Imagine making the best pitch of your life, only to have the client say no. It would be devastating, right? Yes — and demoralizing, too.
But there are strategies and steps to ensure that when you are leading the client on the path to closing a deal, that they actually close.
When making a pitch, it’s important to guide them through the details and benefits of what you’re offering, convincing them of why it’s good for them, all the way through to the final closing of the deal and to the winning “Yes”.
Follow these steps and you’ll get them there.
Research
Discovering what the client wants – sometimes simply by asking them questions about it and whatthey have in mind– can help you close the deal because you will know what to look for and determine what the best approach and package is for them.
Product knowledge
Product knowledge is one of the most important parts of selling something and closing a deal.
If you don’t know everything there is to know about a product, including what competitors are doing, the client will lose confidence in you and the product and will decide against taking it from you—thus going to a competitor.
The presentation pitch
Your presentation or initial pitch is your ‘first impression’ and you want to make it a good one! Make sure you are presenting your client with everything you know and have discovered about what they want.
While the pitch might be just the start, ensuring it’s the best possible presentation means you’ll have success at the end.
Share useful information or news
Sharing news and useful information related to what a client want scan make a deal very appealing to them as it shows you are knowledgeable about your field.
Recognize the buying window
Finding out when a client is in the market for something and what their time frame is for getting it can help you close the deal because, by getting this information, you give yourself time to find what they are looking for and offering it to them.
Create a sense of urgency
Creating a sense of urgency — perhaps it is a limited orone time only deal– will help motivate them to make a decision faster on it.It will also help make your offer seem like the best one out in the market.
Handling objections
This part of closing the deal is the Q&A part of your presentation to a client.
This is when they will ask questions or make ‘objections’ toyour deal, wonder why this is the best thing for them, and why you think it is.
To handle their questions/objections,you should do some research on why someone might object toa deal– perhaps have a colleague play ‘devil’s advocate’ — and make sure you have the answers on hand.
Make it their decision
A skilled salesperson will have such a smooth pitch that the client won’t realize that they have made the decision for them.
People always like to feel in control of what is happening and the decisions they make about what they do,which product or service to use and which deal they take.
The close
How you close a deal is as important, if not more, than how you have pitched something to the client.
This should include things like why they should accept the offer, the benefits it has for them and why they should trust you on this. Confidence, after all, is key.
Follow-up
Assuming you did close the deal—and why wouldn’t you have?—at regular points afterwards, you should check in with the client to make sure they are happy with everything and that all is going well.
This can aid customer service satisfaction for them and technique for you, further solidifying your ability to close a deal and also giving an excellent reputation for customer care and satisfaction.
