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You have come to the end of your sales pitch. You have pulled out all the stops and the customer knows everything he or she needs to know about your product or service. Only one - not so unimportant - thing remains: the purchase decision! It is now up to you to convince the customer and get them to buy. In some cases, your prospect still has doubts that stop him or her from making the decision. Then it comes down to using good closing techniques and getting your customer back on track. Because, a fruitful sales conversation without a concrete closing could just mean a sale to your direct competitor.

When do you use closing techniques in a sales conversation?

Usually, it is your responsibility as a salesperson to close the sales call. In some cases, a reason may emerge for a customer to reconsider or even postpone the purchase decision. Here, a closing technique can remove these possible doubts. Mind you, an important requirement for resorting to such techniques is that the customer shows buying signals. By doing so, he or she makes it clear that there is a strong interest or purchase intention towards your offer. You can recognise buying signals in various ways, both verbal and non-verbal:

  • Verbal buying signals: positive expression towards your offer, asking practical questions (e.g. about price or any guarantees), giving affirmative responses to your arguments, empathising with a situation after purchase, and so on.
  • Non-verbal buying signals: change of posture (e.g. the customer leans forward more), nodding, picking up or touching your product, raising eyebrows, and so on.

If you notice these signs and you are sure that the customer is interested in your offer, you can proceed to conclude the conversation. If you are still in doubt, there is no harm in asking directly if there is an intention to buy. The idea is that you should not delay closing for too long, otherwise the conversation could bleed to death and a purchase decision might not be made. It is best to take the initiative.

Shutting down... isn't that pushing it?

During my our sales training and field coaching sessions, we often hear the following comment recurring: "I don't want to come across as pushy." The reason why salespeople often say this usually stems from the fear of rejection. Here, we want to strongly emphasise that closing and imposing are two different things. We explain.

Pushy behaviour within sales

Pushy behaviour includes actions taken solely in one's own interest and not in the interest of the (potential) customer. Examples include:

  • Pushing through solutions in which the customer is clearly not interested, but which benefit your commission
  • Staying at the table until the customer signs
  • Lying to close a deal
  • Or call the customer several times a day to follow up on your offer.

This list can be expanded to include actions aimed at short-term profit and not in the best interest of the customer. It goes without saying that carrying out such practices is not only ethically unacceptable, but also will not lead to successfully winning deals.

Closing without imposing

Having conducted a thorough analysis and determined that your interests align with those of the customer or prospect, it is now your job to probe for the order or commitment. This forms the logical and natural continuation of the sales conversation. You are simply fulfilling your role, without more or less.

So let go of that fear of rejection and ask for the order or a follow-up appointment in an empathetic and respectful manner. The feedback you receive will contribute to your personal growth.

What closure techniques can you use?

There are numerous closing techniques in sales, we list some popular ones for you:

closing techniques

1. Direct locking technology

You ask your customer directly if they want to proceed to purchase. That way, you make the decision to complete the deal for them, and remove their choice stress.

2. Indirect closure or the assumption technique

With this technique, you also ask to proceed to purchase, however here you proceed more indirectly by asking open-ended questions. For example, you ask "when would you like to receive the delivery?" or "how many pieces would you like?". So you act as if your customer has already made the decision to buy, and you mainly ask follow-up questions.

3. The partial decision technique

You ask the customer to make a decision for just one part of the entire offer, for example, "which colour would you like?".

4. The alternatives technique

As with the assumption technique, you actually already assume that the customer is convinced and will make the purchase. You give the customer two or three interesting options to choose from. In this way, you motivate them to choose, in favour of a purchase.

5. The inviting closing technique

Suppose your customer is still having huge doubts. In that case, you can ask him or her the following question: 'why don't you just try?' The answer to this can go two ways, which can help you in both cases.

  • The customer says "yes, why not!": you have a sale to make.
  • The customer does not say 'yes', forcing him or her to share the real reason for doubt. This provides you with new opportunities to capitalise on and still convince the customer.

6. The anticipation technique

Here, you take your customer to a situation in which he or she will be after buying your product or service, namely an attractive end situation in which his or her questions or needs have been met. This situation obviously depends on the input your customer gave during the sales conversation.

7. The reference technique

Reference techniques embrace the idea that people will have more confidence in a product or solution if others have gone before them. This allows you to show that others were satisfied with what they got for their money. For example, think of arguments like "I have this product too" or "A person you know has also used this service and is very satisfied.

Final thoughts on closure techniques

With the sales pitch can give you a good idea of your customer's wants and needs, on which the closing techniques are aimed at getting that definite 'yes'. Use common sense and sufficient tact here, as you don't want to come across as too pushy. Of course, it may still happen that your customer does say 'no', which can be disappointing. In this case, ask about your customer's reasoning, as this can be a lesson to do even better in your next conversation.

Can you come to Reachers for training around closing techniques?

During our sales training courses, we focus extensively on how best to close a sales call. But, despite demand from several prospects, we do not provide separate training on closing techniques. Here's why:

  • How a salesperson organises themselves throughout the day and week has a much greater impact on customer conversion than simply applying an appropriate closing technique.
  • Closing starts with an in-depth analysis into the prospect's challenges. Closing without analysing first is the quickest route to a 'no'. When you link your solutions to the customer's answers to the challenge questions, the prospect is more likely to say 'yes'.
  • Identifying the right decision-makers is at least twice as important as mastering the perfect closing technique. In B2B sales, it is crucial to figure out the decision-making network as soon as possible.
  • Having difficulty closing often has little to do with sales skills. The real reason is a mental block. You have to dare to ask for the order.

Would you like to learn more about conducting a good sales pitch, or would you like specific guidance? Take a look at the sales training of Reachers, or do not hesitate to contact us at contact.

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