Collection of Closing Techniques

Is there any value in having a collection of closing techniques at your disposal? -Community Mailbox

Only if you use them in a manner that "fits" your selling style. You need to understand your product thoroughly in order to make any closing work smoothly.

Aloha.. :cool: -rattus58

It would depend entirely on the contents of the collection. -Ace Coldiron

Here's my collection.

1. 'on the basis of what we've covered and discussed here.....would you like to go ahead?

2. er......darn it......that's the only one I've got! -helisell

I would suggest that the best closing technique is to ask for the order.

I would also add that the way you ask for the order is of utmost importance.

Any buying question that asks the customer to make a choice between buying and not buying is making it more difficult for the prospect to buy.

Understand that the buying decision is laden with fear and anxiety over making an incorrect decision. If we directly ask the prospect to buy by saying something that equates to "do you want to buy it" we are asking them to decide between the fear and anxiety inherent in making a buying decision and the perceived safety of not buying.

Instead ask them to buy this way:

"Mr. Prospect, based on our discussion today you have convinced me that you are confident in my company, and that you see the benefit of my product. To start enjoying those benefits you will only need to decide what terms work best for you. Would you like to handle this investment by check, or would you like the additional flexibility of installments?

Use whatever alternative choice options you have available if they are more appropriate for your particular circumstances. -thesalesgiant

I agree with the sentiments of thesalesgiant that people do run up against anxiety when buying time approaches.

Looking at it another way. In some ways it's about getting the buyers to imagine themselves owning and using the product or service, if they run that enough times in their head they'll be ready to buy.

It's a process called the Convincer Strategy.

I have read that the best sales people in the USa close after the 5th "No" and that fact is often used to exemplify that these salespeople are persistent. Looking at it from another angle (the prospect) it could mean that the prospect has made 5 internal images of owning/using the product.

Ever noticed how the ads on TV say things like, "but wait there's more" or "don't buy yet because.." Notice how many times they repeat that. It's usually 3-5 because the average convincer strategy for people in the USA is 3 -5. That is to say they need to consider something 3 - 5 times in order to be convinced. -Greg Woodley

I have heard the 'statistic' that "most sales are made after the salesperson has asked for the order at least five times" hundreds of times, yet I don't think I've ever seen the supporting data cited.

I just don't believe it. At least not as it applies to the profession of selling to consumers or businesses. I think this statement is part of sales training lore that has been repeated so many times that people now assume it must be true.

While it presumes to teach the value of persistence in making sales, it fails to teach the more valuable lesson that sales are made when prospects are convinced of the value of the purchase before being asked to buy, not through the process of asking them to buy multiple times.

My experience is that 80% of sales are made after the first time the order is asked for, and that the number of sales I have ever made after asking 5 times is probably less that 10.

I haven't met many prospect who would even let a salesperson ask for the order 5 times before throwing him out of their house or leaving their place of business never to return.

Finally, I think it is precarious to draw comparisons to infomercials as they are selling low priced impulse items, not major investments.

My advice is to focus on a sales interaction that convinces the customer of the value to the purchase, then ask them to buy one time. Where they don't say yes find out why, and see if you can resolve their hesitation. -thesalesgiant

I encourage members who are eager to learn sales to read, re-read, and absorb the contents of that post. The insight is spot on. -Gary A Boye

We do not ask for the order.
Our prospects offer to buy after a series of mutual agreements and mutual commitments.

It's a simple process that is difficult to learn due to the obsolete paradigm that most salespeople believe in. -JacquesWerth