How to “Burn the Clock Faster” to Close the Sale
Okay, the third strategy to closing the deal when you are ahead is based upon learning how to burn the clock as fast as you can to close the deal. This means you remain in contact with your customer and influencers and coaches during the end stage of the sales process.
Be available to answer questions. Treat each question like it could be a deal-breaker, because it could be a deal-breaker if you ignore it. The key here is to listen to every question, listen to what is said, listen for what is not said that should have been said based upon your experience. Ask clarifying questions to gain a true understanding of issues or concerns held by your customer.
Consistently reaffirm the advantages to the customer for doing business with you and your company. Reassurance is a positive influence for a number of decision makers, especially the ones who need external affirmation.
Depending upon the dominant behavioral style of the decision maker or key influencer, you will want to emphasize different factors as you reassure them about the upcoming decision. There are four primary styles:
- The hard charging, pure business type will like hearing about the results they will get after the decision is made.
- The outgoing, talkative and enthusiastic type will like to hear how the decision will make them look and feel good, as well as being appreciated for their decision.
- The systematic doer with the friendly attitude will like to hear how the decision will allow them to get along with others in his or her organization.
- The fact-finding, detailed, analytical and critical listener type will like to hear how a favorable decision will make things right and is the best choice given the available information.
By staying engaged with the customer and showing a helpful action orientation, the sales person will stay the course and improve their percentages for success. Losers increase their chances for failure by losing focus and disengaging with the customer at a very critical time – closing time!
One last point in this area. Your mindset during the end stages of the sales process is very important. Do you play to win? Or do you play NOT to Lose? This is a very critical differentiating factor for the sales person. An important fact is your mind cannot relate to NOT. So if you play not to lose – your mind actually thinks in terms of how to lose. This means that your mental condition will impact your actions and behaviors leading to either victory of defeat.
Control you thoughts, and your actions will follow. Keep a positive outlook for success and take actions to engage the customer. This engagement action will show the customer that you are an action-oriented person capable of leading to victory or a win-win situation. Win-Win is your dominant approach to doing business and the customer will make certain you are a winner also.
Voss Graham
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Tags: B2B selling, Close the sale, Sales, Tactics and Strategies to closing the deal, win-win, winning mindsets
