You researched your prospect well, personalised every aspect of the sales pitch, cleared all doubts that came up during the conversation and even began to feel confident about the conversion.
Yet, when the time came to close, to your surprise, the answer was a resounding No!
It’s brutal and might make you question every sentence you spoke, wondering where you went wrong. How did a perfect sales conversation end in utter failure?
You might have all the good ingredients of a sales pitch – except you forgot about how to end this great conversation.
Our this blog post is, therefore, dedicated to bestow you with 20 sales-spells, or, call to action quotes (as the muggles like to call them).
In this article:
Did the whole sales call seem to fall like a house of cards the instant you uttered your closing phrase? Even the most perfect sales call can be ruined by the wrong wrap-up line, or as the experts like to refer to them as “ inadequate closing phrases”.
If you are asking yourself what do they mean by “inadequate”, you’ve latched on to the right direction. Inadequate means any closing phrase that leaves too much room for the prospect to:
How to avoid it? Sales pro Jeff Hoffman recommends always having a small close in mind for every point of contact you have with a prospect.
Here are are a few ideas depending on different situations.
Cold calling? Don’t be too pushy: It’s your first conversation if a stranger and you don’t want to come across too strong. If it’s a cold call and your motive is to just ensure you get another call with the prospect, try the non-aggressive questioning technique, where you use phrases like:
1. “Can I give you another call so that you can tell me more about your needs?”
2. "Why don't you give it/us a try? I can send a free sample and call back to know your thoughts."
3. "It seems like [product] is a good fit for [company]. What do you think?"
4. “After hearing your thoughts, I think both the products A and b are a good match for you. I can connect you to my colleagues who can arrange for a demo at your convenience.”
5. “So, how would you like to take this forward?”
Ask for a direct answer to close: Trying to close a sales call that has been prolonging for a very long time now? It’s time to be direct (without sounding rude of course! 😅). For this, use closing phrases that require direct answers like:
6. “When can we begin [implementation, training, etc.]?”
7. “Should we move on to pricing?”
8. “My colleague XYZ can join our next call to tell you more about the purchasing process. Would you like that?”
Naturally nudge the next step: If your prospect seems to be indecisive even after several calls, it might be wise to ask if they’re ready for the next step. It can be the next step in the funnel or if you are already deep in the buying funnel, it would mean giving them an option to purchase the product A or B.
9. “This product seems to satisfy all of the criteria you’re looking for. Should I set-up a demo for you and your colleagues next week?”
10. "If we gave you the product at this price, do you think it will meet both your needs and budget?"
11. "Taking all of your requirements and desires into consideration, I think these two products would work best for you. Would you like to go with [X] or [Y]?"
Put your customer on a clock: Even demanding direct answers or suggesting next steps are not working? You can create a higher sense of urgency by using time-sensitive sales closing questions. These will bind your customer by putting their decision-making on a clock.
12. “If I were to send over a contract today, would you feel confident signing?”
13. “Think it over tonight and I will call you at 10 a.m. tomorrow.”
14. “Our new price list is coming out in 30 days, and I can’t hold these current prices for you after that.”
15. “Do you want your shipment delivered on Wednesday or Friday?”
16. “Do you think you’ll be able to decide on either product A or B by tomorrow evening? I’ll give you a follow-up call.”
17. “We’re in the last 15 minutes of our meeting. Should we discuss how you’ll want to proceed?”
Use the power of printed words: Finally, if everything else fails, use this technique that leverages a document or printed company policy to urge the customer to make a decision.
18. “Should I send you a formal quotation that details the purchase price and terms?”
19. “Here’s our volume discount schedule. If you spend another $100,000, you’ll receive an additional 10% off the entire order.”
20. “I’ll talk with my boss and if he okays the terms, could I have the purchase order ready by the end of the week?”
You should hope for the best but also be prepared for the worst. Meaning, always have a Plan B or fallback positions.
These can be a follow-up question that tries to identify the reason behind the “No”. This will help you adjust your pitch. Identify their pain points, come back and with a better solution and close them in round two.
If all fails, don’t forget to ask if they want you to contact them again in the future. Keep the doors always open!
Bottom line: have a 'close' in mind for every conversation.
No matter what type of calls you are making have a 'close' in mind for every conversation for a more streamlined and focused communication. If not anything, it’ll help you build rapport and win prospects over, even if the conversation began "cold."
Rely on call-data for analytics
Track your call durations and automate your call logs. This may help you narrow down finer details like which time of the day or week is better to call your prospects.
Or, even A/B test your closing phrases – which closing lines work with a certain industry client or at which point in the call duration should you slide towards the closing nudge.
While data can help you take a more analytical view on your closings, you can focus on the more human side of the business –– like creating a customised closing line for each of your customers.
Ready to be the next closing king?
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These Stories on Sales Best Practices
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