John Boe International

In the process of selling, there are several important steps that the salesperson must take before he or she can close the sale. The first step, of course, is qualifying the prospect through effective communication. You cannot sell a product until you have thoroughly qualified the prospect.

To qualify effectively, a salesperson has to find the answers to three questions. Question number one; does the prospect need what you’re selling? Question number two, can the prospect afford the product? Question number three; does the prospect want the product?

Before a salesperson can close, the prospect has to have demonstrated that he or she has a desire to enjoy the benefits of your product or service. Once you’ve given your presentation, qualified the prospect in all three of these categories, you’re in a position to begin closing.

Always remember that closing techniques are not ways of manipulating other people. They are not techniques to get people to buy things they don’t want, don’t need, can’t use, and can’t afford. They are techniques to help get people past that moment of tension.

The professional salesperson takes the prospect smoothly past the point of closing, making it easy for the prospect to buy. The unprofessional salesperson sits there wishing and hoping, and at the end of the presentation, he says, “Well, what do you think?”

Sales resistance is normal and natural in every sales conversation. At the moment of making a buying decision, this fear, this uneasiness, this tension starts to build up. Your job is to get through that moment of tension as quickly and as painlessly as possible through effective communication and great listening skills.

As a general rule, people are hesitant to commit to purchasing a product or service until they have convinced themselves that they need it and are assured they are getting it at a fair price. Believe it or not, objections are a good sign and you should actually look forward to them. After all, if your prospect was not interested in your product or service, they wouldn't be asking questions. Simply put, an objection is nothing more than a request for additional information. Top producers not only expect objections during the sales process, they actually anticipate them.

Learn to be an active listener by giving your prospect your full and undivided attention. Avoid the temptation to think about your response while your prospect is speaking. An active listener is not only listening to what their prospect is saying, but is also trying to discover the meaning behind their words.

Before you begin responding to your prospect's objection, it is vitally important that you understand their specific concern. Even though you may have heard the same objection many times before, you must avoid the temptation to begin addressing his or her concerns prematurely.

One major factor of influence over a prospect’s decision-making process is credibility. Proof that other people are using your product or service builds credibility and reduces the possibility of your prospect getting “buyer’s remorse” after the sale.

Testimonials are a great way of helping your customer overcome buyer’s remorse after the sale. We are all influenced by what others have done or are doing. We are much more comfortable about buying a product or service when we know that other people have already bought it and are happy with it.