As a CEO, president or business owner do you ever find yourself asking: What does it take to close more sales?
Pre-2008 and the Great Recession almost every CEO, president or business owner I talked with wanted to discuss their employees, productivity, motivation and, most importantly, growing the business – as well as other daily problems and issues unique to their individual business.
Today most CEOs, presidents and business owners want to talk about prospecting, sales and closing more sales. How to get (and keep) more business. Which translates into the fact that business is more competitive and more challenging than ever. CEOs, presidents and business owners are less certain when taking the next step or about making the right decision in an ever changing business climate. They are concerned about their long term business survival.
Ask yourself:
Is this how you feel when leading your company every business day?
So let’s talk about sales.
Specifically: What does it take to close more sales at your company?
Selling is about:
- Educating the potential customer or client.
- Being in the right place at the right time with the right product or service.
- Consistently improving your sales presentation and customer service.
- Having an assertive, even aggressive, selling style that is not obnoxious or offensive.
You really need to be prepared when you get to the end of your presentation and your prospect says “no”. This is where the true sales professional rises to the occasion and continues rather than stops the business discussion by directly addressing what the prospect is objecting to and why the prospect is not saying “yes”.
If you accept a “no” answer from the prospect chances are the competition will get the sale.
You need to dig deeper, recycle through your sales presentation steps and really find out what is on your prospects mind.
Consider asking yourself these basic selling questions:
– What didn’t you tell your prospect?
– What questions does your prospect have?
– Is it a trust issue?
– What is it that is keeping your prospect from saying “yes”?
– What have you not yet uncovered?
– When during the sales presentation did the prospect indicate a “yes”?
– When during the sales presentation did the prospect indicate a “no”?
– Did you continually look for and get signs of agreement throughout your presentation?
– Did you involve the prospect directly during the presentation or did you do all of the talking?
A response you will often get from almost every sales person in the world when a deal isn’t closed or sales goals are not being met is: It’s about price.
Although that may be true price is only one of many factors involved effectively closing a sale or getting a contract signed. Most people don’t buy just on price.
Getting your prospect to say “yes” begins from the time you first say “hello” to introduce yourself and your company.
It’s about determining your prospect’s need for your product or service.
How much value does your company offer the prospect – short term and long term?
It’s about keeping the conversation going and continuing to develop and expand upon that need so the prospect is convinced your company has what they need NOW.
More than ever every prospect and sales call is vitally important to your company.
Listen to what your prospect is saying and listen to what they are not saying. With every sales presentation you make you need to improve by including potential objections that relate to your prospect’s individual needs and circumstance. This removes the doubt in your prospects mind when you complete the presentation and go for the close.
Remember: Anything other than a “yes” is a “no” when asking for the sale in business. Coming in second doesn’t count!
If you have done everything you can do and still can’t get the prospect to say “yes”, move onto the next prospect. Clear your mind of the rejection you have just experienced. Start over again with a mindset towards sales success.
Never stop prospecting. The next prospect may lead to your next big sale or the deal of a lifetime for your company!
To your sales success!
As a CEO, president or business owner, want to improve sales at your company? Talk with Howard! – 888-738-1855 – Howard Lewinter guides – focuses – advises CEOs, presidents and business owners to MORE success and MORE profit.