The one closing technique you need to know

Here’s the situation: You’ve worked with a buyer to realize a legitimate want or need for your product; you’ve asked the right questions and presented a sound solution; and throughout the entire process you’ve worked integrity and reliability to develop an excellent rapport with them. At this moment, there’s really only one closing question you should use here.

But before I share it, a couple additional thoughts. If you are in the position described above, you should know that you have excellent credibility and trust built with the buyer. You know how he or she does things, who they do them with, what the results have been, how those results match their expectations, and how open to an outside source for the solution they are. You know a little bit about how they think, how they see things. The two of you may even be bouncing ideas around that already hint at a “yes.” Can you see how any traditional closing technique used at this point would be an insult to the buyer and has no place in the relationship?

On the other hand, if you haven’t developed a working rapport with the buyer; or you haven’t thoroughly qualified the decision-making criteria or process; or you haven’t clearly isolated the buyer’s motive; or you haven’t presented your product or service as a bona fide solution, you’ll feel forced to pull out a tired, worn-out closing technique. (And you will be silently laughed at as you lose the business.)

A sure sign that you have confidence in the process and that you recognize the trust you’ve developed with a buyer is to give them control at the moment most salespeople won’t dare.

The one closing technique then, the one that buyer’s would never feel is being “inflicted” upon them, is to review what you’ve accomplished together, and simly ask: “So, what is our next step?”

You toss the question to them, they respond. No tension on your part. No stress. No pressure transferred from you to them.

I want to to challenge sales professionals to be more thorough in qualifying the fit between what your prospective buyers want or need and what you offer. Then, once you’ve engaged them, partnered with them in uncovering opportunities, and collaborated on a solution, give them the courtesty to guide that last step.

You will be so glad you did.