The Similar Story Close

Clients feel far more comfortable if they can be assured that some business similar to theirs has been successful by taking the same step or making the same decision as they are now being asked to make. This can be either positive or negative – a client did buy and had a success or didn’t buy and had no success. A closing line could be

“XYZ business ran with this same campaign schedule last month/year and increased their sales substantially – do you want similar results? I can put you in touch with them for verification, if you like.”

What do you think?

Originally Posted by Snowboy Clients feel far more comfortable if they can be assured that some business similar to theirs has been successful by taking the same step or making the same decision as they are now being asked to make. This can be either positive or negative – a client did buy and had a success or didn’t buy and had no success. A closing line could be “XYZ business ran with this same campaign schedule last month/year and increased their sales substantially – do you want similar results? I can put you in touch with them for verification, if you like.” What do you think?

I think you're right. Confidence in the decision is a factor and reassurance can build condifence.

Originally Posted by Houston I think you're right. Confidence in the decision is a factor and reassurance can build condifence.

thanks for your input here Houston, like so many of your posts i agree.

I agree with you Snowboy - Well done.

Confidence is the key

good post snow boy i agree

Making the clietn feel comfortable is very important.

Excellent observation Keith. You're experienced enough to know the power of providing prospects stories of successes with past customers and how happy they were with their purchase.

When I sold floor coverings I did a lot of work with a Chevy dealership and their 5 different stores. Once I had established a successful relationship with this particular one I went into the Ford, Toyota, Pontiac, and other dealerships and let them know what I had done for their competition to make their stores look better and have safer, non-slip floor coverings.

The fact that I had supplied the Chevy dealership owner with great products and service gave me credibility and trust with the other dealers and I secured business from them also. It added another stream of income from a particular niche of customers.

Any time you do business with a customer who has competitors always go to these competitors and let them know what you did and that you can also provide the same great products/services for them also. You have credibility/trust established and you are looked at as the 'expert.'

And another thing I discovered...these 'competitors' in a particular business niche all knew, and respected, each other and they talk among themselves at business association functions, meetings, and events. And they will not hesitate to recommend someone who provides a great product/service to their own personal businesses.

Snowboy, variations of this close have been around forever but there is some thought required before a rookie changes their approach.

Essentially you're talking about bringing a reference account into the sales cycle when you say, “XYZ business ran with this same campaign schedule last month/year and increased their sales substantially – do you want similar results? I can put you in touch with them for verification, if you like.”

Depending on how 'current' you are with XYZ company: your product or service might have failed them yesterday afternoon! Murphy's Law. As well, you would be handing ulitmate control of the sales cycle to the prospect/reference account. The implication, here, is that time will have been added.

This approach can work ONLY if you have absolutely 'locked-down' the reference account. In fact, I'd strongly suggest that instead of offering to put your prospect in touch, that you alter the approach to illustrate a signed reference letter or letters. This would potentially shorten the time lines and, if pushed to connect the parties, you could then handle updating your reference account (to ensure that they're still strong supporters). In fact, I'd suggest that you actually take your prospect to the reference account (if possible).

A second suggestion would be to make the wording a little more emphatic: "... and increased their sales by 30% – how do you see senior management reacting to such improvement?"

In this fashion you've made it awkward to say 'no' because you've utilized an 'open' probe. As well, you would be positioning your offering as providing a 30% improvement so it would be work for your prospect to find a difficult objection. In fact, the sale would be almost in-the-bag ... the next question I'd ask would start the order blank close! ("what is the correct billing address?", etc.)

Good luck & Good selling!
Pat

This last post was outstandingly well put.

Referances do delay the sale, while any accepted testimonial source does not. With some prospects they may find a referacne letter from a company they know acceptable or an article in a magazine they know.

The reference should not be produced until you know it will have the desired impact. A question is asked first like; "Have you ever heard of XYZ CORP?" In my case I will say; "Did you ever read SUCCESS Magazine?" Then I will show them the editor in that publication and show then the magazine he started after that called House of Business were I was featured in the third issue.

If the prospect said "No!" Or (and this happened to me in October) "Oh, there are dozens of those type of magazines" in a manner that indicated he felt there was little value from the magazine's opinion then you should have a secondary source, such as the reference letter. And, preferably, the letter was written by you for the client and signed by them on their letterhead. But this last advice is advanced.

Brining one client to another is also an advance use but it controls the situation much better, great stuff!

Story telling is a lost art in selling. It is used very well in many industries, such as Insurance Sales.