Hey, since this is my last post for 2014 I thought it fitting to talk about the best sales closing techniques. I was hoping to podcast it but I sound a little Marge Simpsony right now.

Whenever business owners learn I am a sales coach the first thing they ask me is, “how do I close?” or “what’s the best sales closing techniques?”.

Asking how to close first, is like a novice basketball player saying, “teach me how to dunk” without knowing how to dribble (i.e.: getting the ball to a place where you can dunk it).

My answer annoys the heck out of them: “all the closing is achieved in the getting to know them stage, which means learning about the customer, their needs, their goals and ambitions”. And they’re like, whatever.

A close is a flowing stream instead of a slamming door

If you apply too much pressure and attempt all sorts of closing techniques when you haven’t established a need, you weird and stress the other person out. And then they go AWOL.

The best sales closing techniques

Next time you feel like “how do I get this person to buy my swag” (or if you’re persuading someone to do anything) – which is totally fine if it helps them – find out:

• what do they want?
• what do they need?
• what are their fears?
• what are their ambitions?

Then figure out how you can help them get what they want with your swag or through your connections and resources, and then show them how you can help them. When you get this far and your buyer is delighted (believe me, you will know); go with my favourite close, the assumptive close. It’s simple, ask “what start date did you have in mind?”.

Your turn

Next time you’re trying to persuade someone, which will probably happen over the holidays ;), instead of thinking, how can I get this person to do what I want? Ask yourself, how can I help this person get what they want? Begin with them, not you.