Tips and the ABC's of Closing Techniques
One of the main things about being a successful consultant or coach, is to understand and accept the fact you don't have all the answers. The main thing is that you know where to find them!
I just stumbled upon (literally through www.stumbleupon.com) this website that had the best summary of closing techniques I have seen in a while. It is literally an ABC's, in alphabetical order list of available options to use with your clients and customers.
The link to the web site is; http://changingminds.org/disciplines/sales/closing/closing_techniques If you go to the web site, you can click on each of these for more description on the technique and even some examples. I like this list as just a reminder of my options.
Below is a quick summary list of what you'll find. Most of us know these techniques exist, but we don't have a list of them available. I recommend keeping this list in our office, pin it up on your bulletin board or wherever it is you can. When you are stuck closing a deal, or negotiating a point, take a look at these closes. With this list, you can come up with a selling strategy to win that next deal.
1-2-3 Close - close with the principle of three.
Adjournment Close - give them time to think.
Affordable Close - ensuring people can afford what you are selling.
Alternative Close - offering a limited set of choices.
Artisan Close - show the skill of the designer.
Ask-the-Manager Close - use manager as authority.
Assumptive Close - acting as if they are ready to decide
Balance-sheet Close - adding up the pros and the cons.
Best-time Close - emphasize how now is the best time to buy.
Bonus Close - offer delighter to clinch the deal.
Bracket Close - make three offers - with the target in the middle.
Calculator Close - use calculator to do discount.
Calendar Close - put it in the diary.
Companion Close - sell to the person with them.
Compliment Close - flatter them into submission.
Concession Close - give them a concession in exchange for the close.
Conditional Close - link closure to resolving objections.
Cost of Ownership Close - compare cost over time with competitors.
Courtship Close - woo them to the close.
Customer-care Close - the Customer Care Manager calls later and re-opens the conversation.
Daily Cost Close - reduce cost to daily amount.
Demonstration Close - show them the goods.
Diagram Close - Draw a picture that draws them in.
Distraction Close - catch them in a weak moment.
Doubt Close - show you doubt the product and let them disagree.
Economic Close - help them pay less for what they get.
Embarrassment Close - make not buying embarrassing.
Emotion Close - trigger identified emotions.
Empathy Close - empathize with them, then sell to your new friend.
Empty-offer Close - make them an empty offer that the sale fills.
Exclusivity Close - not everyone can buy this.
Extra Information Close - give them more info to tip them into closure.
Fire Sale Close - soiled goods, going cheap.
Future Close - close on a future date.
Give-Take Close - give something, then take it away.
Golden Bridge Close - make the only option attractive.
Handover Close - someone else does the final close.
Handshake Close - offer handshake to trigger automatic reciprocation.
Humor Close - relax them with humor.
Hurry Close - go fast to stop them thinking too much.
IQ Close - say how this is for intelligent people.
Minor points Close - close first on the small things.
Never-the-best-time Close - for customers who are delaying.
No-hassle Close - make it as easy as possible.
Now-or-never Close - to hurry things up.
Opportunity Cost Close - show cost of not buying.
Ownership Close - act as if they own what you are selling.
Price-promise Close - promise to meet any other price.
Puppy Close - acting cute to invoke sympathy and a nurturing response.
Quality Close - sell on quality, not on price.
Rational Close - use logic and reason.
Repetition Close - repeat a closing action several times.
Retrial Close - go back to square one.
Reversal Close - act as if you do not want them to buy the product.
Save-the-world close: - buy now and help save the world.
Selective-deafness Close - respond only to what you want to hear.
Shame Close - make not buying shameful.
Shopping List Close - tick off list of their needs.
Similarity Close - bond them to a person in a story.
Standing-room-only Close - show how others are queuing up to buy.
Summary Close - tell them all the things they are going to receive.
Testimonial Close - use a happy customer to convince the new customer.
Thermometer Close - they score out of ten, you close gap.
Think About It Close - give them time to think about it.
Treat Close - persuade them to 'give themselves a treat'.
Trial Close - see if they are ready for a close.
Valuable Customer Close - offer them a special 'valued customer' deal.
Ultimatum Close - show negative consequences of not buying.
Yes-set Close - get them saying 'yes' and they'll keep saying 'yes'.
If a list isn't quite enough, Pinnacle Sales has been training pro's like you for nearly 20 years. Give us a call and we can work on this together.