Even though many people are constantly trained on ‘closing the sale’ or ‘asking for the business’ it seems to be an area that many struggling with carrying through. They know the theory, the y understand the importance of qualifying the customer, focusing on their wants and needs, and the difference between open and closed questions, but still fall short when the time actually comes to close the sale.
Why exactly is this? What makes people break into a sweat and feel under pressure when the time comes to ask for a deposit, make a purchase or give a commitment?
The main reason people falter and don’t even try to ‘close the sale’ properly is the fear of rejection. They may not even realise this, but most humans are terrified about getting a ‘no’. Because of this, they choose to not put themselves in the position where this can be a possibility therefore removing the fear of rejection completely out of the equation. So let’s take a look at this in a little more detail and how to overcome.
The key is to understand that most rejections are not real and aimed at you personally. If you do get a rejection, this is simply because the person has either changed their mind or found a better offering. It’s highly unlikely to be anything that you’ve done, it just wasn’t right for them – and that’s OK, move on!
Personally, I feel that it is much better to know where you stand rather than go round in circles, beating around the bush. Dump it or move on! It’s time to focus on new opportunities, new relationships or more options, and there are plenty of those for the taking.
In the words of Arianna Huffington:
“Failure is not the opposite of success. It is part of success.”
Don’t be afraid, dare to ask the question and see how the dice fall. The other side to this is that people are often wanting to be guided into a perfect solution for them, or waiting to be contacted. People like to feel valued, relevant and important, so will appreciate you following through to ensure things are on track. Follow through within 24 – 48 hours of first contact, make them feel important.
You also don’t have to ‘hard sell’ to close the sale. Think about placing a sense of urgency to entice them to move forward when there are limited options or choices available. Ask people if they need more information or more options to be able to assist them to make a decision, so you can ensure you are working together to find the perfect solution. Focus on quick turnarounds and short deadlines.
Make sure you are in control of your offerings at all times and ensure you follow up or ask for the business within a timely manner. And if you get a ‘no’? That’s fine. Thank them for giving you the opportunity to assist and then ‘dump it’ and move on!
Always remember that a rejection should not be taken personally and it is not aimed directly at you. When you do get a ‘no’ then look for new opportunities as there are plenty of those available for people who are pro-active and keen to look forward. Make sure you’re one of those people. And most importantly, make sure you do ask for the business and close the sale – there’s no point in doing all the work if you don’t take that last step!
