N5 Sales Management Step 6 in the selling process is The Close. 1. The right time for the close
Without successful closes there would be no sales. For the salesperson, the successful close is feedback that his preparation was successful and that the steps in the sales process were correctly handled. A successful close means another customer whose problems and needs have been satisfied, and a satisfied customer is also another source of more prospects.
The biggest reason why salespeople lose sales is their inability to close at the right time. They either wait too long before trying to close, or they try before the prospect is ready to close. The most important rule is:
DO NOT WAIT TOO LONG BEFORE CLOSING!
Many salespeople present an excellent sales talk and convince the prospect that he should buy, but then carry on talking and talk him out of it again. There is a time in every interview when the salesperson must stop explaining and start closing; the sooner this happens, the better for the salesperson.
On the other hand, it is also dangerous to try closing too soon. The salesperson can easily give rise to the notion that he is impatient, aggressive and greedy. If the prospect gets these ideas, he can decide to ignore one completely and then not buy.
The clue to knowing when to close lies embodied in the prospect’s mind. It is important that the salesperson observe the prospect carefully throughout the selling process. If the prospect likes the product, he will sooner or later give signals that the salesperson must recognise. These signals can be found in the person’s body language, attitude or what they say. This is known as closing signals.
1.1 Closing signals
Most prospects, whether wittingly or unwittingly, give certain clues that they are ready for a close. Little things they say, show or do are also known as closing signals. When these closing signals become noticeable, it is an indication that he must close the transaction and ask for the order.
• Facial expressions Non-verbal language has a bigger impact that what someone is saying. Experienced salespeople know what to look for in a person’s facial expressions – they are noticeable from the eyes and facial muscles of the prospect. An experienced salesperson is continually looking out for positive signs to which he can react.
VIDEO: Facial expressions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G6ZR5lJgTI
• Physical signs Physical closing signs refer to actions and movements – most prospects will, however, give some indication of what they are thinking, by the physical reactions of their bodies and limbs, for example:
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