BY Tim Londergan
If you search 'How to be a closer in in sales' you’ll get a huge number of responses in a matter of seconds. Variations on the theme range from skills required and attributes of successful sellers. In fact, there are volumes of information to provide insight to closing a sale.
Personally, I know that there is no ‘phrase’, ‘wording’ or trick to close a deal. In the world of B2B deals it doesn’t work like that — this isn’t Shark Tank.
Closing shouldn't be a series of pick-up lines. If you build trust and understand your prospects’ needs, the close will come naturally.
How to Be a Closer in Sales is Not a Trick. It’s a Strategy
“Great salespeople are relationship builders who provide value and help their customers win.” – Jeffrey Gitomer
When salespeople get into the routine of using one-liners and 'closing techniques,' it’s limiting. These distractions take away from the serious business of listening to their prospect.
Unsurprisingly, there's no shortcuts or practiced script that would make someone choose to buy or not buy based on a sentence. Sorry if this isn’t the answer you’re expecting, but every sale is different just as every prospect deserves your understanding.
Closers are Confident Communicators
Corporations play the long game. They require trustworthiness, reliability and security of supply.
Your prospect seeks product and service quality and on-time delivery. They look at pros and cons and are determined to get the best alternative.
Successful closers understand this paradigm and work to provide information before negotiating price and terms. But how to be a closer in sales is not a one-size-fits-all. It’s a combination of skills and knowledge.
Sandra Coffey, writing for Indeed.com capsulizes these skills:
- Communication
- Confidence
- Industry knowledge
- Listening
A Closer Makes the Product Fit the Buyer
“Don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers.” – Seth Godin
The sales process moves forward when the seller thoroughly understands the buyer’s needs. A closer assesses the likelihood of a sale and then proposes products and variations to bring the deal home.
Again, Sandra Coffey outlines 13 strategies for closing a sale in the Indeed.com article. Conveniently, she explains the scenario and provides instances and sample dialogue for the situation. Find how to be a closer in sales by studying these examples.
This way, you identify which sales setting best fits your state of negotiation and apply the recommended technique. It’s not a phrase or trick – it’s a strategy designed to finalize an agreement.
Understand How Your Customer Judges Value
“Care enough to create value for customers. If you get that part right, selling is easy.” – Anthony Iannarino
According to Qualtrics.com, customer value is their perception of the worth of your product or service. It’s tricky to pinpoint, but how your customers value your products and services can affect how likely you are to close a deal.
Perceived worth can mean several things:
- The benefit provided
- The value in exchange for investment
- The public image or values expressed by your company
- The quality of your customer service
How to be a closer in sales depends on the perception of the value of your offering. It’s as simple and complex as that.
Simple because the value of your product must outweigh the cost to the customer. Complex because your product will be weighed against the best alternative.
Optimize Your Value Proposition
Your customers’ experience with your brand is the most important factor in how they value your products and services. Qualtrics recommends collecting qualitative and quantitative customer data.
These may be survey responses, repeat purchase rates, and more. This intelligence will help you see what’s attracted customers to your brand, so you can repeat the winning formula.
How to be a closer in sales is a blend of skills, strategies and value creation. There’s no silver bullet, no key phrase. Simply evaluate the buyer throughout the selling process and optimize the closing strategy while pledging value.
Photo by Yasin Gdu on Pexels.com
