Some time ago, I went to Scheer en Foppen to buy a new vacuum cleaner. The salesman pulled out all the stops to sell me one. Before I had even agreed to the vacuum cleaner I found most interesting, he said: “Great little device, I have one myself!”
A few months later, I returned to the same store to buy new vacuum cleaner bags. I didn't know that I should have checked the vacuum cleaner's model number beforehand so that they could give me the right bags in the store. The same salesperson who had sold me the vacuum cleaner didn't immediately know which vacuum cleaner I had bought a few months ago. After a clear description of the vacuum cleaner, he still didn't know. I said, "Very simple, you have exactly the same one!" The salesperson turned red and was speechless.
This is annoying, to put it mildly. Nevertheless, it is a widely used closing technique, and it is not wrong to apply it occasionally. However, be careful with this so that you do not end up in situations like the salesperson at Scheer en Foppen. After some time, the customer must still be satisfied with the product or service.
When do I apply sealing techniques?
Once the sales conversation has gone smoothly, it is time to close. This is the most difficult phase of the conversation for the salesperson. The salesperson must, so to speak, press that red button by asking a closing question. If this does not go as initially envisioned, the customer will consider postponing the purchase or not agreeing. They will then start making up excuses to gain more time to think.
First, try to let the customer convince themselves that they need your product or service. If this does not work, you will have to provide the arguments. Below are a number of closing techniques that might help you:
Funnel closure
By briefly summarizing the conversation, the customer will begin to see the positive side of purchasing the product or service. Be sure to mention the points that are important to the customer. For example, say: “Let’s go over everything we just discussed.” Ask the customer questions that you are certain they will answer with “yes,” and you will notice that it becomes increasingly difficult for them to say “no.” Because the customer often says “yes,” they will unconsciously convince themselves that the potential purchase is a good decision.
Turn the tables
If you have listed all the benefits and the customer still hasn't been able to make a decision, you can also reverse the roles, for example: “you can also choose not to purchase the product/service,” but then the situation remains as it is and you miss out on the opportunity for extra revenue. The choice is yours.
Talk to your customer as if the deal is already done.
To help the indecisive customer become confident in their purchasing decision, you can speak to your customer as if they have already made the decision. Ensure that they practically cannot think beyond the purchase. In this way, you reduce the pressure on the customer because they no longer have to say yes or no. For example, you could ask the following question: “When do you want to start using the product/service?” As a salesperson, you must have confidence that the customer genuinely needs the product or service and can benefit from it. Repeat the benefits the customer has already indicated. The customer will not deny these benefits.
Making the final decision
If the customer keeps postponing the purchase decision and has no clear answer to your questions, show the contract and perhaps offer him a pen. Ask: “What is it going to be? Yes or no?” Be careful, however, to ask this question only when he continues to appear hesitant, causing it to take up too much of both of your time. If the customer still does not give a concrete answer, determine that it is a “no” and end the conversation with that. This could be a nudge in the right direction for the customer to say “yes” after all. If the customer still hasn't said “yes” after that, he will most likely be relieved because he probably didn't dare to say it himself.