Whether you realise it or not, if you’re in business, then you need to possess quality sales skills. I was recently joined by Loai Al Fakir (CEO of Provident Real Estate) on my Facebook Live (watch it here), where we discussed just how essential sales skills are. Talented salespeople all possess certain skills and techniques that allow them to stay in control of the sales process. These skills also ensure that they close the deals they’re working on time and time again.
If you’re a salesperson, then you’ll know how important it is to master the art of closing. You put a lot of time, effort, and money into generating leads. And if you only manage to close one in five leads, then that’s a lot of time, energy, and money wasted.
Always have an arsenal of closings that you can remember and use. The more closings you memorise, the higher your chances are of making the sale. Below I outline some of my top techniques when it comes to closing:
TEST FOR COMMITMENT:
Test for commitment throughout the sales process. Make sure that your prospect is really interested and that this is a product or service that can genuinely help them. Offer as much value as you can at this point and let them know that their needs are important to you.
USE HUMOUR AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES:
Using humour is a great way to ensure that you close your deal, as people are more likely to make decisions when they’re more relaxed. While you’re going through the paperwork with your future client, share some stories that might lighten the mood a bit. If they are going to be spending money, then they’ll want this to be a pleasant experience. However, be sure to steer clear of humour that involves politics, religion or anything offensive.
For example, I once sent a giant cookie to a prospect with a hand-written card saying, “Mr Prospect, I would like to take a bite out of your business, but until such a time that I do, please enjoy this cookie”. The prospect found this to be a funny, innovative, and unique approach, and he contacted me immediately so we could do some business together. Appealing to a prospect’s emotions will often result in a positive outcome.
DON’T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER:
The difference between a good salesperson and a great salesperson is that when faced with an objection from a prospect, a great salesperson won’t give up and will ask again. You should see every problem as an opportunity. It’s normal for your prospect to have some fears, but it’s your job to understand why they have them, and then help them to work through them.
A lot of salespeople will give up when they can’t get their prospect over the finish line. However, you’ll often find that if you address all of their concerns and then ask them directly for their business one more time, you will be able to close the deal. Remember that your prospect has invested their time already – they’ve done their research online, and they’ve come to meet with you. This means that they want to do business with you; they just need to find the correct way of doing it. If you give up after the first objection, then everyone’s time is wasted, and nobody wins.
