Believe me, closing a sale isn’t as easy as it may appear.
This is not a skill that just comes to you; instead, you have to learn specific closing techniques that you can use to your advantage, and that’s going to be my main focus today.
I want to walk you through effective closing techniques that are simply a MUST if you want to close every deal successfully and make a profit.
Together, we’ll go through the 4 types of closing techniques; I’ll even throw in a couple of additional tips that are necessary for you in the workplace.
So, without further ado, let’s get to it!
Why Are Sales So Important?
Before we get to the most important part of this article, let’s clarify something:
Why are sales so important to a company?
Even more importantly, why is it important for you to close the deal?
Building Loyalty With Your Clients
First and foremost – it’s all about building loyalty with your potential customers.
This is by far the most important factor regarding sales in general, and I’ll be circling back to it a couple of times throughout this article.
When selling either a product or a service, it is very important to build a relationship with the person on the other side of the line or screen.
If you manage to close a considerable number of sales with your customers – loyalty is guaranteed!
Business Growth
The more successful you are at handling sales, the more customers you will attract.
Of course, this is something you need to work on constantly and tirelessly. You’ll achieve the desired results only by improving your sales strategies.
Once you successfully close a sale with a customer, it greatly increases the chances that the next sale you make will go well, of course, if you end up contacting the same customer again.
Closing Sales Techniques – The Main 4
It’s time to cut to the chase.
How do I learn to close sales successfully?
Easy; you just have to take these techniques into account.
*The Summary Close*
The summary close is the perfect choice for sellers whose presentation was a while ago.
Fundamentally, the salesperson should go over and summarize the key features as well as the benefits of the product/service you’re selling, BUT before you make the offer.
This will push the customer on the other line towards accepting the offer, especially after you have helped him visualize what you are trying to sell.
Here’s an example of how to close leads:
“By choosing [name the product or service], you’ll have the chance of receiving… [a recap of the features]. But what’s absolutely great about [the product’s name] is that it … [list down the benefits to choosing this product].”
Mentioning free delivery and giving a district date when it could arrive will surely push your customer in the right direction.
*The Assumptive Close*
This technique involves a somewhat bolder approach in terms of your conversation skills and tone.
The “assumptive” part already explains the purpose to some extent, which is making assumptions that your client has already decided to accept the offer, so you try to push forward the themes of delivery and quantity.
Take this as an example. After you’ve said everything there is, you can ask a question such as:
“Tell me [the customer’s name], how would you like for us to arrange your order on Friday with a quick delivery on Monday?”
Caution!
It is very easy to be arrogant if you are not careful about what you say and the tone in which you ask such questions.
*The Urgency Close*
It’s a fact – pressure forces you to make an immediate decision. However, this pressure may not always be bad. Salespeople know how to push the customer into making the right decision.
Specifically, we’re referring to the “urgency close“, in which you ask questions or make statements that encourage your client to say “YES” to your offer.
The best example would be “limited-time offers” that you can use to your advantage.
As I said, you don’t have to be assertive, but you can use examples like:
“Great news for you! We’re down to one [the product’s name]. Want to go ahead and purchase it now? “
“We’re offering [the product’s name] at a DISCOUNT price for ONLY [the price with a discount] – don’t let this offer slip.”
*The Option Close*
Another similar, but not any less useful technique that you can apply to any product or service is the option close.
As the name itself suggests, you’re giving your client the freedom to choose between two options – but not YES / NO options.
On the contrary, you’re already assuming that their answer is yes, so you might pose a question such as:
“Do you want your order to be shipped on Friday or starting next week?
“How do you prefer to make your payment – on-spot or via credit card?”
Simple, but it works!
You Could Also Try:
Hands down, these were the 4 most effective techniques that guarantee successful sales. However, it would be a mistake to say that they are the ONLY ones.
On the contrary, as the market has grown and evolved, professionals have devised many techniques that can serve as backups.
Let’s take this opportunity to mention some of them:
The 70/30% Rule
This is not a technique as much as it is a rule you should follow during your conversation with the potential customer.
In sales, the basic rule is that the salesperson (you) should speak 30% of the time, while your potential customer should occupy all 70% of the conversation.
Why you might ask?
It’s pretty simple – you should allow your customer to talk as much as possible about what he expects from the offer. By listening carefully, you can use the information you have been given to your advantage – but don’t cheat!
The Question Close
The question close means asking a question that suggests a positive answer. Of course, before you ask such a question, you should make an effort to present your product or service in the best possible light.
For example, after presenting your product, you can use the following question:
“Now that we’ve set forth all the advantages of [the product’s name], doesn’t it solve all of your problems?”
A positive answer opens the door to closing the deal.
The Sharp Angle Close
This technique is very similar to the urgency close I mentioned a second ago. This is actually the traditional way of closing the deal as soon as possible. Basically, the emphasis here is on the deal being closed already during your call with the customer.
For example, if you think you are on the right track, and the answer will be yes, use this:
“We are willing to give you a discount on the purchase price if you agree to close the deal today? It’s a one-time offer.”
Oh, and one more thing.
Make sure you have your manager’s approval to do this.
Tips For Closing Sales Successfully
Since we’re still on the topic of sales, it would be useful to mention a few straightforward tips that are sure to help you, especially if you want to upgrade your sales skills.
Accept Your Customer’s Opinion
During your work experience, it will often happen that your opinion conflicts with the opinion of your potential customer – especially in those sales where potential customers are not keen on buying the product.
You need to learn to respect the opinion of the person on the other line, even if it goes against what you are promoting.
Don’t Act Superior
One of the most common mistakes made by inexperienced salespeople is a sense of superiority.
Statements such as “You’re wrong” or “Let me tell you the truth” are all completely UNACCEPTABLE and should be strictly avoided.
Instead, you should act by putting yourself in your customer’s position and trying to understand them. If you present yourself as someone who has “more power“, your customer will surely react negatively.
Don’t Take Things Personally
Very often, you will come across rude potential customers who bring personal matter into a business conversation and even try to insult you. But you’re just doing your job – and that’s all there is to it.
It is very important that you don’t take things personally – it’s all just business.
Take The Initiative
Sometimes, you happen to spend more time than you expected on the phone with your potential customer.
They begin talking, and suddenly the topic shifts to something life-related.
When you notice that this is happening, it is very important to take the initiative and get back on track. Try to listen to your customer, let them finish the sentence, and then ask them politely to “get back to wrapping up the offer.”
Summing Up
It’s a wrap.
We managed to answer our main question, and that is “what are 4 types of closes“. I even added some extra examples of how to use them in practice.
By going through this article, you could see just how important it is to close a sale successfully. But even more importantly, you now have the opportunity to apply effective techniques such as “The Summary” or “The Assumptive Close” in your next sale.
In addition to these techniques, I have included a few tips that every salesperson should apply in their business calls – hope they come in handy.
Well, that’s it from me for today. I hope these techniques will help you in closing major deals in your future career – good luck!