Step 4 – Respond to Buying Signals, Make a Trial Close

After prospects negotiate each stage of the mental buying process and are ready to buy, they often give you a signal. A buying signal refers to anything that prospects say or do, indicating they are ready to buy. Buying signals hint that prospects are in the conviction stage of the buying process.

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Here are several ways prospective buyers signal readiness to buy:

Ask questions – “How much is it?” “What is the earliest time that I can receive it?” “What is your service and returned goods policies?” At times, you may respond to a buying signal question with another question. This helps determine your prospect’s thoughts and needs. If your question is answered positively, the prospect is showing a high interest level and you are nearing the close.

Asks another person’s opinion – The executive calls someone on the telephone and says, “Come in here a minute; I have something to ask you,” or the husband turns to his wife and says, “What do you think about it?”

Relaxes and become friendly – Once the prospect decides to purchase a product, the pressure of the buying situation is eliminated. A state of visible anxiety changes to relaxation because your new customer believes that you are a friend.

Pulls out a purchase order form – If, as you talk, your prospect pulls out an order form, it is time to move towards the close.

Carefully examines merchandise – When a prospect carefully scrutinises your product or seems to contemplate the purchase, this may be an indirect request for prompting. Given these indications, attempt a trial close; “What do you think about?” If you obtain a positive response to this question, move on to close the sale.

A buyer may send verbal or nonverbal buying signals at any time before or during your sales presentation. The accurate interpretation of buying signals should prompt you to attempt a trial close. In beginning a trial close, summarise the major selling points desired by your prospect. If you receive a positive response to the trial close, you can wrap up the sale. A negative response should result in a return to your presentation or to determine objections. In any case, a successful trial close can save you and your prospect valuable time, while a thwarted trial close allows you to assess the selling situation.

Trial Close

Your prospect has raised an objection that you have answered and overcome; now what? First, use a trial close, then either return to your presentation or close the sale.

First, use a Trial Close – Ask for Opinion

After meeting an objection at any time during the interview, you need to know if you have overcome the objection. If you have not overcome it, your prospect may raise it again. Whether it resurfaces or not, if your prospect believes that an objection was important, your failure to handle it or your mishandling of it, will probably cost you the sale. Ideally, all objections raised should be met before closing the sale. So, after responding to the objection, use a trial close to determine if you have overcome the objection.

Ask questions such as:

• That clarifies this point entirely, don’t you agree?
• That is the answer you are looking for, isn’t it?
• With that question out of the way, we can go ahead – don’t you think?
• Do you agree with me that we’ve covered the question you raised and given you a way to handle it?
• Now that is settled, isn’t it?
• That solves your problem, doesn’t it?

Once you have confirmed overcoming an objection, immediately go to the next SELL sequence step. To signal that the last step is over and that you are moving on, use body language as you speak. That is, make an appropriate gesture, look in a new direction, turn the page of your proposal or shift in your chair - make some physical movement.

Now, do one of two things (assuming you have handled the objection): either return to your presentation or close the sale.

If you are 100% sure that you cannot overcome the objection and that the prospect will not buy, go ahead and close. Always ask for the order. Never be afraid to ask your prospect to buy. The buyer says no to the product - not you. Someone else may walk into the prospect's office after you with a product similar to yours. Your competitor also may be able to overcome this person’s objection, but he or she may get the sale nonetheless just by asking for it!