Halle Jones
February 26, 2023
Selling something is not just about exchanging goods and services. It also involves reaching an agreement between the seller and buyer. This means that both parties agree to all terms and are committed to the exchange. Rather than just seeing it as a transaction, realize that closing sales is an important part of your overall sales process.
As you progress through the sales pitch, make use of “trial closes” which will guarantee that decision-makers are on board. The goal of trial closing is to ensure that all important details surrounding a sale have been discussed and the purchaser is ready to act upon them. Consider the following example trial close:
Seller: “Mr./Ms. Stakeholder, do you feel confident that our product can deliver the required value to you and your organization?”
Buyer: “Well, I would like to see how your product can perform under conditions XYZ before concluding.”
Seller: “No problem, Mr./Ms. Stakeholder, but before I agree to spend more of our time on this, can I just ask you this: If I can demonstrate that our product does perform under conditions XYZ, would that be enough for you to commit to us?” If a stakeholder's demand is too time-consuming or unproductive, propose another approach instead. Accepting to accommodate the stakeholder should give you more negotiating power. “If I can get this done, would you be able to arrange a meeting with Mr./Ms. So-and-so to advance this process?”
After every meeting or talk with people who are involved in your home purchase, it is important to use the trial close technique. This will help you make sure that they will be able to help you and identify any issues that could stop you from buying a home. Additionally, study the stakeholder management chart closely so that no major obstacles remain.
It's a well-known fact in sales that if you don't ask, the sale will never happen. When you sense that all the criteria from your 'trial close' have been successfully met, it’s time to seize this opportunity and confidently approach the ultimate decision maker for their order.
Once you have successfully met the stakeholder's conditions after your trial close, remind them of the agreement you both made and ask for their order. Here are a few phrases to use when making this "closing question":
When you ask a question, only ask one at a time. Be patient while the other person is thinking of an answer. Try to imagine how they feel about what they are going to say. This will help you understand them better and make sure that everyone is on the same page.
“Yes”: Thank the buyer for their decision and move on to discuss the next steps. Make sure that they have a smooth experience with the delivery/installation/use of the product. We want them to be happy with what they've bought!
“No”: It may be hard, but try not to let your emotions show. You can ask the customer if they have made their final decision or if they might change their mind later. If someone else was chosen instead of you, find out why and what points they thought were better. You can also ask what more you could have done to make the sale. This way, you will get useful feedback for next time.
“Undecided/I’ll get back to you/Maybe/We’ll see/Not right now”: Answering these questions can be difficult because they are different from what people usually ask.