Five Essentials for Closing Success

How much time and effort does it take to locate a prospect, get past the 'secretary barrier', catch the guy at his desk, arrange an appointment, travel to see him / her, fact-find, draw up a proposal, present it, deal with objections. . . ?

A week, a month, a year?

Whichever, it's a lot. And if you don't close the sale, what do you get out of it apart from a deep desire to drink all the alcohol on the planet and throw the telly off the balcony?

Let's face it, the ability to close is right up there in importance with having your own reserved parking spot and an eye-candy personal assistant.

Here are the top 5 factors for powerful closing:

1) Make sure that there is nothing you have to apologize for to the client

• Don't turn up late.
• Do what you said you were going to.
• Make sure the demo actually works.
• And that the store/office looks busy and successful if you invite them to come in and take a look.

2) Don't do too much talking

• Ask the client for his opinions, listen to them and supply relevant information.
• Be a detective and discover what the single most important deciding factor is for him / her - that is what you now have to prove that you can deliver.

3) Build the client's confidence

• In the product, your organization and you.
• What gives confidence best of all is personal experience, so if the product / service is as good as you say it is, let the client try it before buying it.
• Another way is to take the client to another customer who is happy with what you do and leave the two of them to talk together.

4) If this is a big ticket item

• For most personality types position yourself as the low-risk choice. "Mr customer, you might pay a bit less elsewhere, but if you do, allow some extra money for the risk'.

  (The exception is the big-shot, power personality who craves ego-boost and gets it by buying the best there is, irrespective of price.)

5) You must love your product, genuinely

• If you are sincerely enthusiastic about what your company does or makes, your client will sense that you mean what you say. Don't fake this with acting; the impression you make will be 'cheesy'.

Once you have answered your prospects' questions to his satisfaction, ask, 'Are you happy with everything?' If you get a 'Yes', then CLOSE with, 'Then can we proceed?'