The “Next Step” for Completing a Sale
|
By R. David Silva
Close the Sale for Your Product or ServiceMany of us are good at explaining how a product or propositions will benefit the audience. Some of us use a lot of logic and a little emotion while others show great enthusiasm and the thinnest of reasons why their audience should accept their idea or want their product. But the sale of an idea or a product is not complete until an order is written or an acceptance has been indicated. The final act is called closing the sale. When you sense that somebody sees the benefits of your idea or product, it's time to stop talking about it and bring your audience to a commitment. This phase is called "asking for the order", which many people find difficult to do. But a friend of mine, who is very successful in sales, suggested to those he trained the following. Ask if the prospects have understood all that you've laid out and if they indicate that they do, then ask them, "What do you see as the next step?" Almost always the customer will consent to the order, however, in some cases the customer will tell you what will be required to make the order happen. Works like a charm! When that acceptance occurs, write up an order or send a confirm email with the schedule for implementing your plan (idea). Any topics that you wish to be discussed in this column?
|
 R. David SivaBusiness Editor25+ years experience |
