9 POWER CLOSES

Beyond the Trial Close

9 POWER CLOSES

What’s the one thing most responsible for the most lost sales?

What can shake the confidence of even the boldest salesperson?

What scares some people so much, they skip it entirely and lose the sale?

9 POWER CLOSES

It’s

ASKING FOR THE ORDER!

9 POWER CLOSES

Of all the sales steps that go toward making a sale, the close is the step many people hate to take, feel most uncomfortable with and often do poorly. Yet we all know that running the race includes breaking the tape.

How and when you do that is just as important to the sale as what you’re selling.

9 POWER CLOSES The best place to start is with the trial close.

The trial close is something that doesn’t ask for the order outright. Instead, it suggests to the prospect that if he’s interested in what you have for sale, perhaps he should buy it…BUT

If he’s not yet ready to buy, the trial close leaves the conversation open, able to continue, until another opportunity to close presents itself.

9 POWER CLOSES A trial close is basically an attempt to “make the

sale,” to get the prospect to sign. It hedges just a little by a review of the areas of agreement, by looking for any objection still standing in the way and by urging immediate action.

Remember, a trial close does not close the door. A trial may get a sale or it may open the way to the next step toward getting the sale.

Either way, you win!

9 POWER CLOSES One of the essentials for successful sales is to

attempt to close one more time until you have exhausted all possibilities.

Always try to use closing techniques that make it easier for a prospect to buy than decline.

While there are many well known closing techniques, following you will find 9 of the most popular proven approaches.

9 POWER CLOSES

# 1: ASSUMPTION CLOSE One of the safest, most inoffensive closes and one

of the most frequently used.

The salesperson simply assumes the buyer will buy. Throughout the presentation, you constantly restate your assumption that the buy will be made.

“How soon do you want to be on the air?” or “You do want a non-pre-emptible schedule, don’t you?” are assumption close statements.

9 POWER CLOSES

The premise behind the Assumptive Close is that it makes buying easier than not buying. You’re asking safe questions or making inoffensive statements, and you can seldom get turned down.

The Assumption Close can be used on almost any buyer or client almost all the time.

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# 2: GENTLE QUESTION CLOSE In selling television, it’s easier for the buyer to say

“no” than “yes.” If you force a decision, the “no” will be what you get. But if you gently question the buyer on a side issue, you’ll often get a response telling you she’s ready to buy.

“Would you want to begin on Monday or Wednesday?” is an example of a gentle question.

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The Gentle Question Close also assumes the sale is a done deal and skips over the primary question, “Are you going to buy from me?”

Instead, it asks a question on a minor issue that can’t cause offense.

The buyer thinks you’re really handling a small detail. His answer is a buying commitment.

9 POWER CLOSES#3: INVOLVEMENT CLOSE The premise behind this close is simple: people are

more apt to buy if they’re involved.

Involve your prospect in any way possible. Let him make suggestions for his commercial, for instance.

If you are working with a media buyer, allow the buyer to do his or her own reach & frequency calculations or CPP’s, often forcing careful examination of the proposal.

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#4: BOOMERANG CLOSE The concept behind the Boomerang Close is that it

comes back to you!

It’s a technique of answering a buyer’s question or statement with a question of your own. The technique allows you to lead to the next step of the selling sequence without getting trapped into having to give a “yes” or “no” answer.

9 POWER CLOSES Here’s how the Boomerang Close works:

– The buyer asks you “Will your package be available in March?”

– Instead of saying “yes” or “no” you answer the question by throwing it back: “Does having it available in March suit your needs?”

The ball is back in the buyer’s court and you’ll be able to get additional information from the response.

9 POWER CLOSES

The Boomerang Close helps you guard your information and, at the same time, get more information from the buyer.

It keeps the selling sequence moving along and stops you from being dead-ended.

9 POWER CLOSES

#5: TESTIMONIAL CLOSE

– The Testimonial Close is straightforward. You simply get a testimonial from someone else (preferably someone your prospect or buyer respects).

– You let him tell your story for you. He has no axe to grind.

9 POWER CLOSES The Testimonial Close can take several forms:

– A story told by you about a similar selling situation to the one you are in currently.

– A testimonial letter from a satisfied client that deals with the same objections your buyer has and shows how your station satisfied those objections.

– A Testimonial Close via phone can be the most powerful version of this closing style.

9 POWER CLOSES

#6: ASK FOR THE ORDER CLOSE Sometimes the most effective close is the most

direct one: ask the buyer for the order. “Russell, how about a renewal on your news sponsorship?”

Salespeople don’t ask for the order at least 45% of the time. Simply asking the buyer to buy will close a number of orders.

CAUTION: Use this close with care because it’s an invitation to a “no” response which is a dead end.

9 POWER CLOSES#7: BUY NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

CLOSE This close trades on a fear of loss. It is firmly

rooted in human nature. Fear of loss is the strongest fear each of us have.

Why should a buyer buy now before it’s too late? Maybe your rates will go up or your inventory will be gone.

Create a reason why the buyer needs to buy now.

9 POWER CLOSES#8: FREEBIE CLOSE This close should be saved for the end and used

only if you have to. It plays on the buyer’s hope that she’ll get something for nothing. It’ll work only if you’ve planned ahead.

Some salespeople bury the cost of an inexpensive early morning or late night spot into the package but don’t list it. If everything else fails, he offers the buyer the spot at no additional cost. Since it’s already built in, he’s really giving away nothing.

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Your freebie could be anything…– Your own expertise– A creative idea– Discounted production– Even an inexpensive “gift”

Remember, however, you must plan ahead

for this closing option to work!

9 POWER CLOSES#9: BEN FRANKLIN BALANCE SHEET

CLOSE This is a complicated close and is especially good

for the indecisive buyer.

Ben Franklin knew that life was made up of making decisions and that we all want to make as many right ones as possible.

So he would list the reasons for and against in two columns headed YES and NO on a piece of paper and let the longer list determine his decision.

9 POWER CLOSES Hand the prospect a sheet of paper and let him

draw a line down the center and help him list the reasons for making the buy on the “yes” side. When it comes time to list the “no” reasons, he’s on his own.

When he’s finished, add up the responses and read them out loud. The assumption here is the “Yes” list will be the longest and you will be able to close the sale by saying “The wisest decision is pretty obvious, isn’t it? Do you want to begin Friday or Monday?”

9 POWER CLOSES

The setup on this has to be planned in advance and practiced, almost memorized, to take you through the sequence.

You may think the Ben Franklin Balance Sheet Close is too much trouble to use, but in tough situations, you’ll be able to close orders you couldn’t close any other way!

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These are the primary closing techniques.

The choice depends upon your personal style, the relationship between you

and your prospect, what he or she is like,

and, of course, on the facts of the case.