National Sales Center

By Nick Moreno - Sales Trainer & Head Sales Coach
The National Sales Center, Sales Training Company

Let’s get focused on closing skills.

There are special moments in the execution sales process when you can’t afford not to ask for the order. Unfortunately, too many salespeople have problems closing sales due to poor closing skills. I have some sales tips on “Closing Skills” that will keep you from becoming one of those salespeople when it comes to closing sales. The logic behind these closing skills is to make closing sales automatic. You do that by knowing exactly when you must ask for an order so you don’t even have to think about. That’s a powerful closing skill.

Powerful Closing Skills

The concept that salespeople should always be closing is far from the reality of professional salesmanship. You can’t always be closing because “Closing” is just one of the steps in the sales process. There are so many things that must be accomplished before you can start closing sales. At a minimum, before you can close a sale, you need to build rapport with your prospect, discover a need for your product or service and present your product or service as the solution. All these things must be accomplished before you can start closing sales. These is more to selling skills than just closing skills.
If you understand the sales process, you will know when and how to ask for an order. Well-trained salespeople follow a well-defined sales process and so they know exactly when the only thing left to do is close the order and get “ink on paper”. Closing sales is about understanding the sales process. The sales process is a key element in sales closing skills.

How Closing Skill Get “Ink On Paper”

I often work with salespeople that need major help with their closing skills. These salespeople need help on overcoming their fear of asking for an order. That’s a big problem and one that could limit the time someone spends in a professional sales career. Frankly, you can’t be a salesperson and have a fear of closing… just as you can’t be a lifeguard that fears water! I often say, if you are not closing sales you’re not a salesperson, you are just a conversationalist. Salespeople that fear closing sales just keep presenting their product or service and praying that at some point, the prospect will jump up ask, “Where do I sign?” Well, that hardly ever happens so forget that strategy for closing sales. These reps need to work on their closing skills. Never overlook the importance of closing skills.

Effective Closing Skills

In my research, I’ve discovered a few factors that generate a fear of closing sales. Some salespeople are uncomfortable with facing the moment of truth. Other salespeople fear they may come across as “too pushy” to the sales prospect. Still others just assume, without good reason, that the prospect is not ready to close the deal. Well, it’s the sales rep, and not the prospect, that must close the deal. Closing sales is what selling is all about and that’s why I’m so focused on these sales tips about closing skills.

To help these “salespeople”, I have to make closing a sale an automatic reflex reaction once they reach some special steps in the sales process. I don’t want them to think about closing skills. I need for them to react and just ask for the order. That’s the only way these salespeople will ever start closing sales.

Closing Skills Strategy

Once you’ve presented all the product benefits that your prospect will enjoy by using your product or service, you must close the sale. Don’t think about closing skills , just ask for the order. Your prospect will either hand you the order (Congratulations!) or, give you a few sales objections. The strategy is to launch all your close skills after you’ve addressed all your prospect’s objections.

Closing Skills Techniques

So, you got some sales objections… no big deal. Some prospects want you to work for their business and feel it is their duty to have some sales objections. Others may have misunderstood something you said or have a few questions. Relax and don’t panic because you just moved one step closer to closing the sale. An objection is far from rejection. An objection is only a request for more information so use your sales skills to successfully overcome the objections. Close skills techniques become super important after addressing objections.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLOSING SKILLS

How Closing Skills Work 

How do closing skills work? Well, closing skills are first used during your trial close. Then, once all of your prospect’s sales objections have been successfully addressed, you must once again close the sale and ask for the order. Don’t even think about it. Just ask for the order. Always be direct and confident when closing sales. Use all your closing skills. Confidently assume your prospect is ready to do business with you. This is a solid sales technique that will help you close more sales.

 

Closing Skills That Are Effective

Closing sales is important… to say the least. And, there are two strategic moments in the sales process that demand a closing sales attempt and when you must put your closing skills to good use. The first time you close is after you’ve presented the benefits of your product as the solution to the problem you’ve uncovered. The second time is after all objections have been successfully addressed. Remember this sales strategy. Closing is all about top notched closing skills and strategic selling.

Learn more about powerful closing in my sales training programs and sales training videos.

I hope this article helps you with your closing skills.

To your sales closing success!

Nick

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