When you are trying to get your colleagues to help you on a project there is an element of sales or “closing”. If you have children, you know it takes sales skill to get them to bed on time and closing mastery to get them to clean up!
If you are having trouble selling your products or services for what they are worth…or find yourself discounting…or just find it hard to get people to “buy” your ideas…read on.
This question: “Are you closed?” comes up regularly when I help my clients and is covered on one of the 7 steps of my Sales Accelerator Coaching Program.
Here’s a few tips which can drastically increase your sales, or “buy-in” from others (and hopefully get your kids to bed on time):
To “close” another on any idea you must have:
Conviction, belief & clarity in what you are communicating.
On the other side, the key point of failure:
Doubts and uncertainty in what you are communicating.
Are you closed?
I’ve run across many business owners and professionals who are not closed on their own products/services. What do I mean by that?
You have uncertainties around: the price, value, why they should buy?, will the customer be happy? Will my staff deliver as promised? etc. etc.
I doubt you started off this way. While building a business people are excited and this transmits to the people you are talking to. When building a business (or career) you will hit a point where your certainty will cut through barriers and people will just “know” what you are saying is the right thing to do. They just “buy”. But over time… a few losses, a few bad deals, a few refunds, a few upsets…you can lose confidence—a little—or a lot.
Close the closer
If you have uncertainties around price — you will have prospects telling you it costs too much.
If you are not sure it’s the best deal — you will get prospects telling you they’ll shop around.
If you think 50% deposit is unreasonable…so will your prospects.
If you don’t think your kids will go to bed…they won’t!
Get yourself closed! The first thing to do is get closed on your own products and services! You may think you are, but it can always be polished up to a higher level of certainty.
“Why do I have to be closed?”
It is a fundamental of sales, that uncertainties in the salesperson will be picked up by the prospect. For example, if you think you may be too expensive, prospects will constantly be asking about price or telling you it’s too much.
If you are not sure if the production division will do a good job on delivery. Guess what? You’ll get asked about it. Clients will want to know more. Put it off to check out your company more…
Obviously this works exactly the same in executive roles, relationships and so on.
What do you DO about it?
You must get clean up these doubts and uncertainties. I sit down with the owner or salesperson and find out all about their product/service.
*Why is priced the way it is?
*Why does it cost that much?
*Why is it valuable?
*Why should the customer buy from you and not your competitors?
*What care is put into to the delivery?
*Why…?
In this process one can start to see the actual value of what you are selling. In essence, I close the closer! Do it and see—sales will come faster, you’ll stop getting asked hard-to-answer questions.
You can also do this by yourself: Prior to a meeting or call, run through every possible question which may come up. Work out an answer or handling for each. Then go and make the call or sit the meeting. You’ll find they go much smoother. Run through every uncertainty and make it a certainty before you take the meeting.
And…DON’T BE SURPRISED IF NONE OF IT COMES UP! As I said at the start — your certainty or uncertainty will be transmitted to the other person you are communicating with.
Your sales team
The same applies to your sales staff. Review their current deals and work the above over. Review deals that were lost and do the same. Close your salesperson on why they should buy the product or service.
Your general staff
You can do exactly the same with staff on matters not relating to sales. They still need to be clear, certain and confident when dealing with customers or internal staff.
Hint
If one salesperson has the “It’s too expensive” objection from their prospects, find out why they think it’s too expensive. Show them the value, get them to see why it is that price and the work that goes into delivery. In short, close them!
I’ve had huge results from doing the above with my clients and staff.
You can’t sell what you don’t believe in.
Good luck! (Especially with getting your kids to clean up after themselves!)
Be Valuable,
Oisín Grogan is the $200 Million Business Coach.
Founder of the Vwork Hiring & Team Productivity System.
He provides Results-Driven Coaching Programs & guidance to help leaders hire better staff, increase productivity & reach their goals faster.
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