In order to succeed in a business, there is one thing all entrepreneurs need to achieve: closing a sale. It doesn’t matter if the company sells merchandise or services. The basic steps of the selling process are the same from beginning to end. The only difference is what is being offered to the customer.
For salespeople, there is great satisfaction in closing a sale. It is not just considered a “win” for them. It is gratifying to know that they were able to meet the needs of a customer, that the customer saw real value in what was being offered to them and were willing to compensate the company for it.
For a salesperson to close the sale, there are four steps to take:
1. First Contact
The first step to making a sale is to make a connection with the potential client. This is where a salesperson needs to take a sincere interest in what the person has to say.
This is not where someone immediately starts to throw out a sales pitch!
In the first conversation with a customer, the salesperson needs to ask questions and find out what are the needs of the customer and determine how they can meet those needs.
2. The Offering
Once the salesperson has an idea of what the customer needs, it is time to ask questions. They need to find out what the client expects from the product and how they hope it will help them achieve their goal.
Knowing what the client needs makes it easier to offer the right product or service. The product offer should not be lobbed out too quickly. They need to feel like they are making the right choice.
This is when a seller might offer a proposal or quote about the product to aid in the decision.
3. Overcome Objections
One important thing to do in the process is to overcome any objections. This is where the client feels some uncertainty and needs questions answered. A salesperson needs to ask what those concerns are, what makes them hesitate.
When the seller knows what those concerns are, he/she can offer more information to the customer and help them decide to buy.
4. Close the Sale
At this point, if the selling conversation went well then closing the sale should happen organically. The salesperson answered questions and showed the customer the value in the product being offered. If the customer believes that it is the solution to their problem, then they will be ready to make the purchase.
If there is a need to add pressure to close the sale, then the seller did not do a good job of explaining the value of the product. There is no reason to force a sale on someone. In the end, it will do no good for either the customer or the business.