Do you ever feel tension when closing?

Research says that over 40% of salespeople feel apprehensive about closing. It is one of the main reasons salespeople resist closing, and for good reason! If you think 40% is a high number, that number for buyers is even higher. No one wants to be pressured to buy or manipulated with closing techniques. One thing you can count on is if you feel tension when you want to close a sale, your customer feels more. So, how do we reduce or eliminate the tension with closing a sale for both the seller and the buyer? You need to earn the right to close. Closing is a process. We feel tension when we skip steps in the process because we know we are not acting in our customer's best interest.

Here is a checklist of six elements of closing the sale we should use to determine if the time is right to close. Interestingly, once all six components are present, the customer may close for you.

1. You have uncovered the key, specific needs and wants.
2. The prospect accepts your unique value proposition. You have buy-in.
3. You have identified the economic buyer and addressed their buying criteria.
4. You have a consensus that accepts your solutions and your ability to provide them.
5. You have successfully presented your solution.
6. The customer or prospect can visualize success.

Closing is something that happens throughout the sales process. Anytime you tell a customer something, you should check for buy-in with mini-closes. Only assume that a customer agrees with you unless they specifically tell you. Verify that you have acquired all six closing elements, and you should be well on your way.