This blog post will teach you 8 closing techniques to help ensure success in sales. Learn how to close deals quickly, with confidence and poise, and develop the habits necessary to create long-term relationships with customers. Get the tips and tricks you need to increase your sales success today!
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Everyone loves a good story and what better way to jump into this blog post than to use an analogy? Imagine you are a sales person selling ice cream. You have done your research, practiced your pitch and shown up on time—but the customer still isn’t ready to commit. What do you do? You need the icing on top, so to speak—that final touch of persuasion which will help the customer close the deal. Anybody who has ever tried sales knows that closers are gonna close! This post aims to provide you with eight closing techniques for sales success so you can become a pro at wrapping up those deals.
Why Are Closing Techniques Really Beneficial
Well… they help you close the sale, seal the deal, or however you call it. It’s the last crucial step in a sales cycle that begins with acquiring a lead (though a tool for finding email addresses, for example) and ends with a purchase. Without proper closing techniques, you will have difficulty finalizing your transactions. Plus, customers often appreciate it when their questions and concerns are answered to their satisfaction. A good closer will also be able to provide additional value to the customer they may have not thought of before.
#1 Ben Franklin Method
Most salespeople know the importance of closing a sale, but sometimes struggle with successfully executing their pitch. To help them close more deals, one tried-and-true technique that never fails is the Ben Franklin Method. This method is named after the famous American founding father who used it on countless occasions to make decisions regarding his own life. The basic concept consists of weighing out the pros and cons involved in an agreement until an optimal decision is reached. In sales, this same decision model can be applied when trying to close a deal: figure out what are the potential gains and losses for each party involved and create an agreement that everyone will be content with. With this technique, success as a salesperson should follow soon enough.
#2 Clean Slate Method
The Clean Slate Method is an effective closing technique for sales success. After you have presented your offering, brush aside any negative comments and details that your customer has mentioned throughout the process. Instead, offer a clean slate and focus on the positive aspects of your product or service. It works because it allows both parties to start with a blank canvas and come to a mutually beneficial solution. Try it out the next time you are in negotiations – you’ll be happily surprised with the outcome.
#3 Foot-In-The-Door
Foot in the door closing techniques involve getting a customer to agree to a small request and then building on it. By slowly escalating the commitment, salespeople can help customers acquire items that they otherwise may have missed out on. It’s not a forceful approach, but rather one of gentle nudges and reminders about what the customer stands to gain if they agree. The key is to start with something easy – even a tendril of an idea – and then carefully explain how it will benefit them more each (and every) step of the way. With foot in the door closing techniques, you’ll be sure to say “closers gonna close” in no time!
#4 Pivot Technique
Closing the deal like a pro salesperson doesn’t have to be intimidating or overwhelming. The Pivot Technique is a great way to get from “maybe” to “yes!” with grace and efficiency. This simple sales technique works by reframing the conversation – asking a series of questions about the customer’s needs, wants, and priorities – that eventually move them away from a hard no and bring them closer to the ultimate goal: closing the sale. It starts off subtle, but plays out in an intense crescendo that gets your customers excited about their decision-making process and confident that you can satisfy the factors influencing their purchasing choice. Your sales pitch won’t just come across as superficial, it will be an engaging conversation that leaves your customer feeling empowered instead of pushed into something they don’t want.
#5 Mirroring
Mirroring is where a salesperson copies the body language and manner of a potential client in order to create trust. While this may sound like something out of the movies, it’s a genuine and proven technique that can help close the deal. It goes beyond simply mimicking what your conversation partner does and says though; it means actively looking for ways to make the other person feel comfortable, valued, and listened to. This could include saying things the way they do, using their own words, or addressing topics they have discussed previously. Once trust is established, you can easily work up to the official closure of your sale.
#6 Sense of Urgency
Time is of the essence when it comes to closing a deal, and giving customers a sense of urgency can have a big impact. By focusing on language that conveys a sense of limited availability, you can help push customers over the edge and make them more likely to move forward. Allegedly, Jeff Bezos regularly tells his team to “work backward” on decisions – this means they start at the end point then work their way back to figure out the building blocks needed to get there. You too can take this approach; beginning with an inevitable conclusion helps create that feeling of necessity. It’s not about being pushy – it’s about providing your customer with confidence that now is the time to seal the deal!
#7 Now or Never Method
Number 7 on the list of closing techniques is the ‘Now or Never’ method, and once you give it a go, you’ll realize why they call it that. It involves cutting through any stall or objections from the client by offering an extraordinary deal – one that’s too good to be true! Create an offer that reinforces the urgency for them to take action now in fear of missing out (FOMO), and make sure to emphasize that it won’t be available for long. This method works wonders but only if done correctly – make sure not to seem pushy or desperate for a sale! Sometimes all it takes is the perfectly placed ’now or never’ attitude to close a great deal.
#8 Sharp Angle Method
If you’ve ever felt like your sales pitch lacked a certain zing, then the sharp angle method could be just what the doctor ordered. If you use the right angle, it can draw customers in with promises, questions, and facts that are hard to ignore or refute. Keep it simple and straightforward, finding ways to make them see your offering as the best choice before they know it. Plus this method encourages additional dialogue that may further deepen any existing relationship. And at the end of the day, isn’t that why we all got into sales — for success and relationships?
How can live chat help you with closing sales
Among other things, live chat can help you close sales by providing instant answers to customers queries as they shop. It can also help build rapport between customer and seller, allowing the two parties to develop a better understanding of each other’s needs, wants and priorities. With this improved level of trust, customers are more likely to make a buying decision right away – something that many are hesitant to do on an e-commerce website or over the phone. Live chat provides a personal touch that makes customers feel as though their question will be answered quickly and accurately (just like the IT support provided by Computers In The City), giving them more confidence in their purchase decision. Furthermore, live chat can help track customer interactions, so the sales rep knows what topics have been discussed and which solutions have the best chance of resulting in a purchase. This makes it easier to target customers with the right offers and close more sales in less time.
Smartsupp can help you with your live chat needs, offering a free plan for up to 5 agents and unlimited chats. With Smartsupp, you can customize the look of your chat window and respond quickly with pre-written messages, giving customers an even higher level of satisfaction. Plus, Smartsupp offers powerful analytics so that you know exactly what topics are being discussed in each customer chat, allowing you to focus on the conversations that are most likely to lead to a sale. With Smartsupp, you can easily take advantage of live chat’s ability to close sales and grow your business faster than ever before. Try it today!