Home > Top Ten Tips

Recruitment: filling a vacancy

Get the right facts

If you have asked questions, listened attentively, asked for clarification, agreed the fit between what the customer wants to do or achieve and what the product can do, discovered the customer's values, emphasised by your behaviour that you share them, then, and only then, are you ready to close.

Best close is automatic

The best close is an automatic one. In fact, it is no close at all. Having agreed all that needs to be agreed, having shared what needs to be shared, the sale will very often happen on its own. This is the very best close because no overt sales behaviour is shown and the customer sees the salesperson as someone who has helped them find what they want.

Admin close

The admin close uses an administrative point to bring the discussion to a decision point. "Will you want us to remove your current bed and set up the new one?" The assumption is that the sale is made, agreement has been reached and it is only the admin details that remain to be sorted out. Do not use this close until you are sure that agreement has been reached. It is simply a way to bring the discussion to a focal point.

Choice close

The choice close is about focusing the discussion on one choice. "So, do you feel now you want the red one or the blue one?" The assumption again is that the sale is made, agreement has been reached and it is only the final choice that remain to be sorted out. The salesperson can then focus their remarks on what he or she has heard the customer say - in this instance about colours. "Do you think that this shade of blue will go with the curtains that you described to me? Yes? Well maybe the blue would suit you best." Do not use this close until you are sure that agreement has been reached. It is simply a way to bring the discussion to a focal point.

Minor point close

Both the admin close and the choice close are examples of a minor point close. The intention is to focus the decision on a minor point, assuming that the major decision - to buy the product - has been made. Used to help a customer make up his or her mind, the minor point close can be very useful. However, it does depend upon all the proper steps in discovering needs and values have been taken. Used too early, any close risks the appearance of insincerity. The salesperson's job is to help the customer decide. Pushing the product rarely leads to long term (and profitable) relationships.

Puppy dog close

If you want to sell a puppy to a customer who is unsure of whether they want a dog, invite them to take the puppy home for one night to see. Few people can resist a puppy or could bring themselves to return the puppy the next day. The idea of this close is to get the customer to try the product out at a lower cost. Thus, the salesperson might offer a trial, a pilot study or a rental with an option to buy. The puppy dog close is not a matter of giving someone something for free. It just reduces the size of the decision. Such an offer should only be made if the customer can see some value in the product. The ability to try something out may convince someone but only if they are genuinely interested. If they are not, then any trial will not be properly conducted.

If I have, will you buy?

Sometimes a customer will ask, "Do you have this in green?" Too quickly, some salespeople will reply. "If I have, will you buy?" The real usefulness of this question is when the salesperson and the customer have discussed the product, its uses, the needs and the values but the buyer seems to be stuck. Often then they will ask an innocent question, such as, "Do you have this in green?" If the salesperson then says, "Do you think that this is the final point? That is, if we can supply it in green, then you will go ahead?" then the salesperson is helping the customer to focus on a buying decision. This often unsticks the decision.

Objections

If a customer starts to raise objections, particularly towards the end of the conversation, this is usually sign of a badly managed sale. Price, delivery time, service guarantees and anything else that the customer values should have already been discussed. Active listening to the customer early on in the conversation is a must. A sales should be a conversation between two people who share a common interest - whether this product or service is right for this company or this person at this time. The problem with most of the advice on handling objections is that it is salesperson's talk, a series of scripts for specific cases. Such scripts are quickly seen for what they are. If an objection is raised, the best thing to do is to focus the attention of both buyer and salesperson on it. "Ah! How did we miss that? Let discuss your views on ... then. What do you think?"

Checking the competition

Sometimes the customer will say, "Well, thank you very much. I think, however, that I ought to check what the competition are offering." This is a very natural thing. We all ought to check competitive offers, even if much of the time we do not. Be careful that this remark does not hide underlying disagreements and be careful that the customer has a very clear idea of the total offer that you are making. "Fine. Before you go, can we just go over what we are offering just so that you can make an accurate comparison with the competition?" Ensure that you cover all the points, with very especial attention paid to those elements which derive from the customers needs and values.

Remain attentive, personable and human. Remember that the other salespeople are likely to be less so and you want to plant in the customer's memory, the recollection of you as a professional, decent, human being. Be sure to ask when the customer will come back to see you - or better still, when you can next visit him or her. In fact, more often than not, the summary that you have gone through will cause the customer to say, "Oh well! I think it would be a waste of time to evaluate all the competition. Let's go ahead."

Time to make a decision

People sometimes get scared at the last moment. They want time to reconsider. The only decent and professional thing to do is to give it to them. Fix another time for a meeting. Go through a recap of what you have agreed so far. Often, this will give the customer the time he or she needs and another meeting will not be necessary.