articles/Business/sellingpsy-page2
Published 01/10/1999
The summary close is excellent when you make a detailed list of all of the benefits the client will enjoy from the product then rank them in order of importance and plan your presentation to introduce them in order. Watch for one or two benefits that seem to be of greatest interest, and then repeat them over and over.
The puppy dog close sells billions of ponds worth of products. It involves letting the prospect touch, taste, feel, hold or try out the product or service. Use this close if you have a product that a person can test for example or take home.
The Ben Franklin close is considered by many to be the best close of all. Take out a sheet of paper and draw a line down the centre on one side you right reasons in favour of going ahead with the decision on the other side the customer's reason opposed.
Another close is an order sheet close. When the prospect comes in or when you begin talking with the prospect for the first time take out an order sheet or a sales contract or whatever form you use and start filling it out. A variation is similar to take out the contract or the order blank at the end of the discussion and begin filling it out.
The relevant story close is powerful because people like stories. In this close you simply tell a story about a happy client who was as hesitant as the prospect but followed your advice bought the product and was very pleased with it.
When you use the walk away close you assume the prospect that you have been selling this item to repeat customers for years and that most of them have shopped around before they bought from you. The today only close requires that you create a reason to give the customer a special deal that is a now or never proposition or good for today only. When the prospect is determined to shop around use the go ahead close: tell him to go ahead but you know he will come back to you for the best deal.
The lost sale or doorknob close is used when the customer has refused to buy. As you get up to leave ask the real reason he did not buy. When he gives that reason go back in and try to close again.
Every buyer or non-buyer is a source of referrals. A referral is worth 10 to 15 times a cold call. After the sale you should take the referrals and immediately call on the new prospects. If you develop a system for obtaining and following up on referrals you can greatly increase the quality of your sales.
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