Sales. They’re both the bane of your existence and the chief motivator. You want them. Your competitors want them. Every single business wants them.
So why are some people more successful than others?
Is it luck? Simple charisma? A superior product? Hypnosis?
By now, you’ve probably seen the endless parade of books, videos and webinars promising to teach you the secrets of how to close more sales—each promising to let you know their authors’ patented techniques. Maybe you’ve even spent a small fortune on them, only to find their “secrets” aren’t telling you anything you didn’t already know. The truth is, sales (much like anything else in life) are both a science and an art form. But a peculiar one. One in which no two pitches are alike.
Nor should they be. After all, neither are any two clients. Nor should your sales strategy be.
Like it or not, the world of sales is one which demands your full undivided attention. And closing a sale is one of the hardest things you’re ever going to need to master. But there are strategies—and there are basic techniques. You’re going to need to master the latter before you learn to develop your own approach to the former. Here are five documented techniques that can help you close more sales.
1. The Higher Your Goal, The Sweeter The Reward
One of the biggest obstacles many new sales professionals have to face is a lack of confidence. They’d prefer to reach for the low hanging fruit than tackle the (frequently elusive) pot of gold. What many don’t realize is that there is simply no such thing as an easy close. And if you’re going to be spending all your time chasing those easy closes, you can be certain your competitors will be as well.
Goals are one of the great motivators in life. And the lazy producer is the one who has grown far too self assured to set the bar any higher than the bare minimum. Don’t bite off more than you can chew right away. That’s unquestionably a recipe for disaster. But don’t be content with the bare minimum for yourself, either. Each week, set your goals higher and higher until you’re in the top percent. As the old saying goes… stay hungry.
2. (Don’t) Fake It Until You Make It
Customers can see through insincerity. The more you try to feign belief in what you’re selling, the more awkward and hollow you’re going to sound. And the more transparent you’re going to appear.
There are numerous elements that make up closing a sale successfully. But two of the chief ones are honesty and passion. If you lack those, you’re going to lack the sale. Customers have grown considerably more savvy. And they’re only getting savvier. If you truly don’t have the confidence in your product, you don’t have the confidence to make a sale. Learn every aspect of it inside and out. Engage with it as much as your clients need to. It’s what builds expertise.
3. Is The Price Always Right?
Price and value are two entirely separate entities. If your customers balk at the former, they aren’t likely to understand the latter. And it’s your job to emphasize the ultimate benefit of that value.
The trick isn’t to persuade a customer into thinking they’re receiving a great deal, or even any deal whatsoever. The trick is to understand their needs, and ultimately presenting your product as something which can fulfill those needs. You can’t understand their needs through high pressure pitches and a well-rehearsed spiel—although both may come in handy at times. It comes from listening. Observing. Sympathizing. Understanding can’t be forced. It must be organic. Once your customers understand that, the price is always going to be right.
4. Practice Makes Perfect
There’s a reason why actors and professional athletes put in countless hours of rehearsal and training. It’s not only so they land the part or make the goal when the time comes. It’s so they’re not even conscious of it.
It’s no different with closing a sale. There’s no room for self consciousness. There’s no room to think about the commission. Or the prestige. There’s simply the sale. And you can’t reach that level without countless hours of practice.
Practice with colleagues. Friends. Family members. Yourself. But practice, practice, practice. Until it becomes second nature.
5. Don’t Close Until You’re Convinced You Can
Not everyone in sales is destined to be a top producer. With enough training and experience you might be. But it still all depends on that inner fire. The need to close a sale. Any sale. And without that inner fire, you’ll simply be… well, merely adequate.
But that fire can be stoked. Through motivation. Confidence. Understanding. Practice. Because closing a sale isn’t about the reward. It’s about exceeding your goals. Anything else is simply… adequate.
It’s time to take your business to the next level. We will help you do what it takes to see the results you’ve been looking for in terms of sales. Please feel free to reach out to No Joke Marketing for more information.
