The close… The dreaded close…. This is the part of the sales pitch that fears people the most. Both the salesman and the costumer do not know exactly what will happen, and that makes them nervous. The salesman does his thing, the whole presentation, and everything is leading up to the big close. So what do you say to make the sale? Not this:
1.) So which model do you want?
This makes the customer fell rushed and insulted that you automatically assume that they are going to make a purchase. They feel pressured to make the purchase and in more cases than not, they end up backing out and not buying anything at all.
2.) keep it incentive
” I can just leave the product here for you to keep. Just try it out and we will not charge you if you return it.” This shows that the salesman is hoping that the customer will use their product and try it out. Either they keep the product because they like it, or because it would be too complicated to return, the salesman does not really care. It puts the load of pressure on the customer to not damage the product in case of a return.
3.) Yes Yes Yes until the cows are home
Ask a series of questions that end in a resounding YES! Question after question in rapid succession gets the customer to be in the habit of saying yes. So when you go for the final blow and ask for the sale, they say yes because they are accustomed to saying it. You made the sale, that is great right? Not really, the customer after the sale will realize what they have done and feel like they were swindled and tricked into making a purchase which makes a bad impression on both the company and salesman in general.
These are some bad closing techniques. In my opinion, just see what is best for the customer and be honest and upfront with them. Give them the best deal for them, not the best deal for you.
BoweryJE22
I definitely agree with all of your points about what not to do in a sale. I especially found the last method interesting. I have never seen or heard and example of this and it was intriguing to me. Also, the first point you made was very accurate. While working in sales at Dicks Sporting Goods, I had a few experiences where I expected the customer to buy and I offered them the product. This actually turned them away instead of attracted them to the product, so I agreed with your point.
I agree. It’s never good to make the prospective client feel pressured. It is much more effective to have a conversation with them, and find a mutual understanding. Even if no sale can be reached, at the minimum a level of trust can be established, which could lead to business in the future.
Awesome post. I especially like the point about how closing can be a nerve wracking experience for both the salesperson and the customer. Sometimes we get so caught up in thinking about our nerves, we forget that the customer is often feeling some of that too. Once we recognize this, we can adjust our focus to trying to put them at ease, and in doing so, help take some of the stress off of ourselves.