Closing Techniques Are Often Not The Problem

There May Be Nothing Wrong With Your Closing Techniques

Sales reps are always searching for new and improved closing techniques. Often, their closing techniques are just fine. These reps overlook the fact that selling involves a process and closing is just one step in that process. If you fail to successfully execute any step in the process, you’ll most likely never close the sale.  

Based on my experience, closing techniques are overrated. There is no magical way to ask for an order. In fact, closing is the easiest step in the sales process but only when all the other steps have been properly executed.

I do discuss closing techniques in my sales training programs but I take a very natural approach to closing. The key is to ask for the order but too many salespeople have a problem with that simple step. They rather have the prospect close the sale. That closing technique is sure to fail. Asking for the order is the responsibility of the sales rep.

Closing Techniques And The Sales Process

My key closing technique is more about “when” than “how” to ask for an order. There are two defining moments in the sales process that require the sales rep to ask for the order. Knowing when to close is the ultimate closing technique.

The first time a rep must ask for the order is right after they’ve presented their product as the answer to their prospect’s needs. At this point, the rep must close. Often, this step is referred to as the Initial or Trial Close in most sales training programs.

The Trial Close is an important closing technique but not because it has a high success rate.  In fact, most Trial Closing attempts result in failure. Instead of the order, the salesperson gets a few sales objections. The true intent of a Trial Close is to surface those objections so they can be addressed. For that reason alone, the Trial Close is a critical closing technique.

The next closing attempt must occur after all the prospect’s objections have been successfully addressed. There is truly nothing left to accomplish except to get “ink on paper”. I find this all very natural and that’s why I feel most closing techniques are overrated.

There is one more point that needs to be made about closing techniques. Once a salesperson asks for an order, the prospect must be the next one to speak. There may be an uncomfortable pause as the prospect thinks about it but that pause must not be interrupted.  

I hope you’ll remember and use these closing techniques.