Sales closing is one of the most important skills in selling. It’s your last chance to make a positive impression on your prospect, so you don’t want to blow it.
But closing techniques aren’t just sales tactics. They’re also strategies that help you elicit information from your prospect and build trust and rapport with them.
Here are 15 sales closing techniques to have in your pocket so that you’re ever ready to close.
1. Summary close
The summary close is a great closing technique if you want to be confident that your prospects really understand your product or service. This technique involves a quick recap of the main points of your presentation, or even all your presentations combined, so that the prospect is reminded of the irresistible deal you’re offering and the value that it provides them.
2. Assumptive close
By assuming your prospect is ready to close the deal, you can proceed to ask assumptive questions like “How soon would you like to get started?” or “When would you like your project completed?”. By doing so, you’ll be able to gauge their level of interest and commitment and motivate them to make a decision.
3. Alternative close
Always link your prospect’s needs to a solution, not a product. If they have reservations about your initial proposal, offer them an alternative solution that matches their needs. By offering two choices, it encourages them to consider between the two choices rather than not proceeding at all.
4. Objection close
Almost every salesperson will face objections at some point, so it’s helpful to be prepared in advance. You can be proactive by asking about objections upfront. This way, you can gain a better understanding of where the lead is coming from and their hesitancy to move forward. With this knowledge, you can address any concerns and get them on board.
5. Take away close
Not every prospect will require all features of your solution. Although, some prospects will still go for some nice-to-have or just-in-case-I-need features as well. If prospects are negotiating for a great deal, and you are not able to provide a discount, offer them an alternative that is less attractive but more affordable. For example, you can remove a great feature to reduce the total pricing. As prospects consider both, more often than not, they end up committing to the original deal.
6. sharp angle close
This technique is best used when your prospect is wondering if your solution is what they need and tend to ask more in-depth questions about its ability to solve their challenges. When they do, follow up with a question like, “If it does that/if I can get that done for you, would you be willing to purchase today?”. Do note that you should only use this technique after you’ve built a good relationship with your prospect and they have shown positive purchase interest.
7. urgency close
Once establishing the value of your solution, convince your prospect with a sense of urgency so that they fear missing out on the irresistible offer. Include phrases like “Limited time offer”, “Today is the last opportunity to steal this deal” and “Get 30% off if you sign up today”. Make it feel like it’s now or never.
8. Something For Nothing Close
“Freebieeeee!” Who doesn’t like free things, especially free things that benefit them? Throw in a tool, service, product or professional insights to add value to the solution you’ll be providing. It doesn’t have to cost you a bomb, something as simple as free integration services and extra onboarding training could work wonders.
Based on the principle of human reciprocity, humans feel the need to return favours. If you can make your prospects feel valued and special, they are more inclined to take up your offer.
9. Visualisation close
Instead of just talking numbers, try using visuals to make your next closing conversation more impactful. You can do this by showing videos, charts, and photos. For example, making a list of pros and cons can help your prospect see that the pros outweigh the cons by a lot. This will help your prospects visualize what you’re saying and make it more memorable.
10. Opportunity Cost Close
What will your prospect miss out on if they don’t purchase your solution? Highlight the benefit and value your solution provides, and help them see the opportunities they are missing out on by delaying the decision. Convince your prospect that your solution is an investment, not just another purchase.
11. Scale close
“On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being this is irrelevant to my team’s needs, 10 being I can see my team using this, how would you rate?”
In order to gauge how to move the conversation forward, ask a question along this line. If they are somewhere in the middle, find out what objections they have and be prepared to counter them. If they are higher up the scale, then use this as an indicator to seal the deal with an exceptional offer.
12. Ownership close
This sales closing technique is based on the idea that people are more likely to make a purchase if they feel like they “own” the product or service. To do this, you can ask the prospect to imagine themselves using the product or service. For example, you might say “Imagine how much easier your life would be with this new car” or “What would you do with the extra 2 hours per day from using this solution?”. This technique is especially effective for luxury or big-ticket items.
13. Soft-Close
Asking low-impact questions is a soft-close technique that can help you seal the deal. By asking questions that are not too intrusive, you can show the prospect that you are interested in their needs without putting them on the spot. For example, you might ask about their budget or what they are looking for in a solution. You can also be more specific and ask, “If I can increase the accuracy of your return on ad spent by 30% and decrease time spent on lead management by 35%, would it align with your team’s goals?” Asking these types of questions can help you gauge whether the prospect is ready to make a purchase.
14. Social Proof Close
One powerful tool is social proof, in the form of testimonials and case studies. If you can show your prospect that other people like them have had success with your product or service, they’ll be more likely to seal the deal. Make sure you choose testimonials and case studies that are relevant to the specific prospect you’re dealing with – that way, they’ll be able to see themselves in the story and visualise what it would be like to use your product or service.
15. Empathy Close
This closing technique is great if your product or service has any emotional aspect to it (such as health or financial advice) because it allows you to connect with the prospect on an emotional level. Listen, ask questions and mirror what your prospect says. Show that you understand how they feel about their situation before making any suggestions about how they should proceed next.
Seal The Deal
Whether we like it or not, some sales are hard to close. You might be dealing with a genuine prospect who is searching for the best solution to their problem, or maybe this is your thousandth sales call for the day and you’re both getting weary. If you have worked hard developing a relationship with them and been patient enough, now is the time when you get all that effort to pay off.
Remember to utilise these sales closing techniques together with your lead management system so that you can be efficient and effective at the same. Go seal those deals!
