You know this.
Success in business and in life is all about making the right choices.
We are all constantly making choices. About everything. Sometimes the right choice is clear, and the result comes quickly. But when things are not working as well as they could be, it’s good to look at where our choices might have gone wrong.
There’s one area of business where choices make all the difference. Sales.
There are three critical choices to make in the sales process. When you are on target in making these choices, you’ll see the results in your bottom line.
The Right People – We often refer to them as your ideal customer. They are the people who are most in need of your product or service, whose problem is the perfect fit for your solution. As your business grows, your “right people” may change. It’s important to pay attention to feedback from existing customers and to customers who do not return to make sure you are still on target with your fit.
The Right Questions – When you ask the right questions, you are gathering information and building a relationship that leads to the sale. Asking open-ended questions allows your prospect to be specific about their needs and problems and allows you to determine where and how you can agree on the sale.
After you have asked your prospect to share their needs, goals, and problems, it’s important to confirm your understanding of what’s going on for them. That’s the time to ask a question that begins with a short summary of what you’ve heard, such as, “So, you’d really like to do this, but this is getting in your way?” or “If this were possible for you without sacrificing that, you’d be happy?”
The Right Time – There’s an old saying that timing is everything. This is certainly true in sales. It’s important to have the sales conversation at the right time when the customer is most ready to say yes. Coming in with a hard ask too early may scare the customer away, while waiting too long may cause the customer to look elsewhere for a solution.
The first part of the sales conversation establishes your relationship with the customer and your understanding of their situation. Once you’ve confirmed that you understand the customer, it’s your turn to offer them information that lets them understand you. Share a brief description of how your offer might provide a solution followed by one or two additional open-ended questions such as, “how do you feel about that?” or “what are your thoughts at this point?”
Open-ended trial closing questions are the salesperson’s most effective tool because the answers help you chart a course for the rest of the sales conversation, and they tell if the time is right to ask for the sale.
A negative response or an objection to a trial closing question will tell you that the customer needs more or different information prior to making a commitment. It could be that you haven’t quite addressed their problem or that they can’t quite see how your solution fits them.
When you have received a positive answer to your trial closing questions, it’s the right time to ask for the sale. It’s important to specifically ask for the sale. It may be hard to believe, but studies show that nearly 50% of all sales calls end without an attempt to close the sale. Without a specific ask, not only do you not make the sale, but you may not know whether it makes sense to continue the conversation or to turn your attention to another prospect.
If you want to improve your sales closing rate, start with making three right choices. Ask the right people the right questions at the right time and watch your sales soar.
Blessings,
