Sales Techniques
I’ve always believed that if you’re having to explain in great detail why someone should invest in your product or service, then you’re losing.
For me, there’s nothing worse than an unprofessional (sometimes well-meaning) salesperson TELLING you why they think you should invest, without asking any questions.
For example, a really detailed email providing you with a solution that you couldn’t possibly know would work, because you’re yet to find out any facts about how things work now!
For many, this is the frustrating world that they live in, and it’s the only way they know ‘how to sell’.
But here’s the good news:
At the Elite Closing Academy, we teach very simple and effective techniques that are centred around the sales process:
1) Being qualified – they’ve put their hand up to hear more about your product or service
and
2) Encouraging the salesperson to ASK questions to find out what you believe you want and need, avoiding assumption, presumption, features and benefits and persuasion selling tactics of the past.
and
3) That follows a simple step by step customer journey on route to getting the result that they want.
There is also one huge secret that puts a stop to the nasty sales tactics of the past.
That’s called a qualified written proposal.
There are two worlds that apply when selling. Everything that happens before making a written proposal (Selling) and everything that happens afterwards (Closing).
In a recent online Masterclass, I covered the 4 key tactics required for you to utilise the power of a written proposal in your sales process. This can dramatically increase conversions and remove long explanations and boring features and benefits sales.
1) Decide which core product or service gets your clients the best result and go ‘all in’
The prospect’s journey to go from cold to sold. Have an obvious starting point for an ‘interested’ prospect to consume some helpful information and some simple next steps that they can take along the way.
During this process, be sure to:
- Share lots of information, including position of fees and how the financial options work
- Ask lots of questions (use the 10 second rule of if you’re talking for more than 10 seconds, stop and ask a question)
- Commit to understanding what they need from you
- Be totally transparent and informative at all times
- Decide if you are a good match or NOT before making a written proposal
3) Structure the perfect written proposal
It should have high level descriptions of what happens when they invest and what they get (no minutiae, that comes later when you’re discussing the options over the phone, on Zoom or face to face).
It should also contain simple financial options for them to choose from (the less the better). OPTION A should always be an incentivised one payment or early payment, and OPTION B should be a flexible option and for more than the incentivised one payment option.
4) Have a discussion around the written proposal whilst you are on the phone or in person
NOT ON AN EMAIL. NEVER SELL OR NEGOTIATE ON EMAIL.
Ask them questions about the written proposal, answer and ask until they have everything they need. This is the time to ask a closing question and stop speaking.
When you master this, it becomes so much easier to have a structured closing conversation. It removes the need to talk and explain and eliminates the stall: ‘it sounds great. Put it in an email and ring me next week’.
That’s all for now!
Matt Elwell
Co-founder of The Elite Closing Academy
Creator & Author of Open With A Close (get your free copy here)
