1. CLOSING THE DEAL SARAH SHORT WWW.SARAHSHORT.CO.UK

2. WHAT WE ARE GOING TO COVER What is it about closing the sale that makes us sweat! Understanding buying signals Some stock-in-trade closes Why you don’t need to be scared of closing the deal Be warned: You are going to give your input throughout!

3. THE SALES PROCESS WE ARE HAPPY TALKING ABOUT OUR STUFF BUT CLAM UP WHEN IT COMES TO ASKING FOR THE SALE!

4. TIME FOR YOUR INPUT!

5. WHY I DON’T LIKE ASKING FOR THE SALE: I feel pushy I worry that the customer can’t afford it I hate asking for money, I feel horribly embarrassed I’m afraid of rejection – I take it personally I worry that the customer thinks badly of me I hate selling myself

6. INPUT TIME AGAIN

7. DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS  The Browser  The Mildly Interested  The Almost There  The I Want This

8. THE BROWSER  I am just wandering around, with no real interest and no intention to buy Signals: Avoids eye contact Picks items up and puts them down random, casually and haphazardly Say things like ‘not now’ or ‘I’m just looking’ Looks at many different items Moves around quickly

9. THE MILDLY INTERESTED  I am interested in this product, but not yet ready to buy it Signals: Picks up the same item several times Handles it less casually May show it to a companion and appear to discuss it Dismissive if you talk to them

10. THE ALMOST THERE  I am very interested in this and may well buy it, if you can answer a few questions that I have. Signals: Spends lots of time looking at one item – they are investing their time and therefore will be more inclined to invest their money Looks around for someone to help them Asks positive questions and listens with interest to the response Doesn’t appear interested in the price (this one can be taken to the next stage with good closing)

11. THE I WANT THIS  I want to buy this now. Signals: Speaks about the product as if it is already theirs If accompanied, may discuss where the item will go/when they’ll wear it etc Maintains good eye contact Asks about the price Sometimes, this customer will touch their wallet or bag/purse, without being aware of the movement

12. TIME FOR YOUR INPUT!

13. CLOSING THE DEAL ASK FOR THE SALE!!! The 30 seconds after you ask for the sale are the longest of your life! DO NOT SPEAK! The Alternative Close: Would you like that in black, or cream? The Puppy-Dog Close: If your spouse/partner doesn’t like this, you can return it for a full refund. (Use with caution!) The Sense-Check Close: That makes sense to me, what do you think? The Negative Assumption Close: Is there anything about the product you’re still unsure of? The Urgent Close: This offer ends tomorrow/We only have two of these left

14. SELLING IS A NUMBERS GAME  A no is not a personal slight, the customer just isn’t ready to buy yet  There are formulae that you can use to work out how many customers you need to speak to, to get a sale. Everyone’s formula will be different. You can work yours out after a couple of weeks of solid selling.  If you are uncomfortable asking for a sale, remember, this is just a mental barrier – not a ‘truth’  Mental barriers surround our comfort zones. The magic happens outside the comfort zone.  In the words of Susan Jeffers: Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

15. SELLING IS A NUMBERS GAME When you get this, you’ll stop being scared of Closing the Deal