It’s a Deal! How to Close a Sale in 7 Easy Steps
Most business classes don’t prepare you for actual sales pitches. They teach you that if you come prepared, give your pitch, and answer questions, you’ll get a yes. However, as any salesperson knows, this is often far from reality.
There are many things that experienced salespeople know to do that make a world of difference. For example, the most effective sales reps listen more than they talk. But aside from that, how else can you entice a customer into signing?
If you’re wondering how to close a sale, keep reading for seven sales strategies that will help you seal the deal.
1. Create a Sense of Urgency
One of the oldest sales tricks in the book is to create a sense of urgency. This makes the customer feel like if they don’t act on something now, they’ll miss out.
If someone seems like they might be interested in your product or service but is unsure about whether or not they want to commit, this can be an effective strategy. Make sure that you agree on a value before mentioning a promotion or discount.
Tell the customer that what you’re offering them is the last item at this price, or that there’s a special discount for customers who sign up that day. Lines such as this help convince them to buy.
2. Rely on Your Confidence
Are you working with a customer or client that you know? Are you certain that your product will benefit them? If yes, then you might be able to let your confidence shine through with an assumptive lead.
In this sort of scenario, you use language that gives the customer the feeling that you’re certain they’ll buy. The goal of this strategy is to make them feel that the answer is as easy for them to see as it is for you.
However, make sure that the customer is receptive to your confidence. If you don’t know them well, or if it seems like they may be uninterested, your swagger may come off as arrogance. Confidence is a key component of this professional development results formula.
3. Save the Best for Last
Does it look like you’re about to lose the sale? If so, and if you have one more card to throw at them, now is the time to play it.
Many talented salespeople make sure to keep one last enticing offer hidden until the end. This gives you something to fall back on. If your Hail Mary is solid enough, it may win you the sale.
If you’ve already spent a lot of time bombarding the client with a list of reasons why your product is superior, this play might not work. Continuing to bombard them with information is one of the many common sales mistakes.
4. Give Them a Summary
Sometimes, all it takes for a customer to commit is a summary of all the points that you’ve covered. Summarize the benefits of your product or service, as well as the value that it can provide to the customer.
If you know your product matches their needs, repeating the benefits one final time can help hammer home the potential value. This strategy also works great for meetings that have gone on for a while.
On the other hand, if your meeting was short, it might not be worth it to reiterate what you only just said. The same goes for if the customer doesn’t seem interested in what you’re offering.
5. Let Them Have a Taste
When you walk into a pet store, can you resist buying a puppy if you get to snuggle and hold it? This principle extends into the sales world.
In many cases, trying out a product lets people see that the benefits you told them about are real. Often times, this convinces them that your product is something that they need to have in their life.
Whether letting them try it out means giving them a free trial or a test drive, try to find a way to let the customer enjoy your product’s benefits. If they don’t come around when you first meet with them, they should at a later point.
6. Offer Options
Another one of many sales tips that end on an assumptive or hard close is offering someone options. This implies that the person can only choose between option A or option B and that ending the meeting without committing isn’t a choice.
If you provide someone with two different options that have different prices, they may go with the cheaper one and feel like they’re saving money. If your company offers different tiers of service, this can be a solid strategy.
On the other hand, if your offer is static, then it won’t make sense to provide someone with different options.
7. Provide Them With Suggestions
Another hard tactic is to offer someone suggestions or guidance as to which product or service you think would work best for them.
Although the statements you use with this strategy are your opinion, they can come across as facts. Telling someone that your product can help solve one of their problems can convince them into signing.
However, be warned that this strategy will fall short on anyone more knowledgeable about the industry than you. Preaching to someone who knows more won’t go over well.
Wondering How to Close a Sale? This Guide Should Help
When navigating the business world, the right tactics can have potential customers begging for more, while the wrong ones can have them running for the hills. If you’re wondering how to close a sale, trying out one of these seven strategies should help you close the deal.
Did you find these sales tips helpful? If you did, make sure to take a look at some of our other blog posts for more guides and tips.
