What is one specific technique I can implement into my sales strategy to close deals faster?
1. Ask for the Sale
“It sounds simple, but you can’t overlook asking for the sale! If this doesn’t come easily to some business development associates, it’s my responsibility to teach and mentor them. Also, ensuring that we have contracts and other materials that are easy to replicate makes the administrative functions of sales much more streamlined.”
– BOBBY GRAJEWSKI, Edison Nation Medical
2. Digitally Send Contracts
“Making people print out contracts, sign with ink and then scan or fax them back to you is burdensome. Make it easy for your deals to close fast by sending contracts electronically for e-signatures by using a service like HelloSign or DocuSign.”
3. Make It “Almost Free”
“Once you determine the average transaction size, the lifetime customer value and the average profit per sale, you can convince prospects that working with you is “almost free.” For example, if an average customer is worth $2,000 to your business, and I explain that my expertise can easily bring you several dozen of these clients over the next 90 days, you can see how paying for my expertise pays off.”
– CHARLES GAUDET, Predictable Profits
4. Email Autoresponders
“Create convincing email autoresponders for prospective clients and get the message across about why they should buy from your company rather than explaining it face-to-face. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes and determine what it is that draws them to your company over another. Concentrate on your strengths.”
– EVRIM ORALKAN, Travertine Mart
5. Spend Time Qualifying
“The better you qualify a potential lead, the more likely it is to close. Most people send out endless proposals to anyone who asks. Rather than spending time on everyone, focus on the top few hot leads who can really make an impact on your business. Then, market directly to them.”
6. Start at the Beginning
“Leads close faster if they’re qualified. Only consider someone a lead, rather than a contact, when they have specifically expressed interest in your product offering. Qualifying your leads at the beginning helps move them through the sales funnel faster. A qualified lead can close in a few steps, and an improperly qualified lead might close in a lot of steps or not close at all.”
7. Create a Sense of Urgency
“One tactic that works well with most products or services is to create a strong sense of urgency. This can be accomplished through a limited-time offer or a discount. If you can make the prospect feel as though they are going to miss out on something special, and they are strongly considering purchasing the product anyway, you can get them to act faster and close the deal.”
8. Give Webinars
“Are you doing any sales webinars? What we’ve found to be the best way to convert leads and prospects into customers is to host compelling content-driven webinars that end with a pitch to buy our product. Don’t think of webinars just as plain demonstrations but as carefully crafted sales presentations to steer your prospects down the path of purchase.”
9. Ask Questions
“The easiest change that results in closing deals at a faster rate is to simply ask a potential customer what his needs are and when he would like to have a solution. Be patient and listen to the customer, then collaborate on a timeline that works for both you and the customer. You cannot make anyone do anything, but if you can show a customer there is a solution, he may just want to get there faster.”
– ANDREW THOMAS, SkyBell Technologies, Inc.
10. Lead With Differentiation
“Always lead with the thing that makes you different from everyone else in the world. Coming across as just another person selling online advertising gives our clients no incentive to start a new relationship with us. My company has a proprietary technology that can make a huge difference for our clients, so we lead with that.”
– MIKE SEIMAN, CPXi
11. Keep It Clear
“The most important aspect of closing deals quickly is being clear. Explain what you are delivering and what it will cost. Make sure the customer isn’t confused and that all of his questions are answered. When the client understands the offer precisely, he can make a quick decision.”
12. Offer Decisive Action Savings
“I always offer decisive action savings. Here’s how I explain it to potential customers: “I’m completely comfortable with whatever decision you make. However, I want to give you an incentive to make a choice. That’s why the regular investment is X, but if you submit payment within 48 business hours, you save Y to bring the total to Z.” This dramatically increases sales and decreases follow-up.”
– ELIZABETH SAUNDERS, Real Life E®
Originally published by StartupCollective.
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StartupCollective