1. Module 5
Step 7 - Closing the Sale

2. 10 Steps to becoming a Professional Sales Representative
Professional Sales visit Preparation, The Pre-Approach
Professional Client Relations – The Approach
The Customer Needs Analysis
Product/Service Presentation - 1:1 and to Groups
Handling Objections, listening and responding
Negotiation
Closing the Sale
Follow-Up Service
Merchandising and Promotion
After-Sales Service

3. Rule for Closing the Sale
Close the sale when the customer is ready to buy
Look for buying signals
Use a ‘trial close’ to test the readiness of the customer and your interpretation of a positive buying signal

4. Rule for Closing the Sale
If you think the customer is ready to make a buying decision, stop talking about the product.
When a customer is having difficulty making a buying decision, stop showing additional merchandise
Help a customer decide by summarizing the major features and benefits of a product

5. Rule for Closing the Sale
Don’t rush a customer into making a buying decision
Use words that indicate ownership, such as you and yours
Use major objections that have been resolved to close the sale
Use effective product presentations to close the sale
Look for minor agreements from the customer on selling points that lead up to the close

6. Methods for Closing the Sale
1- Which close
Encourages customers to make a decision between two items
2- Standing-room-only close
Used when a product is in short supply or when the price may be going up

7. Methods for Closing the Sale
3- Direct close
A method in which you ask for the sale
4- Service close
Explains services which overcome obstacles or problems

8. Presenting (Quoting) the Price
A ballpark “heads-up” idea of the price that customer can expect to pay – sets customer’s expectation
Estimate total cost of purchase
Highlight the positive aspects of the expenditure including rebates, promotions. Include taxes and any other additional charges
Consider all the elements that are part of the purchase and bear influence on the price
When all other objections have been successfully managed, check with customer to ensure all their questions have been answered, then find the right closing technique.
Find the right moment

9. 6 Simple Closing Techniques
Sandwich – Ties pricing to benefits. Quote is sandwiched between presentation of features and articulation of benefits.
The Balance – On one side all the features and benefits, on the other side the price. Show that features and benefits outweigh the price
Comparative Close – Best price in town for this product, is one option. Another option is: “Look at other similar solutions. You will see that ours is the best value option.”

10. Some Closing Techniques
Break-it-down – Takes the total cost and breaks it down to smaller, more manageable amounts. “Only three payments of $xx!” Or: “Economical, at only $86 bi-monthly.”
Opportunity Cost – You know what else customer could do with that money. Tell them that benefits of this purchase outweigh benefits of the other purchase. Example: “For three meals at le Biftheque, you can get this amazing kitchen set and enjoy home cooked meals.:
The Ben Franklin – Put all the advantages in one column and all the disadvantages in another column. Show that the advantages of the purchase are greater than the disadvantages

11. More Closing Techniques
The more closing strategies the salesperson knows and can effectively apply, the greater his or her chances for closing the sale.
Five Closing Techniques
Clarification Closes
Psychologically oriented Closes
Straightforward Closes
Concession Closes
Lost sale closes

12. 1. Clarification Closes 1. Assumptive close 2. Choice close
Assume that the purchase decision has already been made so that the prospect feels compelled to buy.
2. Choice close
Offer the prospect alternative products form which to choose.
3. Counterbalance close
Offset an objection that cannot be denied by balancing it with an important buying benefit.
4. Success story close
Tell a story about a customer with a similar problem who solved it by buying the product.

13. …Clarification Closes
5. Contingent close
Get the prospect to agree to buy if the salesperson can demonstrate the benefits promised.
6. Boomerang close
Turn an objection around so that it becomes a reason for buying.
7. Future order close
If a prospect does not have a current need, but may have one in the future, the salesperson can ask for a commitment from the prospect to purchase at a future time.

14. …Clarification Closes
8. If-When Close
Ask the prospect to provide a clarification as to when an order will be placed, as opposed to if an order will be placed.
9. Probability close
Although similar to the “if-when close” described above, the probability closing technique asks the prospect to assign a quantified likelihood of signing a sales contract in the near future.
10. Suggestion close
Imply that the prospect should accept the salesperson’s suggestion to buy without giving it a great deal of thought. A salesperson, for example, might state that customers who have purchased the product have reported high levels of satisfaction, therefore the prospect should purchase it also.

15. 2.Psychologically Oriented Closes
1. Stimulus-response close
Use a sequence of leading questions to make it easier for the prospect to say “yes” when finally asked for the order.
2. Minor points close
Obtain favorable decisions on several minor points leading to eventual purchase decision.
3. Standing-room only close
Source: Stockbyte
Suggest that the opportunity to buy is brief because demand is great and the product is in short supply.

16. …Psychologically Oriented Closes
4. Impending event close
Warn the prospect about some upcoming event that makes it more advantageous to buy now.
5. Advantage close
This variation of the impending event close emphasizes the specific advantages of making a timely decision, while still stressing a sense of immediacy.
6. Reserve advantage close
In this slight variation of the advantage close described above, salespeople identify a number of merits for purchasing a product, but save a few to use if the prospect exhibits resistance yet again.

17. …Psychologically Oriented Closes
7. Puppy dog close
Let the prospect take the product home for a while and, as with a puppy, an emotional attachment may develop, leading to purchase.
8. Compliment close
Commend prospects for raising interesting and intelligent questions, which subtly flatters their egos, then ask them to sign the sales order.
9. Dependency close
Used to break the “choke-hold” that a competing firm has over a prospect’s business by suggesting that the prospect have an alternative supplier to reduce the risk of being dependent on one supplier.

18. 3. Straightforward Closes
1. Ask for the order close
Ask for the order directly or indirectly.
2. Order form close
While asking the prospect a series of questions, start filling out basic information on the contract or order blank, then hand the order form and a pen to the prospect.
3. Summary close
Summarize the advantages and disadvantages of buying the product before asking for the order.

19. …Straightforward Closes
4. Repeated “yes” close
This variation of the summary close requires a salesperson to pose several leading questions to which the prospect has little choice but to respond in an affirmative manner.
5. Benefits close
Also a variation of the summary close, it requires the salesperson to identify and present a synopsis of the various salient benefits that the sales solution offers.
6. Action close
The salesperson simply hands the prospect a pen along with the contract, and frequently the prospect, almost by reflex, will sign.

20. …Straightforward Closes
7. Negotiation close
Both the buyer and the salesperson negotiate a compromise, thus ensuring a “win-win” agreement.
8. Technology close
The salesperson more forcefully and effectively summarizes key value-added benefits for the prospect by using technologies such as PowerPoint, Excel, or other multimedia tools.

21. 4. Concession Closes 1. Special-deal close 2. No-risk close
Offer a special incentive to encourage the prospect to buy now.
2. No-risk close
Agree to take the product back and refund the customer's money if the product doesn't prove satisfactory.

22. …Concession Closes 3. Management close 4. Takeaway close
When salespeople do not have the authority to make the prospect’s requested commitments or concessions, they can elicit the assistance of a senior sales manager who has the authority to make the necessary decisions to close the no-risk close sale.
4. Takeaway close
This close is used as an emotional fear appeal to cause anxiety that the prospect may lose out on a special deal or incentive. A salesperson may suggest that the special offer to provide an ancillary product or service free of charge is available only for another week, thereby encouraging an immediate purchase.

23. 2. Pretend-to-leave close
5. Lost Sale Closes
1. Turnover closes
Turn the prospect over to another salesperson with a fresh approach or better chance to make the sale.
2. Pretend-to-leave close
Start to walk away, then "remember" another benefit or special offer after the prospect has relaxed his or her sales defenses.
3. Ask for help close
When the sale seems lost, apologize for not being able to satisfy the prospect and ask what it would have taken to get him or her to buy; then offer that.

24. Positive Non-Verbal Cues
Customer smiles after a presentation or the mention of a particular feature or benefit
Client nods head, in approval
Client’s face “lights up” when seeing the product
Customer seems to be calculating, thinking, weighing options, pros and cons, etc.
Customer needs to move: gets up if seated, sits if standing
Customer plays with products, tries it out
Customer exhibits relaxed traits: face, posture, movements
Customer puts out his/her hand to shake yours
Customer heads towards cash register
Takes out wallet, credit card, cheque book
Takes a picture of the product
Can you think of any others?

25. But wait! There’s More!
If you are perceiving only non-verbal cues from customer, be sure to check with them that you are indeed understanding their intentions:
Ask them some clarifying questions
Applying a closing technique

26. Questions and Closers 1-The Litany of Yes’s Examples:
If your customer answers yes to every well-chosen closed questions that you ask, it becomes easier for them to say “yes” when you ask for the sale
Examples:
“So, you really like this model.”
“Yes”
“The colors work for you? The size as well?”
“You can see how nicely it will fit into your bathroom.”
“Yes, absolutely!”
“Great! Let’s go to the cash register and make it official. Congratulations! You made a fine choice!”

27. …Examples of Questions and Closers
2- “But, Wait! There’s More!”
After starting the close and customer is working on making the commitment to purchase official, you announce once last advantage to prompt the yes (a rebate, free product, etc.)
3- The Warning
Necessary when certain circumstances in the environment that can be perceived as negative can benefit from your product which turns the negative into a positive
Example: “You may recall the several recent assaults that have recently occurred in people’s homes, around here. Our home alarm can de-motivate potential aggressors lurking in the neighborhood to target your home.”

28. …Examples of Questions and Closers
4- The Alternative
We’ve already seen this one: “Will you be taking the red one or the yellow one?”
5- Direct Action/Engagement
As the customer is talking and you are very sure that they are ready to commit, you start to take out your order pad, contract, calculator, etc. and say something like:
“Okay. Let’s look at the terms and conditions together…”

29. Module 5: sales representation
Verbal Cues the customer wants the product…
“I don’t have any other questions”
“I want it!”
“Yes, this will do.”
“I will go with this model.”
“What would it cost?”
“Do have any in stock, at this time?”
“When can you deliver it?”
“How exactly can I finance this purchase?”

30. When Customer Say No, Firmly
1- It’s okay, You can’t win them all
2- Always stay professional
3- Ask why…
If possible, try to get them to explain why… Sometimes, that starts a new, less pushy conversation, that may reveal more information that should be DELICATELY managed.
…Or take it as constructive feedback and learn from the experience.