When it comes to selling, it’s all about closing. Therefore, the best closing techniques are required for converting the most prospects. However, there are loads out there, so how do you pick the best one? Here are 7 of the best sales closing techniques for you to implement with your team.
1. The now or never close
This common technique plays on time sensitivity. It’s a psychological trick to help give prospects the final nudge, using a special offer to prompt a decision. An example is, ‘If you sign up today we can throw in our fast track service for free’, or, ‘This offer expires today’. The technique is so effective because it creates urgency.
2. The summary close
The summary close technique involves repeating to the prospect what they are hopefully going to buy and the added benefit it provides. Essentially, it’s summarising the potential deal and associated benefits, and then adding on at the end something like, ‘When would you like to start securing your business?’. Summarising the potential deal and the benefits of the full package, helps prospects visualise the purchase.
3. The add-on close
The add-on close works when the customer has asked for something, such as a discount, or an add-on feature. The close then works by saying something along the lines of, ‘We can throw that in, but only if you sign today’. This technique keeps the prospect thinking they are in charge but helps close the deal quickly.
4. The question close
A less sales approach is to ask prospects a set of questions to help eliminate any objections they might have. An example is, ‘How do you think our solution solves your challenge?’, or, ‘Are there any reasons why we wouldn’t be able to proceed?’. A question like this helps the salesperson discover what the prospect really thinks while putting the ball back in their court. If the answer is favourable, that’s the signal to seal the deal.
5. The assumptive close
Drawing on the power of positivity, the assumptive close takes the approach of assuming the prospect will close the deal. It best works with Inbound prospects, who you know are interested in your product and business. The key is in monitoring the prospect’s engagement levels throughout the process – if the engagement starts to wane, don’t act so assumptive otherwise it will force the prospect further away. The technique only works if the engagement remains high and the salesperson remains confident.
6. The takeaway close
You know the saying, you want what you can’t have… That’s exactly what this does. It uses a psychological technique to make the prospect realise what they want. If they are complaining about the price, remove certain features and offer a discount. They’ll soon realise they want/need the full package.
7. The soft close
In recent years, the soft-close has become more popular. It’s a technique to help show the benefits of your products without trying to ‘sell’ them. You ask questions such as, ‘Would you be interested in hearing more about this?’. This soft approach involves stating the benefits before asking this soft question. So you’d start with something along the lines of, ‘If I could improve your productivity by 20%…’. No demands or assumptions here.
The art of closing can be a difficult one to master. Some prospects respond better to some techniques than others. The key is finding which one works best for you and for each type of prospect. Then learn how to excel at it!
