Giving your pitch, answering objections and asking for the sale are the fundamentals of getting to the close. Yet possibly the most important advice anyone can give for making a sale is this: believe in what you’re selling.
Hard-selling pressure tactics might be able to overcome a skeptical buyer, at least for a time. But even if it does, you jeopardize the relationship while doing so – because surely buyer’s remorse will set in very quickly after the close. There goes your relationship, future business, reputation and referrals, and one close isn’t worth that cost to your image.
Once your belief in the value of your offer is secure, establish that value for your customer. And it’s not just price. Buyers want to know if your product solves their problem, and the value they see comes from the benefits you’re able to identify and clarify. How much the customer needs this problem solved is part of a calculation in their own mind on how they view price and value. If the solution, price and value match, you close the deal.
If it doesn’t happen right away, don’t walk away just yet. According to research, 92% of salespeople say they give up after hearing a prospect say no four times. That sounds logical – if someone doesn’t want it, stop asking. Yes, but the other side of that stat says that 80% of consumers report saying no four times before they say yes.
Now, that doesn’t mean it works that way on every call. Four is not the magic number. But it’s a good reminder that every call doesn’t close right away, and following up can make a big difference. Regardless of how your proposal went, stay in touch, build the relationship – and if you don’t sell now, you just might down the road.