Closing?? Instinct Or Educated

ABLE1

Is your closing an Educated Tactic or Instinct???

I will be the first to admit that my closing at a sales call is minimal at best.
I am not a "salesman" I am a nuts and bolts guy that puts thing together and makes them work. I just have to do sales as part of what I do. Therefore I don't have good salesmanship tactics of what I will term as "normal variety".

What I do project is a strong honest confidence in what I am doing and how I am going to do what I am being asked to do. I also try to educate the potential customers with what they are about to purchase. This interpolates into a new customer some of the time that were more than likely turned off by others high pressure sales pitch.

Others that choose a different company were most likely sold by some other method that was more to their liking.

This brings the reason for this post. Lately I have been trying to educate myself on myself. Meaning that I am re-think my approach to sales to make it better.

So I am thinking that there may be others here that have similar challenges.

The one thing that I have found is the following link. I can't say that it will be a help to me because I am still in the evaluation mode. Let me know what you think. (Like I didn't think you would, duh??)

http://changingminds.org/disciplines...techniques.htm

TIA

Les

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ABLE1

copusbuilder

From what you listed about your techniques you may be better than you give yourself credit for?

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AkA Richard Cranium

PressurePros

A sales pitch and a close should probably be viewed separately. Your sales pitch sounds good Les. Getting the homeonwer to be confident in your abilities is half of the battle. Sell the features and beneifits of your offering.

For example: Do you say "This is the Seco module #3211 infrared detector. It has a less than 1% failure rate and is the top of the line detector available" or do you say,
"Mr Johnson, you're purchasing a security system for one reason.. to protect you and your belongings. It has to be a reliable system or isn't worth having. The alarm system we will be installing uses sensors made by a company called Seco. They have the highest reliability rate of anything out there (have literature to back this up) You'll be able to sleep better knowing that you're system isn't going to fail when you need it most"

Most guys/girls can master Feature/Benefit statements. The part that separates a good salsperson from a mediocre one is the ability to overcome objections and to close. You don't have to be a hard sell. Learn alternate closes. Feel the person out. They want to buy a system or they would not have called you. If you have presented them with the right information and have sold yourself as a competant guy, they will be ready to pull the trigger. This is where people get scared and the stall tactics start coming out. Like I emntioned in another postand got a short sighted beratement for, there is psychology involved in closing a sale. It takes awhile to learn to read body language and interpret true meaning.

If you know in your heart you are the best man for the job, you have every right in the world to put a little pressure on. The customer wants to be sold, you want the job, you're both sitting at the table. Of course the homeowner is going to be apprehensive, they often need a little push to get the ball rolling.

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DamionR

I look at it this way... I'm doing the customer a DIS-service by not explaining to the customer the benefits of using my product/service over another's. Especially in the contractor industry. I'm sure we all know who the dirtbag, slime-ball con-artists are. Imagine if the customer got "sold" by him - makes you feel as if you could have prevented the problems they are going to face, doesn't it?

Able - NOTHING in ANY part of ANY presesntation I do is on "instinct" - everything is methodical. Of course... I'm not a machine reading off of a piece of paper in exact words - but my intent is always the same.

I do a lot of "pathing", almost like a flowchart. For example... if a prospect gives me the "I need to talk to my brother" objection... I have a path I know I'm leading them down... I know what I'm going to say... I know the tiedowns I'm going to stick them to... and I know which closes I can use in this situation to earn their business.

When I was the sales manager for a construction company... I recorded 4 CD's and gave them to the salesguys - 1) My presentation... 2) Objections/Rebuttles... 3)Closes..... and 4) Drops.
These guys were on the road a lot driving to prospects houses.. so they had all the time (and none of the excuses) to listen to the material and improve their abilities.


One other final note - your sales process will be weak and "sales-ee" if you try to use a close at the end of your pitch... and that's it. Customers typically are not idiots... and they can sense it easily. However, many small closes and trial closes throught your conversation will lead to a natural progression of the sale... where the assumption close typically will work best.

tcleve4911

Able
You sound like your sales pitch is from the heart & you know what you're talking about. Have your paperwork ready.
Closing of the sale can be made easier if you explain the proposal & contract with the customer. This will help them get closer to giving you a deposit and getting on your busy schedule.

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Danahy

I have a relatively high closing rate. Which after coming to this site, perhaps made me think I was too low... After carefully doing some research I found that I'm generally on the middle to high side, which seems ok to me.

Now that I'm thinking about it...

My pitch is hard, blunt, knowledgable regarding what they should look to have done in their home.

My soft pitch is in regards to me. I try to stress, if they're going to get it done, get it done right, even if it's not me...

I email the estimate... then wait.

Standstrong

The close should NEVER be a one time thing.
You should assume the sale from the very start.
It sounds like you have the confidence.
The close is the assumption of the sale.
ABC always be closing.
Do small closes before the big ones. Qualify closes.
"We have an opening next wed. will that be good for you"

"Do you think we will be doing the scheduling fee cash or credit"

The point is you should make up about 20 of those statements (that you yourself are comfortable with saying) so that in the trenches you might remember 1 or on a good day 2 or 3.

Go buy "How to Close Every Sale" by Joe Girard.
It's a catchy title, but really has some easy, realistic down home pointers. And I've read 20 sales books. The past couple of years.

DamionR

Hey Danahy...

I'm assuming you do not try to close the deal in the house on the first call... correct?

Have you thought of of a 2-call close? The second appointment is to provide them the estimate and try to earn the business? And include several pre-appointment emails prior to the second one to prime them for your visit?

Might work better than just giving them an estimate and "waiting"

Ed the Roofer

Danahy doesn't meet with themto present his package. He says he e-mails it to them.

With only a little more effort and time, your closing ratio wil go up just by the fact that you took the time out to visit with them in person and physicaly answered any questions that arose. You probably can even raise your prices incrementaly to additionaly compensate yourself and any future potential salesman for the added hours required.

People, even if you do not have a salesman working for you now, please please, don't short change yourselves. Prepare in advance for when you might need to add on sales staff by compensating an additional
10 %, (my figure-yours may vary), more for every job, beginning NOW.

The closing ratio may still go up and even if it does not or goes down slightly, that EXTRA 10 % is al profit above and beyond what you are currently charging.

Ed

Danahy

I am a residential repaint painter. Most of my jobs are referrals, most of them are less than a grand at one sitting... A second visit to one of my customers, means that I f'up the first one. If I need to elaborate, I can.

DamionR

sure if you're closing on the first call - please keep doing so

In reality - unless you sell a high-ticket product/service... I rarely see any reason that the sale cannot be made on the first visit (of course their are exceptions.. but we're talking the majorities here). Higher ticket sales... I cancertainly understand why the prospect doesn't sign a contract that minue on a $50K job. $2K? It's a no-brainer.

Danahy

Understand that this works for me. I think if I were doing any other trade, or more than just small jobs, a second appointment could definately have it's benefits. My system has the benefit of appearing like has little or no effort put into it. In reality it took 10 yrs to get to that point.

DamionR

Certainly Danahy - if it ain'tbroke - dont fix it

George Z

Have you thought of of a 2-call close?

Checking our numbers constantly a 2-call close is overkill.
Busy professional customer will kick you out the door at the very suggestion of it.
2 visits x 2 decision makers for an average sale of less than $2,500?
For us it's 1-call close and increasingly more 0-call closings

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DamionR

George,

absolutely. 2 visits for a $2500 sale is pointless. I mentioned above that.. if you're selling big-ticket sales (ie $10K and above).. I can certainly appreciate a second visit to get the deal.

dougchips

2-call close, Yes only if the appoinment turns into a one-legger.

ultimatetouch

Hey guys. I had a potential customer call me. I went out on the estimate and gave them a call with the numbers 25,550. Response "that includes everything" sounded like thats not bad to me the way she said it. I offered to go by and explain, they said that would be good. I explained everything and they said they would like to see it. Would you like to set up a time to come by with the plans and I will type up the contract and we get going. That sounds good. Third meeting I come buy with the contract and the plans. We discussed the construciton. "Whats the next step" I will need a downpayment and I will work on the village permits. "Whata ya think honey do you wanna say yes now or call him in a couple of days". He looks at the contract to see I want 12,000 down. He says I will have to go to the bank cuz we dont have that much now but we have the line of credit in place.
I thought I did everything I could but how disapointing when its your
3rd meeting and you think your coming a way with a check.
Was there anything more I could do? My point is you cannot make a certain type of person go with you. It is pretty offensive in bigger jobs to force it i believe. Now $2500 yes i think you should try to close it on the spot.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

dougchips

How about signing the contract (commitment) and picking up the check or having them drop it off? When you left their house, was the bank the only thing that was in the way of you having a signed contract and check in hand?

ultimatetouch

I mentioned Meeting up mon. and he said he would call me. However they do want me to price some differnent doors for the sunroom and some ipe decking and let them know exactly what that would be. It still seems likely but I should have asked them to sign and I will pick the check up later. I usually dont do sketches before a deposit.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

DamionR

Here's what I do... this is a great tip for you guys...

unless pickup the contract is on your way to something... you're wasting time. While you're spending another visit to go pick up the check, shoot the breeze, blah blah... you could have been seeing another prospect.

If the check is the only thing holding you up.... try this.

1) Get the signed contract and committment they want to use you for the job.

2) Tell them you'll get the check from them later on (monday as you mentioned)

3) Call the customer that day. Ask them when they would be around to meet up.

4) Tell them you will have DHL come by and pick it up at that time.

5) Call DHL and schedule a pick-up. They can be most anywhere within an hour (during business days). The pick it up, deliver to you in 2-3 business days.

Best part of this... DHL only charges $5-10 to do this. DEFINTLY worth spending 10 bucks to save you an hour or two of your time.


I've also used this on follow-up phone calls on jobs I've pitched. If I get a commitment that they want to use me... it goes something like this...

"Great. You've made a wise decision in taking care of this. The next step from here is get us the signed agreement and your 20% down payment. For that, would you be using a credit card, or a check?"

If they say credit card... I take it over the phone, and send DHL out to pick up the signed contract in an hour.

If they say check... I go right to DHL - have them pick up both the contract and the deposit check.

The nice thing about this - it makes the prospect real. If they're trying to blow you off, and you tell them someone will be there to pick everythign up in an hour - you'll know this right away.

It's also an effect tool to use for any receivable accounts that you have.