Traditional closing techniques

- There are so many different types of sales closing techniques. If you were to do an online search, you would probably come up with over 100 different strategies. Some are pretty well established approaches, while others were created by sales trainers making bold statements such as guaranteed to work every time. With names like alternative close to sharp angle, and from direct to now or never, the number of them is overwhelming. Are you supposed to learn them all? No, you aren't, and I would recommend you study only a few. However, you can never forget that the buyer and seller relationship is built on trust. You won't be successful if the sales closing approach you do use doesn't take into account the essential importance of trust the buyer has in you. Here are four closing techniques that I've used and have recommended to salespeople because I feel they're simple, honest and move the process to the desired result. A summary close is my favorite, since it's a review of the key features and benefits of your offering. You can recap critical points of your presentation and briefly restate the answers you gave to any questions or objections. It's a straightforward way to enable you to say, "That sums up everything. Are we ready to move forward?" The balance sheet close is a collaborative way of working with your buyer. You openly discuss what the pros and cons are of your proposal. Obviously, you only use this when you're fully confident that there's more upside with your offering. As you work through the list together, it leads to a statement such as, "It feels like we've reached a positive conclusion. Don't you agree?" The goal of every salesperson is to provide a solution to the buyer. When you do that, it leads to the needs close. It's almost like the summary and balance sheet close, however, you focus on checking off all of the items that were required by the buyer. You're able to show in a methodical way how you're offering is benefiting them. You're solving their problem and meeting their needs. Is there anything we missed? There are two approaches to the assumptive close. One is manipulative, and I don't like it. The other is based on mutual respect. If you've worked with a buyer for a long time, your credibility is solid, and you've built up a strong rapport, then an assumptive close can make sense. You know the buyer well enough to say something like, "When should we get started?" However, never take the solid relationship with your buyer for granted. You'll hear names like puppy dog close, ask the manager close and so many with odd names that it can make you a overthink the whole process. Develop a closing technique that fits your style. The most successful sales representatives recognize that the best closing techniques are kept simple and are based on trust.