Salespeople and business owner know the critical importance of closing sales has for the health and growth of a business. Sales and revenue is the lifeblood of a business, and the process or skill of closing is bringing a prospect to a decision point.
In one of the greatest movie scenes of all time, Alec Baldwin, in the movie Glengarry Glen Ross, has a lot to say about sales. This is much watch cinematography!
Traditionally, closing is a sequence of questioning with canned responses that involve the salesperson powering up and commanding the customer to submit.
Get them to sign on the line that is dotted.
It can feel manipulative.
Truth is no one wants to be closed.
Calling the Client to a Grander Vision
In today’s marketplace, buyers are more educated, have more choices and are seemingly less willing to make a stand and commit to something. Closing successfully is more important than ever.
The process of closing will be different for everyone. I want to propose a framework that I have found helpful.
1. Take an empathetic posture. I assume you have taken a walk in their moccasins and that you want what’s best for them.
2. Paint a picture of what their life would be like with your product or service. This comes back to the question of “Who do you want your customer to become?”
3. Call them to a decision. Show them how you can help get them there, but ask them to decide if they want to go there. To do this effectively, you need to be comfortable with silence and causing discomfort in your prospect.
Another way to think about this is, what are they losing if they decline your offer?
You could also think about it like a rubber band that as you stretch it, more and more tension builds up.
Tension is wanting two things at the same time. To stay and to run. To have and to not have. To say yes and to avoid a yes. Tension stretches us, and sometimes, causes us to change.
Seth Godin
In the sales process would be build, build and build the relationship by adding value.
Closing is creating and allowing tension to increase and being willing to break the relationship. A successful close would be letting the rubber band fly across the room!
Maybe closing is just the opening of a relationship and the beginning of a better future.
Go and do likewise, gents…