Clinch the
deal
Know three important things about your
clients to close the sale
Pick up the
crucial information you need to ensure that your client makes a
decision in your favour.
STARTING on the right
note and choosing the right topic to initiate a conversation with
your client enables you to gather crucial information that is
essential to closing the sale.
However, if you don't know what information you
need, the exchange is as good as random small talk.
During the conversation with your clients, there
are three pieces of information you need to pick up that will allow
you to preempt and handle potential objections that might surface
at a later stage and help you close the deal.
The cost of not having this information is too
high, and will deny you potential sales. The crucial points
are:
Hot buttons
Most salesmen know that all clients have hot buttons, something
that elicts a strong emotional response or reaction. But pressing a
hot button alone will not bring you closer to clinching the
deal.
It merely indicates that your client has a concern
you can address or a soft spot you should explore further. It is a
doorway to closing the deal, but the corridor to reach the treasure
trove is long and winding.
The more accurate the hot button you discover, the
better your view of the full picture. Only then will you know where
your client is coming from and how you can fulfil his needs and
tend to his concerns.
Values and beliefs
To effectively identify the values and beliefs of your client,
you first need to understand the difference between these two
often-confused terms.
Beliefs are concepts and assumptions that we hold
to be true, usually without the need to have actual proof or
evidence. Values are ideas that we deem important to us. They
govern the way we interact, behave and communicate with others.
Together, they determine our attitudes and opinions.
When it comes to sales, every client has a set of
values and beliefs etched into his core. A rule of thumb to
remember is: never go against your clients' values and beliefs.
Your objective is to be aware of them, and ensure that your product
or service will not contradict them. In the event that your
opinions and schools of thought conflict with those of your
clients, simply agree to disagree.
Decision making
The last piece of information that can strongly enhance your
closing is your client's decision-making process. If you are able
to recognise hidden concerns that might be holding him back, you
will be in a better position to address them. In general, there are
two sets of ideologies that will affect how your client makes
decisions:
• The trade-off between cost
and value. If your client can see the value of what you offer, he
will not mind the cost and the sale will take place. If he only
looks at cost, he will never appreciate your product's value.
• The motivation principle.
Your client may be motivated to avoid pain or to seek pleasure.
Pain is often associated with loss, and pleasure with gain The
inclination to avoid pain is often stronger than that of seeking
pleasure, and unless your client's concerns involving pain are
addressed, it is difficult to swing him towards a purchase that
sells pleasure.
Article by Jacky Chua, the author of SOLD: Everything You Need
to Know About Selling Anything. Currently with Richard Gavriel
Speaker Management. Jacky can be contacted via email at [email protected].
CATS Recruit, The Straits Times, Thursday, October 24 2013, Pg
C24