How to Close the Deal: 10 Sales Strategies
Salespeople spend a lot of time trying to close the deal. Here are a few strategies that can make you more successful.
- The crucial phase of the sales cycle is closing the contract.
- You should conduct research, provide answers, and foresee concerns if you want to seal the transaction.
- You may use a number of strategies to seal the purchase, such as summarizing the benefits, luring them with a limited-time offer, or guiding them through the product.
- Salespeople who wish to know the methods used to clinch deals should read this article.
Salespeople spend a lot of time closing transactions, from guiding prospects through demos to addressing all of their questions. This makes sense because the most crucial phase of the sales cycle is completing the transaction and making the sale. To convince a prospect to make a purchase from you, though, you need to do more than simply stay in touch with them. Sales people must be proactive and use proven tactics to close deals.
How to close the deal
The crucial step in the sales cycle is closing a contract. A salesman works toward this end goal with all they do. Having a strategy in place is among the greatest methods to get there.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to close a deal and make a sale:
1. Do your research.
To be successful, you need to understand both your company and your prospect’s company. So, the first step is to do your research.
Make sure you are knowledgeable about the services offered by your organization and the benefits they might provide your potential customer. Additionally, you want to know which of your goods or services your prospect will find most useful. You don’t want to lose the customer entirely by promoting the incorrect product. By getting to know your prospects, you can determine which offers are the greatest matches for them.
Even though the point of contact is a good place to start, you should try to go beyond. Try to talk to other employees in the firm, especially those in other areas, to gain insight into their varied viewpoints and how they identify the organization’s problems. You will learn more about the demands of the business and how your goods or services may aid them in achieving their goals via these discussions.
2. Talk budgets and timeline.
You wish to gain clarity on timeframes and budgets for this stage. Before offering prospects a demonstration of the product or service, this should be completed. This can help you determine whether they are prepared to buy right now or at a later time.
It makes sense to commit time now if they are prepared to buy. If not, you can come back when they’re prepared.
3. Offer solutions.
Avoid promoting your goods and services. Instead, present remedies. Prospects who are shown what you can do for them will benefit more over time since your interaction will be personalized to meet their unique demands. This makes it easier for them to understand how your goods and services will meet their wants.
4. Handle objections.
Clients-to-be may have reservations or objections. You should not only have a plan for how you will respond to this, but you also need to be careful not to dismiss their worries. Show them that you are aware of their perspective. They may feel closer to you as a result.
Looking back at previous objections that either you or a colleague have encountered is a wise advice. This will enable you to have the appropriate responses.
5. Ask for the sale.
Ask for the sale if you believe the prospect’s questions have been addressed and they are aware of the answers you provide. You should make a compelling argument and restate the answer you are presenting to them. It’s critical to seem competent and assured while without sounding conceited.
6. Set up next steps.
Set up some next actions regardless of whether you close the transaction.
If you are successful, complete the paperwork and give the client the details they require to utilize your goods and services in a suitable manner. Following the delivery of your goods or the completion of your service, you should follow up to discover whether the client has encountered any problems.
If you weren’t successful in closing the sale, schedule a follow-up appointment to continue developing your lead.
Strategies to help close the deal
Here are 10 strategies that work and can help you close the deal:
Summary close
You give prospective clients a brief overview of your service or products, including with any features that have already been decided upon, with a summary close. This is a fantastic method to clarify what they will get while also reminding them of any important details they might have overlooked or forgotten about.
Say something like, “With [product], you receive free delivery and installation in addition to a full guarantee.”
Assumptive selling close
When you speak to a prospect as though the transaction has been signed, you are assuming the sale. This is a tactic that should only be used when you are certain that your target is not on the fence because it can be unsettling to certain people.
You must be careful not to come out as aggressive while using this strategy. Be careful not to be too obvious. Why Data Analysis Is Important for Small Businesses being a similar topic to read.
Instead of saying, “Send me your financial information, and I’ll create the papers today,” you can get a better response by asking, “Do you want to proceed with [Option 1] or [Option 2]?” The prospect has a choice with the first approach; nevertheless, they can feel ambushed by you if you use the second.
You must choose which assumptive expressions will and won’t resonate with a potential buyer because not all of them are created equally.
Other instances of assumptive selling include the following:
- When do you want your subscription to begin?
- How many do you want?
- Whenever [product] should be provided.
Now or never close
An excellent strategy is to make things seem urgent. Making an alluring offer might encourage a potential customer to take action right away rather than delaying their decision. Utilizing the now or never close with consumers who have expressed a definite interest in your goods or services but have not made a purchase is a smart move.
Several instances include:
“You can save 20% if you sign up right now.”
“I will add premium support for a year because I know this product is critical to the expansion of your company. This promotion is only valid till the end of the day.
This is the final item available for purchase because it has been selling out.
Question close
Choosing the correct question to ask can aid in closing the deal. Answering their concerns with a question helps you to reassure them that your offering will satisfy their needs.
You can ask:
- “If we can handle [objection,] would you sign the contract?”
- “What would it take for you to sign up today?”
- “From our discussions, it seems this is the best product for you. What do you think?”
Soft close
A gentle close is not hostile, as its name indicates. You might utilize a gentle closing to encourage a prospect to proceed. List a benefit in the front, and then end with a soft question. They will no longer feel pressured to make a choice right away, which might help them relax.
If you think the prospect needs more time, you may adopt this strategy. This will offer you more time to get to know the prospect and refine your approach.
Examples of a soft close include:
- “If we can solve [pain point], would that be of interest to you?”
- “If I could increase [benefit], would that be in line with your company’s goals?”
Demonstration close
Some individuals are more visually focused. As a result, you might provide a demo of the product or service to a prospect who is reluctant to buy, especially if they don’t understand it completely. They will be able to understand exactly how your service or product operates thanks to this, and it may even help them picture how it would work for their company’s requirements.
For example:
- ‘This will help you create a more dynamic website. Let me demonstrate.”
- ‘It can be hard to visualize how this product works. I’ll walk you through the product.”
Sharp angle close
This tactic, in contrast to others, depends on your client. They could request a discount or add-on if they are intrigued and intend to buy your item or service. This is your chance to take swift action. If you accept their offer, you ought to demand something in return.
For example:
- If a prospect asks for a 15% discount, you may say: “We can do that, but only if you sign up today.”
- If a prospect asks if you can budge on the price, you may say: “If I am able to, would you be willing to come to an agreement today?’
This may impress your prospect, who may expect pushback to their request.
1-2-3 close
This method is comparable to the summary closure. You are summarizing the characteristics and advantages of the product in both instances. However, you want to showcase the product’s strengths in sets of three for the 1-2-3 close.
It doesn’t draw as much attention as other techniques, but it does rely on the idea that grouping things into sets of three can result in a potent message. To highlight the significance of a feature, you may either concentrate on three related aspects or list out three distinct topics to demonstrate the breadth of coverage.
With this strategy, you may say something like:
- “With our tool, you’ll grow your business faster, stronger and more efficiently.”
- “If you purchase today, we’ll throw in free shipping, installation and support.”
Weekly cost close
Sometimes the only factor in sealing the business is the price. Particularly if you give someone a price for the year, they could think the cost is excessive. However, if you divide the price into weekly or even daily increments, you may contrast it with an ordinary purchase.
You may claim, for instance, that the cost of a service is comparable to daily coffee purchases. From there, it is simple to argue that for just a few bucks a day, you are giving them a service that is of immeasurable value.
Testimonial close
There’s a reason why companies include client testimonials on their websites: they are highly compelling and help potential consumers understand what to anticipate from your good or service. With a testimonial close, you rely on a customer’s glowing reviews to win over a potential consumer.
You might say something like, “Since you’re interested in increasing the traffic to your business, I want to give you a letter from one of our clients who describes how our product helped them increase their traffic by 45% over the period of a few months.”