Answer: It is the natural outcome of a positive experience!
Getting a commitment to a kiss–or to a deal– is like the building of any relationship. It can’t be forced, or, if it is, the outcome is unlikely to be very pretty. Closing a sale has to happen naturally as well.
People will buy when they feel good about dealing with you; when they believe in the ability of your product to solve their problem; when they feel that the price is fair for what they are getting; and when they have confidence in your company to deliver service and quality. These bases need to be covered before attempting a commitment.
Now, to continue my analogy. Depending on the situation, timing, and the people involved, there isn’t just one way to kiss ( a smack on the lips, a full embrace, etc.) Similarly, there isn’t just one way to close and by “close,” I mean getting the appropriate next step from a buyer to move the sale forward. That, too, will depend on the situation,, timing, and the people involved.
For example, you can…
- Ask a buyer to sign a contract right then. (Appropriate when buyer is signaling he/she is eager to buy. Not likely to happen if you are asking for a multi-thousand dollar commitment)
- Request a second meeting at a specific time and date to meet other decision makers (Necessary when there are multiple decision-makers)
- Schedule a time and date for a demo (Essential before someone buys, say, a software product)
- Ask a buyer to review your proposal for any questions and establish a specific follow-up time to discuss (Smart if a product or service has several parts to it and requires a thoughtful review)
- Ask for information from the buyer to review for a subsequent proposal (Garbage in, garbage out. If you need more information about a project than what was discussed before you can make a meaningful proposal, then this is a good “close” or next step)
- Get commitment to a pilot or smaller project (Works with uncertain buyers and big ticket items)
- Other?
Good Date: Kiss :: Good Sales Process: Close
Rushing to kiss or to close someone rarely works. The former comes off as awkward, if not downright offensive. The latter comes off as self-interested and pushy. Bottom-line, situation, timing, and appropriateness turn out to be critical in both romance and in sales.
Anne Miller
Words Matter – Make What You Say Pay!
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