The questions many sales professionals ask are: “When to close a sale? How to close? How not to be pushy?” I still remember my first clients: a sweet young couple on their honeymoon in San Francisco. I was so excited and spent a lot of time presenting the beautiful photo they liked, telling an inspiring story about when and how it was taken and about famous photographer Peter Lik. They loved it. They asked many questions. They talked among themselves about this image. Did they buy it in the end? No they did not. Why? Because I didn’t close the sale. I presented the product and stopped. I didn’t guide them to buy it and I didn’t finish the sale. I dropped them in the middle of the sale.
What would you do now in this situation? You would ask the simple question “Would you like to have a very special and beautiful memory of the most romantic moment of your life?” You could also add: “Imagine that after 10 or 20 years you will keep looking at this picture remembering your wonderful honeymoon in San Francisco. You will show this picture of the Golden Gate Bridge to your friends, family and maybe your future children. Memory does not it has a price “.
Sound like closing and pushing to buy? No way. I see myself more as a friend who gives helpful recommendations or good advice. I really care about my clients and I show it to them. Yes, I am using one of my closing strategies, but they would never know.
Closing techniques:
1. Close from the beginning.
No, it doesn’t mean you should ask, “Would you like to buy it?” from the first moment you meet the person. It means you have to earn the customer’s trust, build relationships, know their needs, ask questions, listen to them.
2. Learn to recognize when a customer is ready to buy. A customer can indicate that they are ready by asking questions about the product, its service, or the buying process, or they can show their willingness to buy non-verbally.
3. Don’t pressure or rush your customer.
Nobody likes to be pushed or rushed, especially in a situation where they are spending their own money.
4. Respect her decision not to buy.
Not all customers buy and that’s okay. Don’t show that you are upset or angry. “I spent so much time with you, why don’t you want to buy it?” I know a sales professional who was not only calculating his commission in his mind, but also what he was going to buy while selling! Every time he didn’t make a sale, he was so unhappy because he felt like he had lost real money.
5. Offer free trials, specific terms, discounts, and freebees.
People like to feel like they get a special gift, and everyone loves free stuff. Find out from your manager what you can offer with each item / product to your customer. It’s amazing, but I sold a lot of $ 500-1000 photos just because I offered an artist’s autographed book as a gift.
6. Ask the manger
This popular closing technique works very well when discussing discounts or special offers. You might say, “I would like to give you this discount, but I need to ask my manager about it (get special permission).” Then go talk to your manager. Some sales professionals claim to have this conversation. They go to the back room and come back in a couple of minutes with good news. If it’s natural to play and it’s working, use it. In case of very large purchases I would recommend bringing a manger and asking about the discount in front of a customer.
How does this technique work? You show your customer that you really want him (her) to have the desired item, you are going the extra mile, you are helping and supporting him, you are “fighting” with the system to get a better deal. You will see that they respect you for it.
7. Give the customer time and space to think and talk about the purchase of the product.
especially if it is a couple. They need private time to discuss the financial aspects of the purchase, where to place / hang a rug / picture, about color, size, model, etc. For example, we had a demo room at the San Francisco Gallery where our customers could spend some time alone looking at the image they wanted to buy and talking about it. It worked so well that we built another room!
8. Give them a chance to come back
This technique will work only if you already know the customer and have established a good relationship with them. For example, you may see and feel that after spending a considerable amount of time, the customer is still not convinced to buy. In this case, you can say, “I understand that this is an important decision to make and you need some time to think about it. When would you like to come back to discuss it further?”
Offer them a specific date and time, “Would you like to come on Tuesday or Friday? What time is best for you?” You can also add, “The reason I’m asking is because I’m off Thursday and Saturday, but I really want to help you.” Again, you are offering service here and it is totally normal to discuss all possible options. If you have their phone number and permission to call, call and talk more on the phone. But please don’t call every day. It is very irritating.
9. Let them know that now is the best time to buy
“We have this incredible 50% discount due to extra stock”
“We have this deal only once a year.”
“It’s a great purchase due to a Christmas sale.”
“The sale will only last 1 week”
“It is the best time to buy because prices are going up”
“Summer is coming. Would you like to buy a fan (or patio furniture) now because it might be out of stock during peak season?”
10. Summarize the product description in just three words:
“It’s better, cheaper, cleaner than … the previous model / competitive offerings / what you have”
“Faster, more modern, more reliable”
“Better construction, more convenient, improved”
“Healthier, improved, organic”
This could be a good exercise for you. Write 3 main words that describe the product you are selling. It must be really meaningful and cool words about this specific product. Does it remind you of the situation when an HR person asks you about your top three characteristics during a job interview? Well, it is the same process, but instead of product, you are “selling yourself”.
With high-end customers, you can use words like “sophisticated, elegant, elegant, urban, elegant, elegant, refined, polished, elegant” to describe the product you are trying to sell.
Don’t forget green words like “eco-friendly, eco-friendly, wellness, organic, natural, holistic, macrobiotic, health.” Many people like it, support the idea, and love to know more. If they are not already interested in this, it will be a great opportunity for you to provide information to your clients and educate them.
11. Act as if your customer has already bought the product you are selling.
This technique is based on the principle of ownership. If people start to think they already have it, it’s harder not to buy. Most of us like to own. It also opens up an opportunity for future discussions.
“Where will you set the table?” you can ask. “I was thinking of putting it in the dining room,” your client may reply. He (she) is drawing a picture in his mind thinking how it will fit in the room.
“Who will use the computer, you or your children?”
There are dozens of other sales closing techniques. How and when to use them? Every situation and every client is different. The most important thing is to practice, practice, practice. Use different approaches, experiment. The more you apply the techniques, the more sales professional you will become and the more natural the closing process will be.