| Every salesperson will you that the hardest and | | | | Customers will signal their willingness to purchase |
| most stressful part of the process is the closing. | | | | by asking specific questions ("What license would |
| Sealing the deal. Getting the client to commit. But | | | | be needed for my location?" or "What would be |
| in reality, everyone sells and closes deals every | | | | the first step?"). Don't give a direct answer. Give |
| day. Even convincing your friends to go to your | | | | a vague answer - "We have several licensing |
| choice for lunch is a sales process. So how can | | | | options, depending on the size and growth |
| you make the formal sales process easy and | | | | potential" - and then lead into asking for the sale. |
| stress-free? Here are 5 tips to get the best | | | | 4. Ask the customer to take a specific action. To |
| return on all that sales negotiation training. | | | | continue the example above, your next |
| 1. Understand that not every interested client is a | | | | statement would be something like "we can |
| buying client. People will often tell you right up | | | | conduct a specific analysis of your needs as part |
| front that they are gathering information for a | | | | of the contract." Or even offer it free (if you |
| decision that must be made in the future. In this | | | | have the authority). Sometimes, the specific |
| situation, focus on establishing the relationship. | | | | action is to arrange a presentation with the |
| Move from what you learned in the sales | | | | decision maker. Sometimes the specific action is |
| presentation training to what you've learned from | | | | to reach and draft an agreement and send it to |
| establishing personal relationships. Let the client | | | | the lawyers (with a sticky note: "Make this |
| know that they can come back to you as | | | | happen.") |
| decision date gets closer. You tell them that your | | | | 5. Have responses to objections prepared. |
| role is to help them make the best decision | | | | Customers can tell when you are making stuff up |
| possible, and tell them that the best decision | | | | on the fly. But if you have put yourself in the |
| possible is what you are selling. Always look for | | | | customer's chair and realize that he or she has to |
| openings to have them make a purchase to "lock | | | | sell it to their company, you have a pretty good |
| in" a feature or a price. And look for ways to | | | | idea of what the customer needs to know. Sales |
| keep the sales presentation brief. But always use | | | | training courses too often focus on helping you |
| language of inclusion ("When we have our monthly | | | | sell to the customer, and not enough on educating |
| meetings.." as opposed to "We offer you monthly | | | | the customer to sell the decision to buy to his or |
| meetings..."). | | | | her company. Your responses should relate back |
| 2. A buying client simply needs to be guided to | | | | to each point you have already discussed. If the |
| your product. Right off the bat, let the client | | | | customer brings up a competitor, don't put them |
| know that your goal is to learn their needs and | | | | down, but do point out why you are a better |
| requirements, and to mutually decide that your | | | | match for the customer. |
| product or service is their best decision. Listen to | | | | Too often, you and your sales team have gone |
| what problems the customer has, and brainstorm | | | | to countless hours of sales seminars and sales |
| solutions. Make sure that your ideas all are | | | | presentation training. These are usually led by a |
| provided by your product. And remember - | | | | cheerleader, who is really modeling a particular |
| customers buy benefits, not features. Let's say a | | | | sales process. Because their job is more to sell |
| company is deciding on hiring a new law firm. Law | | | | their companies' sales products and really |
| firm A pitches their multiple offices, many | | | | expensive sales training courses than to make |
| lawyers, diverse areas of expertise, and | | | | you a better salesperson. |
| commitment to technology. The customer hears | | | | If your attitude from the beginning is that the sale |
| "Law firm A has a huge cash outlay that they | | | | is inevitable, it is easier to get the sales |
| want ME to pay for." Law firm B pitches multiple | | | | presentation into a conversational mode as |
| internal resources to draw from as customer | | | | opposed to a sales mode. Isn't that what is |
| problems arise, levels of experience to use the | | | | taught in sales negotiation training all the time? |
| most appropriate billing level for the task, ability to | | | | People do not want to be sold. People want to |
| use areas of expertise as needed, and technology | | | | buy. They don't want to be sold a solution. They |
| to minimize costs and maximize ease of | | | | want to buy something to make their pain go |
| communication with the client. The customer | | | | away. And the more stress-free you can make |
| hears "Law firm B is set up for me." | | | | this conversation, the easier the sale will be to |
| 3. Move the customer to the point of action. | | | | accomplish. |