1. Chapter 15 Closing the Sale
How to Close a Sale
Section How to Close a Sale
Section Customer Satisfaction and Retention

2. How to Close a Sale Objectives Identify customer buying signals
List four rules for closing a sale
Identify Four Methods for closing a sale
Marketing Essentials Chapter 15, Section 15.1

3. The Selling Process
All efforts up to this step of the sale have involved helping your customer make buying decisions.
Seven key steps to selling:
Approaching the customer: Greet the customer
Determining needs: what the customer is looking for
Presenting the product: Educate the customer about the product’s features and benefits
Overcoming objections: Learn why the customer is reluctant to buy and providing information to remove that uncertainty

4. The Selling Process: Remaining is about getting customers to buy
Closing the sale: Get customer’s agreement to buy
Suggestion selling: Suggest additional merchandise that will save customer money or enjoy the original purchase
ex: Best Buy- after laptop purchase you can get a printer for ½ off
7. Relationship building: Create a means of maintaining contact with the customer after the sale is done
Marketing Essentials Chapter 13, Section 13.1

5. Closing Concepts and Techniques
Closing the sale X The process of obtaining a positive agreement from the customer to buy.
Marketing Essentials Chapter 15, Section 15.1

6. Recognizing the Sale The Best Language to Use When Closing the Sale

7. Timing the Close Some customers are ready to buy sooner than others;
Can be immediate, can take 1, 2 or more hours
B2B can take weeks or even months
Look for buying signals when you are trying to close a sale
buying signals the things customers do or say to indicate a readiness to buy. These include:
Facial expressions
Body language
Comments
Marketing Essentials Chapter 15, Section 15.1

8. Trial Close
You may attempt a “test” to see if the customer is ready to close
A trial close X is an initial effort to close a sale where you’re actually asking the prospect for an opinion, not a buying decision.
Here are some questions you can use for the trial close:
What do you think about this?
What would you say is your position in all of this?
What could this mean for you / your business?
Does this product correspond with your expectations?
Which option do you prefer?

9. Four Rules for Closing the Sale
Recognize closing opportunities
Help customers make a decision
Create an ownership mentality for the customer
Do not Talk to much or Rush

10. Four Rules for Closing the Sale
Recognize closing opportunities
Customer will indicate intent by asking buying process questions:
How Long would it take to deliver
Is an upgrade available
What colors does it come in
Are you going to need a deposit
One Looks at the other and

11. Four Rules for Closing the Sale
Help customers make a decision
Stop showing additional merchandise if they are having difficulty deciding
Remove products that are no longer of interest
Ask which product interests them the least– narrow to two options
Explain advantages or disadvantages of each remaining item being considered

12. Four Rules for Closing the Sale
Create an ownership mentality for the customer
Use words like “you” and “your” to indicate ownership
Look for agreements from customer to use as selling points

13. Four Rules for Closing the Sale
Do not talk to much or rush
Be patient, courteous, polite, and helpful. Your first priority is customer satisfaction.
If you think customer is ready to buy, stop talking about the product
Don’t rush a customer into making a buying decision

14. Specialized Methods for Closing the Sale
How you close depends on the selling situation. Use one of Four Specialized Closing methods to close:
Which close
Standing-room-only close
Direct close
Service close

15. 1. “Which Close” Method
Which close X method of closing a sale that encourages a customer to make a decision between two items
Examples: Then ask the customer,
“Which one do you prefer?”
“Do you like the Samsung or the LG
Marketing Essentials Chapter 15, Section 15.1

16. 2. “Standing-room-only” Method
Standing-room-only close - method of closing a sale that is used when a product is in short supply or when the price will be going up in the near future
Should be used only when the situation honestly calls
Can be perceived as a high-pressure tactic
Often used in real estate
Example:
“I’m sorry, but I can’t promise that I’ll be able to make you this same offer later.”
“This one time offer is only good for 24 hours.”

17. 3. Direct Closing Method
The direct close X is a closing method in which the salesperson asks for the sale.
Used when the buying signal is very strong
Example:
Can I assume that we're ready to talk about the details of your order?
Can I draw the contract up for this deal?
You appear to like everything you have seen. Now we need to discuss the quantity you need?
How would you like to pay for this purchase?

18. 4. Service close
Service close X is a closing method in which the salesperson provides special services that overcome obstacles or problems
Such services could be:
A return policy (important for buying gifts for others)
Special sales arrangements (payment options)
Warranties
Bonuses or premiums

19. Failure to Close the Sale
Your attitude when you did not make a sale should be no different than when you did
Always smile and be friendly, sale or no sale
Keep in mind that a customer who does not make a purchase is still a prospect for future business
A request for feedback and any other constructive criticism may work for you if you have earned the buyer’s respect
If you clearly sense you are about to be turned down, it is better to make a graceful exit, leaving the door open for a future sales call.

20. Successful Salesperson
What do you think is required to be successful as a salesperson?
Personal Characteristics of an effective salespeople:
A sincere desire to be helpful
Strong interpersonal skills
Confidence
Problem-solving ability
Honesty

21. Successful Salesperson
Professional Characteristics of a successful salesperson are:
Knowledge of their products
Belief in their products effectiveness
Training
Apprenticeship
Experience
Learning one’s products and how to handle various situations comes with experience and hard work.
Marketing Essentials Chapter 15, Section 15.1

22. Marketing and the Marketing Concept
Study Organizer
Four Rules for Closing a Sale
Four Specialized Closing methods
Marketing Essentials Chapter 15, Section 15.1