I have a great friend who is also an entrepreneur. He’s a brilliant innovator, constantly solving problems in ways that make the previous solutions obsolete. He is, as are a lot of super smart people, a bit introverted. He’s not a natural-born salesperson. He doesn’t relish the prospect of overcoming objections, haggling over price or beating out the competition. He mentioned one day in passing that he wasn’t sure opening his own company was his best idea, because he hated the sales part of the job.
I knew the guy. I knew he had one of the best products I’d ever seen. I also knew he could sell it—even if he didn’t believe it himself.
I asked him to give me his sales pitch. He fumbled around and basically told me how much his stuff costs.
Honestly, it was terrible.
Then I asked him to tell me about his product and his business as if I were a stranger. It was like he was lit up from inside. He launched into a passionate, clear exposition. It was compelling. It was honest. And I knew all he needed was a little coaching to become a great salesperson, even if he thought it was impossible.
The concepts we worked on in our informal coaching session revolved around closing, rather than selling. Wonder what the difference is? Let’s dig in.
Practicing Need-based Selling
One of the reasons people are reluctant to sell is they feel pushy. They feel a little guilty asking people to part with their hard-earned money. And that, my friends, is a recipe for disaster.
Let’s assume that you have a solid, fairly priced product or service. You believe in what you’ve created, but you are finding it difficult to convey your product’s value to your prospective customers.
You’re thinking about selling in the wrong direction. It doesn’t have to be about you pushing your product. It’s about the ways in which your prospects need your product. When you start a discussion about what your client needs, then your product is positioned as a solution, a remedy for a pain point, and then you’re closing, not selling. You’re simply taking an order for an item your customers need and want. That’s easy, right?
In order to make need-based selling work smoothly and consistently, you must do your homework. Ask yourself: Who are your ideal customers and what problems can you solve for them? Need-based selling lets you solve problems, rather than asking or pushing for money.
Focusing on the Right Clients
Particularly for entrepreneurs who have a niche—specialty products or services to sell—dealing with rejection can be both common and unpleasant. Niches are where the riches are, but not everyone is willing to pay a premium because not everyone values your innovation equally.
It’s all in the client, and when you find the ones who speak your language, you can simply share your enthusiasm and deep industry knowledge. You close the sale by sharing their passion, rather than pushing them to spend money.
Think about car tires. Most people try to get the most affordable, durable tire they can. But car enthusiasts? They’ll throw down big bucks for performance tires. You’re talking about two different groups of customers. Try explaining to an average driver why they should spend $2,400 on a set of tires for their three-year old car when four perfectly good tires can be had for $500. If you’re hawking tires that run $600 a piece, you need to find drivers who see the value in the premium.
How is working with the right customers closing, rather than selling? You’ve found the people who want what you’ve got. You’ve found people who value your expertise and vision. Cars, vegetable seeds, headphones… All of these things have price ranges that encompass both casual users and geeky enthusiasts. For the casual gardener, a 99-cent pack of seeds from the hardware megastore will do just fine. But for a gardening enthusiast, you can sell a $6 packet of heirloom, non-GMO seeds.
It’s all in the client, and when you find the ones who speak your language, you can simply share your enthusiasm and deep industry knowledge. You close the sale by sharing their passion, rather than pushing them to spend money.
Planning Your Follow Through
If you’re selling inexpensive trinkets, most of your sales opportunities will be decided on the spot. But if you’re selling high-dollar expert accounting services or custom landscaping projects, your prospective clients will often want to think things over and perhaps solicit other bids or offers. When closing isn’t a single-stage process, I always have a plan for my follow through.
When you make a presentation or deliver a quote, don’t simply leave it up to your prospect to follow up with you and place an order. Following through doesn’t mean being pushy. It means taking the responsibility off your prospect. Making a plan doesn’t have to be complex or difficult. You can simply offer to reach out via email in a week. Or for a B2B transaction, you can say you’ll swing by the client’s office in three days. Whatever your follow-up plan is, make sure you follow it to the letter. I even put following-up notes in my calendar and on my to-do list.
When you say you’re going to follow through, you must do it. And here’s the great part: You’re not selling—you’re just doing what you said you would. You don’t have to ask for a commitment right away, either. You can ask if the client has any questions you can answer. You’re being useful and you’re closing, rather than selling.
Sometimes all we need is a shift in perspective to elevate our game. Thinking of yourself as closing, rather than selling can help alleviate anxiety while simultaneously benefitting your bottom line. Focusing on your clients’ needs, targeting the right clients, and planning your follow through are proven strategies for increasing sales…by closing.
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