Step 7 - Closing

When Should I Pop the Question?

Closing is the process of helping people makes a decision that will benefit them. You help people make the decision by asking them to buy. As successful salespeople know, there are no magic phrases and techniques to use in closing a sale. It is the result of your presentation. If everything has been done to properly develop a sales presentation, closing the sale is the next step in a logical sequence.

Although it seems obvious, some salespeople forget that prospects know that the salesperson is there to sell them something. So, as soon as they meet, the prospect’s mind already may have progressed beyond the major part of the salesperson’s presentation. At times, the prospect may be ready to make the buying decision early in the interview.

So, when should you try to close a sale? Simple – when the prospect is ready! More specifically, when the prospect is in the conviction stage of the mental buying process. A buyer can enter the conviction stage at any time during the sales presentation. You might ask someone to buy as early as the approach stage or as late as another day. Much of the time, however, the close comes after the presentation. An ability to read a prospect’s buying signals correctly helps a salesperson decide when and how to close a sale.