the decision process, criteria, timeline, budget, you can also pay attention to your contact’s persona. This will give you some really solid clues on the best way to conclude the sale naturally at the right time. Astute sellers identify yellow flags while qualifying and seek to resolve them versus sellers who rush through qualify and are stymied when they find unresolvable red flags later and their deals fail to close. Sellers who do a good job with the qualifying stage know that the sales process is accelerated, which also means that the contract comes quicker.
Use Win Themes™
Win Themes™ is the intersection of your prospect’s priorities and the strengths your company has to offer. They’re the top 3 – 4 areas of overlap that create a sweet spot which translates into immediate prospect receptivity. Win Themes™ are the messages that will be reinforced throughout your proposal, presentation and all interactions. They can only be built on a solid understanding of your prospect’s goals, priorities, requirements, and problems. They become your unique differentiators. If your prospect desperately needs to increase profits but lacks resources, and your organization has expert resources with a track record of improving profits in your service area, then you have a solid Win Theme™ (and most likely a closed sale).
Proposals – Share the Wealth
There’s a secret to improving your close ratios as measured by proposals to contracts. Simply shift your approach to preparing and presenting proposals to collaborating on proposals with your prospects in a meaningful way. Think of them as straw case proposals, draft scopes or working proposals developed in a workshop type session with your prospect. This method ensures that you and your prospect are on the same page and have sorted out all the details prior to the final draft. No surprises. It also means that your prospect has shared ownership of the proposal. In all my years as a sales consultant, coach and sales manager, I’ve never seen a downside to this approach. It’s the only approach if you want to get it exactly right.
Ring the Bell
If you want to ‘close’ more easily and naturally, then try qualifying as you mean it, using Win Themes™ more often and collaborating on proposals with your prospects. I’m confident that you’ll ‘Ring the Bell’ with abundance!
How to Get an Executive Sponsor:
The TOP Seller Advantage: Powerful Strategies to Build Long-Term Executive Relationships includes proven strategies to ensure sellers develop long lasting executive access.
The C-suite executive perspectives at the end of each chapter reveal exactly how senior leaders view sales encounters and what would cause them to keep the door open for follow up meetings. Check it out at http://amzn.to/2hdas8J
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