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How One Good Prospect Can Slow You Down
I have seen one agent after the other get slowed down by one good prospect. They get out in the field and start prospecting for a week, their...
Too many “interested” prospects will clog your pipeline! I’ll help you be an expert sales professional who finds a way to get “yes” or “no” from every prospect. What should you do with a pipeline full of prospects who haven’t given you a “yes” or a “no”? I recommend that you […]
Too many “interested” prospects will clog your pipeline! I’ll help you be an expert sales professional who finds a way to get “yes” or “no” from every prospect.
What should you do with a pipeline full of prospects who haven’t given you a “yes” or a “no”? I recommend that you ask for the business three times before leaving the merchant location. Closing three times takes skill and practice.
You may wake up after several days of consistent prospecting and realize you can’t hit your daily prospecting goal. You have too many next-action steps with “interested” prospects. This is a clear indication that the time has come to eliminate “maybe.”
“The sales numbers game…”
Expert sales professionals always find a way to get a “Yes” or “No” from every prospect. Most sales people believe that “No” is the enemy of “Yes,” but that is NOT true. “Maybe” is the enemy of the “Yes.”If you are closing people the way you should, “No’s” are inevitable and show you’re bringing prospects to a decision. Some prospects will say, “No,” and others will say, “Yes.” That is the sales numbers game.
“Create the right closing scenario…”
While pursuing sales excellence, you’ll find many different closing strategies. They all boil down to asking for the business. Use the following examples to help you close three times in every business.Before reading these specific examples, keep in mind that every person and every organization is a little different. Make sure you work with me to create the right closing scenario for your personality and value proposition.
Attempt #1 – Start with an assumptive close.
- Ask, “Are there any other questions you have for me?” Answer any questions they have.
- Then say, “That was a really good question; I’m glad you asked that. Do you have any other questions?”
- Once they have no more questions, say something like, “Great! With your permission, I would like to take some notes on the paperwork. What is the legal name of your business?”
- Start completing the paperwork. The merchant will stop you if not ready to move forward.
Attempt #2 – Make it personal.If the merchant stops you from completing the paperwork, there will usually be a “maybe” objection:
- “Let me think about it.”
- “I need to talk to my spouse or business partner.”
- “Leave some information and let me take a look at it.”
That is the time to make it personal. Start by agreeing with the prospect – say, “I certainly wouldn’t want you to make a decision you are not comfortable with…”
Then, sell the prospect on you:
“Your business is important to me. While I am not asking for a long-term commitment today, I would like a chance to earn your business. No one is going to work harder for you than me. I think you can tell just by talking to me that I am committed to the local community and building long-term relationships. All I’m asking for today is a chance to earn your trust. Would you at least give me that chance?”
Attempt #3 – Eliminate the risk. Hopefully the owner said, “yes,” when you made it personal. However, as we all know, that doesn’t always work. If you still get, “no,” the merchant is feeling guilty and a little frustrated.
You must proceed with positivity and caution. You might get the response, “I like what you have offered, and I like you. I just really need some time to think about it and discuss it with my partner.”
Your last chance to close the deal is to eliminate risk, but remember to start with an upbeat, appreciative reply:
“Bob, I can’t thank you enough for taking time to speak with me today. I understand where you are coming from and that makes a lot of sense. Let me give one more quick thought before I let you go…”
Now, and
only
now you can proceed with the final closing attempt by saying,
“I am sure you like to have as much information as possible when making a decision; am I right?” (Response: “Yes”)
“I have a special program that might give us both what we’re looking for. I want to show you what I can do. You want to have as much information as possible before making a final decision. How about I give you a 30-day trial? I will install my terminal free for 30 days, so you can test our program.
At the end of 30 days, I will come back to review your first payment processing statement. You will have 30 days to experience our customer support and savings. If we do a great job and deliver, I am sure you and your partner will want to continue.
But if we drop the ball or don’t deliver on the value I promised any time during the first 30 days, you can cancel with no penalty. Now, I’m willing to go out on a limb and do all the work free to provide the trial period. The trial gives you as much information as possible to make the decision. So, it would make sense for you; wouldn’t it?”
“Watch your commissions roll in…”
At this point, you can be sure to get a “Yes” or “No.” This enables you to either complete the agreement or move on to the next qualified prospect.Eliminate “maybe” from your pipeline as often as possible and watch your commissions start to roll in.
Make it a great day!
James Shepherd
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