Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Do You Have What It Takes to Close the Sale??


Many entrepreneurs have little or no experience in outside sales. Finding new prospects and explaining features and benefits — the stock-in-trade of salesmanship — can be difficult for an entrepreneur who isn’t sales-oriented. But inexperience can be crushing when it comes time to close the sale. After all, even sales pros often have trouble closing the deal.
Although it may be difficult, closing doesn't have to be painful or bewildering. Here are a few basic pointers to help demystify this potentially awkward process:
· Close from the beginning. Don't confuse this idea with the hard sell; the cutthroat approach alienates many potential customers. Instead, explain your agenda. Tell the prospect exactly what you're selling and how it can benefit their business. Being up front about your intentions promotes an honest, mutually respectful, and rewarding discussion — paving the way for a smooth close.
· Learn to recognize when potential customers are ready to buy. A customer might indicate they're ready by asking questions about the product or the buying process: "How long would delivery take?" "What does that button do?" or "Is an upgrade available?" Other signs include complaints about previous vendors and interested comments such as "Really?" or "Good idea."
· Don't respond to questions with merely a yes or no. Answer your prospect's queries with questions of your own. Carefully chosen, these return questions can help lead to a sale. For example, instead of answering the question, "Does this come in black?" with merely an affirmative, you could say, "Would you like it in black?"
· Free trials often lead directly to sales. In sales-speak, this approach is sometimes called the "
Free trials often lead directly to sales. In sales-speak, this approach is sometimes called the "puppy-dog" close, because it's reminiscent of the attachment children develop to a puppy after keeping it overnight. This strategy works well for all sorts of businesses and appears frequently in magazine subscriptions, where you can receive one month for free; Internet services, where there are often free 30-day memberships; and car sales, where potential buyers are offered test drives.
Suggest specific terms. Rather than asking whether your prospect wants to buy, suggest a specific buying scenario and then ask if your customer agrees to it. For example, "We can ship 150 units on Tuesday for $1,000. Do you want us to do that?" addresses three separate questions: the number of units to be shipped, the price of the shipment, and time it will be sent out. If your prospect is uncomfortable with any of the specifics — for example, he wants shipment on Monday — he will say so. You've offered him a chance to let you make decisions about details that otherwise would delay a sale. But be sure you know enough about your customers' needs to make reasonable suggestions. Otherwise you'll sound ignorant and pushy.
1. Why is closing the sale so important? Be detailed!!
2. Explain what kinds of things salespeople have done in the past that helped you make a buying decision.
3. What do you think is the most important thing you can do as a salesperson to inusre you close a sale?? Think it through because I have given you the answer to this in the past.

52 comments:

Josh Vandine said...

1. If you dont close the sale you dont earn any money, get a repeat customer, and you will eventually go out of business
2. The thing that makes sales people make me buy something the most is when they offer me a discount. I got a discount when i bought my car.
3. To make sure that you close the sale you should make the customer feel as comfortable as possible with you.

Marisa Warren said...

1. It's important because the more you make sales the more you make money. And then the more comfortable you become with getting to understand how a customer works. If you don't make sales then you can become ingorant and pushy because you haven't sold anything.
2. They have said interesting things about their product that have caught the customer off guard and allowed them to look at the product in a new way. Also they have been upfront with them about the product and how it has worked for them.
3. I believe the most important thing to do to close a sale is give your opinion about the product and how you think it would help the customer in the long run.

Taylor Welsh said...

1. Closing the sale is so important because its the difference between getting the sale and not getting the sale. You can ruin your chances in this step but you can also get the sale.
2. Salespeople have introduced things that a teenage male might like in a certain type of car and only what I would like. It impressed me because all I heard were things that I liked and nothing I didnt like.
3. The most important thing you can do as a salesperson to insure you close a sale is to make the product you are trying to sell sound perfect and a must-have purchase.

Jake Fredenburg said...

1. Closing the sale is important because without the sale you won't make any money

2. Free trials and Answering questions

3. You have to think as if you are the customer

Billy Summa said...

1. It is important because it is the final step to making money for your business.

2. Free trials; Don't respond to questions with a yes or no; Learn to recognize when potential customers are ready to buy; Close from the beginning.

3. Think like the customer.

Grant Waters said...

1. Closing the sale is so important because if you dont close the sale then you wont make any money because no one will be buying your products.

2. Free trials, answering questions completely, knowing when customers are ready to buy, close from the beginning

3. Think like a customer

Jordan Dean said...

1. Closing the sale is so important because if you don't close the sale then the customer isn't going to want to buy the product, and they may never want to buy from you again.

2. One thing a salesperson has done in the past is at Nordstrom's they will help you pick out outfits, and talk to you about what they like about the outfit and what they don't like.

3. I think the most important thing you can do as a salesperson to insure you close the sale is to answer any objections the customer may have.

Cam Haney said...

1. Closing the sale is important so that you can get the commission or the revenue for your company
2. They told me all of the products benefits and what it can do for me.
3. The most important thing to do is make the customer fell confident about the product and for them to have no objections

Jerrod Beresid said...

1. Closing the sale is so important becuase it is the goal of your efforts in the selling world. Without making sales, there is no point in taking time to persuade the customer. A good experience with this may lead to that customer coming to you again and telling others about their experience and that they should also buy from you.
2. Salespeople have helped me make buying decisions by helping me compare their product to other products that i might be looking at and giving me detailed benefits of buying their product.
3. The most important thing you can do to insure the closing of the sale is to make the custoemer feel comfortable with their decision and to lead them along to make the best buy for them.

Chad said...

1. Closing the sale is important because you will have to convence your customer that this is right and this is the best way to get rid of objections.
2. Salespeople in the past have given me different options and helped me out with finding the best pair, even if it takes a while to choose.
3. The best way to close a sale is to make sure you get rid of all objections so there is no doubts left in the customers mind about buying the product.

Demi Ogunnowo said...

1. Why is closing the sale so important? Be detailed!!

Closing the deal is improtant, becasue it shows you helped the customer find what they were looking for, and it helps the customer build a relationship with the store.

2. Explain what kinds of things salespeople have done in the past that helped you make a buying decision.

I wanted to buy a new phone, and a sale man got out nice phones that we within my budget, and told me the features of them. When I narrowed my choice down to 2 he showed me all the different colors they came in, and the cases that were availble with the phone.

3. What do you think is the most important thing you can do as a salesperson to inusre you close a sale?? Think it through because I have given you the answer to this in the past.

Establish a relationship with the customer, and ensure they customer is happy with there choice. Be sure the customers buying motives are also appropriate.

nick burke said...

1.So that you can explane what you are selling to the consumer and give example of what your product does for the consumer
2.They explaned the benifet of the product and how it can be used as well as explane how to use is in a average day or on any day. and explane the features it has in detail.
3.Get the customer intrested in the product explane any of their questions in very depth detail so they can feel more comftable with the puchase that they made and as well explane the many features.
4.

Caveh Davari said...

1. If you do not close the sale you won't make any money.
2. Salespeople inform you about the products and give you their opinion on the best one.
3. The best thing you can do to close a sale is persuade the customer to buy it buy using any the methods to overcome thje customer's objections.

Morgan Wilson said...

1. Closing the sale is one of the most important parts of the process. It's when you can make or break the deal and either lose the customer or get him/her to purchase the product.

2. Mostly demonstrations on the product so I can see it first hand and know how it works etc

3. For me I always put the ball in their court so to speak. I assured them that the product would benefit them, yet wasn't pressuring them because I know that being pressured to buy is not a good feeling and would scare the customer away.

T.C. Cunningham said...

1. Closing the sale is important because it is what brings money to the business.
2. Things salespeople have done in the past to help me make a buying decision is to inform me, give me samples, and appeal to my interest.
3. Remember to treat the customer well.

Drew Hartquist said...

1. to make sure the customer is satified and got what they wanted.
2. persuading me, telling me the features and benefits and tellinng me discounts
3. Make sure you satisfied the customers needs.

patrick cool said...

1. closing a sale is inportant becasue this is how you finalize all that you have done to convinse the buyer that the product is right for them. and if you cant close a sale you will not make money
2. in the past when i was buying shpes sales people would come up to me and let me try them on and they would tell me datails like how light the shoes are compaired to others.
3. make sure the customer is happy with the product.

quentez said...

1.closing is so important for the fact of saling the product and bringing in the money
2.like when saling clothing letting you know what looks good on you
3.asking the customer what arrangment would be best for them

Paige Reckert said...

1. Why is closing the sale so important? Be detailed!!

Be sure you know enough about your customers' needs to satify them. You dont want to sound ignorant and pushy, just be comfortable. Closing a sale is important because its the process in which your customer decides on a product or not.

2. Explain what kinds of things salespeople have done in the past that helped you make a buying decision.

In the past sales people I have had to deal with are very calm and relaxed when dealing with me (customer), they don't rush me with anything and they are there to help you make the best decision.

3. What do you think is the most important thing you can do as a salesperson to inusre you close a sale?? Think it through because I have given you the answer to this in the past.

The most important thing you can do as a salesperson is to be yourself and you must identify the customers needs and wants. "get to know them" & dont be pushy...give them time.

Mitch DeForest said...

1. closing the deal ensures that you get money. closing the deal shows that the customer is interested and committed to the product or service.

2.slaes people have demonstrated the product for me to show me exaclty what im buying.

3. identify the customers needs and want and make sure you repect those needs and wants, be open and honest to the customer an dmake them feel like they got what the ywanted.

Alyssa Sanchez said...

1. The closing sale is important because you want to make sure your customer is completely satisfied with the product. You don't want them having regrets about the purchase or having to come back to return the product, all because you didn't double check with them.

2. Some salespeople will go the extra mile just to make sure I understand all of the features and benefits the product offers. Allowing me to try the product, telling me about discounts or sales, and making sure I'm 100% positive that I want to purchase this product are some things that salespeople will do to help me make a buying decision.

3. The most important thing you could do would be to check over all the things the customer told you that they wanted. If you have met all of the customers requirements and needs then you have done all you can to insure a perfect closing sale. Another thing would to be to make sure that the customer has full knowledge of the product, and understands that this is the best product for them.

Thomas Schmedding said...

1. Closing the sale is important because it allows the salesperson to show the customer that he/she gave the customer their best effort in making the sale. Closing is also important because a good closure makes many more sales then a bad closure. With a good closure, the customer becomes more confident in the product.

2. Salespeople have helped me purchase items by allowing free samples in the grocery store. If I don't know how a product will taste, then I'm less likely to purchase it. By giving out a sample, I might find that I actually enjoy it. Another way salespeople have helped me is by allowing me to try on clothes. If they fit right and look fresh, then I'm more likely to purchase them.

3. The most important thing a salesperson can do to insure a sale is leave the customer knowing that they're confident in the product. If you respect their needs and wants, you can find the best product for them, and therefore have a much greater chance of making a sale.

dalton f said...

1. Closing is so important because it allows the saleman to ansmwer all of the objections, and really help the customer make the right decision.
2.Salesman have answered my questions and redirected me to the correct product in the past, to help me make good purchasing decisions.
3. TO answer all of the customers objections as soon as possible.

Keenan Cozzolino said...

1. Why is closing the sale so important? Be detailed!!

Closing the sale is where the seller makes his or her profit, builds a relationship, and has the opportunity to sell complimentary products.

2. Explain what kinds of things salespeople have done in the past that helped you make a buying decision.

At best buy, a sales person helped describe the features of different computers to me in a way that I could understand. He helped me find the best computer at the cheapest price.

3. What do you think is the most important thing you can do as a salesperson to inusre you close a sale?? Think it through because I have given you the answer to this in the past.

Give the customer a way to contact you if they need help or are interested in another product you have to offer.

Abraham Osorio said...

1. Its important because that tells if your are going to make the sell or not. If your saying everything right, the customer seems interested, and they start asking questions like"When can I get it", your closing method worked.
2. A sales person convinced by showing me all the products I wanted and which was the cheapest and to me looked the best.
3. The miost important thing is to convince the buyer to want your product without, in my words, getting on there nerves.

Matt Felts said...

1. Closing the sale is important because that is when you make a profit and can lead to profits in the future, for example a customer who has purchased a product after the sale was closed may come back if they were satisfied.

2. Salespeople in the past have really gotten to know me and that helped me make the decision of chosing them for a product.

3. I think the most important part is keeping the customer involved and not boring them by saying too much.

Jacob Giaquinto said...

1. Closing the deal is to get the customer's positive agreement to buy. Its important because its one of the last steps of the selling process and it insures a deal between the seller and customer.
2. They've told me the positive things about their product from personal experience, including the different features and benefits.
3. Make sure you have satisfied the customer's needs.

Sam Eaton said...

1. Closing the sale can make or break a salesmans salary, and can even lead to the customer spreading bad information to other customers.
2. When buying my iPhone, the salesman did everything possible to save me money, and throw in freebies with the purchase. It assures you that you are getting the best deals.
3. I think the most important thing is to make sure the customer is always satisfied and that you dont overwhelm the customer and cut off the relationship. You want them to come back again, and spread the word.

Liam serencsics said...

1. closing the sale is important because it helps sell your product and it makes the customer want to come back in the future
2.in the past sales people have helped my by giving me information about products or showing me entirely new products
3.i think it is to make sure the customer is happy with their purchase

garrett taylor said...

1.because they want customer satisfaction and they want to make a profit but they also want to help you find anything you need
2.since im only 16 i havent really needed anyones help with a sale yet because im not buying very expensive stuff
3.geting the customer involved in the sale will help them see how good the product actually is

Jesse Womble said...

1.) Closing the sale is important because if you don't close the sell it might fall through and then the company will not gain any profit
2.) Shoe salesmen make sure i have the right sized shoe and the right kind of shoe for my lifestyle
3.) The most important thing you can do as a salesperson to close a sell is to make sure the customer is suited for the product they are buying

Teja Mulpuri said...

1. Closing the sale is important because a customer can express interest in the product but unless you close the sale properly, they will rarely buy the product.
2. They have offered discounts, thrown in memberships, coupons and protection plans. All of these made the product more appealing because i was getting more for less.
3. The most important thing to close a sale is not be overly pushy. That often turns customers off when the salesperson is very pushy and wont stop begging you to buy the product.

Ryan Tittus said...

1. Closing the sale is important because it insures that the customer is for sure going to buy your product or if they are going to change their mind due to a lack of pursuasion from the salesperson.
2. Mentioning a warranty or some type of insurance so that in the future if it breaks or stops working, the product will be replaced with another one.
3. The most important part of closing a sale is to not overwhelm the customer with other products and deals that they could buy. Pursuade them to buy the product that they are interested in first, then worry about offering other deals and products.

Matt Bailey said...

1. You can explain the product all you want and go through the steps smoothly but if you cant close the sale then the prodct wont be sold.
2. Close from the beginning which involves being up front with them. Learning how to recognize when potential customers are ready to buy.
3. Learning when or if potential customers are ready to buy. If you approach a customer too soon they may feel badgered or you might cut them off in mid thought and cause them to rethink their ideas of purhasing

melissa kaznowski said...

1. because you need a way to seal the deal and end your sale and hopefully making a profit from that sale

2. they help you determine what you want through feature benefit selling and by determining what is best for you through your wants and needs

3. determine the customers wants and needs because it helps you create personal relationships as well as help them make a smart purchase

Nathan Yonk said...

1. You can be so good at saying stuff and making your product look good but the most important part is closing the deal.
2. closing from the beginning which is when you are upfront with the customer. you need to learn how to recognize whe the customer is ready.
3. I think listening to the customer and tryign to understand what they are saying is the most important thing.

Mark Beacham said...

1. Closing the sale is the last but most important part of the selling process. It is important to close the sale in a proffesional manner so that customers will buy you product and keep buying off you.
2. A sales person at a hockey shop has allowed me to try on skates and test out new sticks to get me to buy the product.
3. The most important thing you can do as a salesperson to close a sale is to act kindly and proffesionsally.

Ryan Sullivan said...

1. Closing the sale is important because it is the final decision and the most important decesion. There are many things that lead up to the closing.
2. They give you free trials or make it sound like they have more options so you feel like you have more to pick from.
3. Ask a lot of questions?

Kieran P. said...

1. Closing a sale is important because if you do it properly the cusomter will likely buy the product and if you do it improperly you will not get the sale.
2. Things salespeople have done in the past is make time to talk to me in order to gain a relationship. They also have introduced me to new products that they thought I might be interested in.
3. The most important thing you can so as a salesperson in order to close a sale is be friendly and approachable in order to gain a relationship with the customers.

Joshua said...

1) closing the sale is extremely important because it actually means that a customer will buy something. if you waste to much time a customer will not make a purchase or become confused

2)They have asked me excactly why i needed a certain product and how soon. after i explained they told me all the specifications of it and why it would suit my needs

Ryan Davey said...

1. It is important to close the sale, so that customers can have a chance to look somewhere else and purchase the same product.
2. In the past salespeople have tried offering me another product if i dont like a certain product. They have also tried giving me a certain discount on a product to persuade me with the good deal.
3.The most important thing you can do to insure the sale is behind as respectful as possible to the customer in which you are trying to sell the product to.

Camden Mckinstry said...

1: closing the sale is so important becasue it is the last thing you have to do for the customer to buy, so you want to make sure you make the closaing perfect so that the customer buys your product

2:Sales people tell me things like quality and length of the shoe i want and ensure me that it is a quality shoe that im about to die

3:i think do not respond to the customer in simple answers, make sure they know that you know the product well and so that they can trust you when you say something about the product

Elizabeth Margagliotti said...

1. Closing the sale is so important because it can make or break the sale. Also, the closing will help the customer make their decision on the product.
2. Salespeople in the past have given me useful information about a product that helped make a buying decision. Also, demonstrating how something works helps me in my buying decisions.
3. The most important thing you can do as a salesperson to insure you close a sale is create a relationship with the customer to keep them coming back.

Collin Hardee said...

1) Closing the sale is so important because it's the main objective of a salesperson. Anyone can state facts, give opinions, or try and convice someone to buy something, but just because you do all these things it doesnt mean the customer will buy the products. Closing the sale is important because it seperates the good from the bad or the novices from the experts. But bottomline, these are the people that are making the money.
2) Somethings that salespeople have done in the past for me to help me buy something is things like asking me if they can help, demonstrating the product and explaining key features, allowing me to enteract with the product, and most importantly, helped me with my buyind decision, not forcing me.
3) I think the most important thing you can do as a salesperso to insure you close a deal is to be helpful and respectful. You can explain the product and demonstrate it perfectly but if you have an attitude or are rude to the customer you cant get a sale.

Anthony Corrao said...

1) closing the sale is important because when closing the sale you now know that the customer is going to have a positive feel for what you are selling and how you are selling.
2) sometimes at restaraunts the waiter would give specials and give opinions of what they like, which sometimes helps me come to a decision to what i want to eat.
3) i think the most important thing to insure that you have closed a sale is to ask a question such as "is this what meets your needs?" and see what they say, if no then keep helping them.

Anonymous said...

1. closing a sale is important because if you close it in the right way and dont give people enough option then you might loss a sale because the customer is un happy.
2.In the past people have given me optain about the benifits of simaler things that i have to choose from.
3. greet them Give the person optainsand become ther friend

Amanda Walker said...

1.The closing is the goal in every sale. In some cases it may decide whether or not you get paid and how much you get paid and the cold hard truth is that if you dont get paid enough, you won't have the money to support yourself.
2. Salespeople have told me that they can get the exact color and size i want, also they have brought down the price on things such as furniture.
3. be respectful to the customer and have a good relationship with them

Adam Gitlin said...

1. Closing the sale is so important because it helps the sale and being up front about your intentions promotes an honest, mutually respectful, and rewarding discussion.

2. Some salespeople have suggested certain items or tried to find a similar item if they didn't have an item in the size I wanted.

3. The most important thing is to build a relationship with the customer.

Tino Weiss said...

1. Closing the sale is important because it ensures that you have made a profit from this customer. If you successfully close the sale, you will make the customer satisfied with your business, and will have made a profit. Making the customer satisfied with you business is important because it gives the customer a reason to come back to your store. Satisfied customers will also give reccomendations to their friends, in turn giving you more customers.

2. In the past, trying to maek a sale, salespeople will show you how to operate the product, give you other product's that will better suit your needs, and give you bonuses to your purchase. Bonuses could include a free mouse and/or keyboard for a desktop or laptop computer, or anything else that could go along with your product or give you a better reason to buy the product.

3. The most important thing to do to close a sale is to be kind and helpful to the customer when they are making their decisions. This will make them like your store/business and want to buy things from there, both at the present time and in the future.

Jacob Roberson said...

1. Closing the sale is very important, because this is where the customer buys the product. You don't want the customer leaving without buying something, so it's important to convince them of products they need and will help them. If you don't close the sale, any work you have done up to this point to sell the product, is worthless.
2. Salespeople have helped me make a buying decision in the past by doing things like telling me about the features of the product. They have also told me about what others have thought and the dependability of the product and these helped me buy one product over another.
3. I think the most important thing you can do to insure you close a sale, is to make sure the customer knows that the product is better than others and that they will be satisfied. You have to know what you are talking about so the customer believes what you say, so they are convinced to buy the product.

Jeff Valdini said...

1.) Closing a sale is important because not only does it make you or the company money, it makes the company look good and may help bring in business if the customer tells other people.

2.)Salespeople in the past have done demonstations and told me how the product can help me when trying to close a sale.

3.)I think the most important thing a salesperson can do to close the sale is help the customer realize that the product will satisfy their needs and try not to overwhelm the customer.

jake berger said...

1. closing the sale is important because you want to make sure you lock up the deal quickly. If not, you are giving the customers a chance to look at other stores that may take your sale.

2. Salespeople have tried offering me other products while i'm looking at something else. They also try to tell me everything the product has to offer. They state all the features and how they can benefit me

3. The most important part of closing the sale is that you build a relationship with the customer so they come back to you when they want to buy something again