how to immediately become a better closer

How to Immediately Become a Better Closer

Michael HalperFounder and CEO

SalesScripter

Salespeople are not born. They are built.

The best salesperson asks the best questions.

Some Key Points

• Most common area for desired improvement

• Should be one of the easiest steps of the process

• Born a closer?

• Tremendous control

• Direct closing tactics versus indirect closing tactics

Step 1: Focus on the right goal

Focus on the Right GoalStage GoalsInitial Contact

(First time to speak)

Cold CallInbound CallEmailEvent

2 to 5 minutes80% on prospect20% on you

First Conversation(Appointment/Meeting)

Phone CallFace-to-FaceDiscovery

20 to 30 minutes50% on prospect50% on you

First Meeting(Presentation)

DiscoveryPresentationDemonstration

1 to 2 hours20% on prospect80% on you

Pre-qualifyGather high-level informationBuild interest in having conversationSchedule a First Conversation

Hard QualifyGather detailed InformationBuild interest in meetingSchedule a First Meeting

Sell ProductMap out Next StepsClose (Sale or agreement to move forward)

Closing should be the easiest step in the sales process.

Indirect Closing Tactics

• Communicating the value you offer (benefits)

• Building a business case, ROI calculation, identifying payback period

• Finding prospect pain that you can resolve

• Qualifying the prospect

• Building rapport

• Building interest

• Building credibility

Some direct closing tactics:

Trial ClosingTrial Close

• What do you think of what we have discussed so far?

• How would that feature help your operation?• Is this something you could see your

employees using?• Are we heading in the right direction?• Does the agenda match up with your

expectations today?• Is this what you were expecting to see?

Assumptive CloseAssumptive Close

What time would you like us to put you down for your free consultation?

Alternative CloseAlternative Close

We have workshops available on Monday afternoon and Thursday morning. Which one would you prefer to be signed up for?”

Letting the Prospect LeadLet the Prospect Lead (Soft Close)

• What would you like to do next?

• What direction would you like to go in?

• Do you want to continue talking about this?

• When would you like to talk again?

Turn Questions into StatementsTurn Questions into Statements

• Question: Would you like to meet next week?

• Statement: We should meet next week.

Turn Questions into StatementsHard Closing Questions

• Are you ready to move forward to the next step in the process?• What would you need to be able to make a commitment to move

forward?• If you had everything that you want, are you prepared to move

forward?• If we were able to give you what you are asking for, would you be able

to move forward with the purchase?• When are you going to make your final decision?• (If delaying the decision for a period of time – X months) OK, but do

you mind if I ask if there will be a change or something different at that time that will make that a better time to look at moving forward?

• Is there anything that is preventing you from being able to move forward with this purchase?

Use an Evaluation PlanActivity Date Owner Status

Meeting with Shawn Adams 6/25/2010 Smith Complete

Meeting with Executive team 7/23/2010 Smith Complete

Send info and call Shawn Adams first week of August Smith Open

Whiteboard session 8/13/2010 Smith/Adams Open

Process Recommendations/Proof of Capabilities 8/27/2010 Smith/Jones Open

Build Business Case 9/3/2010 Smith/Adams Open

Presentation of Draft Proposal and Contract Language 9/10/2010 Tech Inc./ XYZ Corp. Open

Communication of change requests to documents 9/17/2010 XYZ Corp. Open

Delivery of Final Executable Documents 9/24/2010 Smith Open

Partnership Agreement signed 9/30/2010 Tech Inc./ XYZ Corp. Open

Implementation TBD Tech Inc./ XYZ Corp. Open

Go live with partnership 1/2011 Tech Inc./ XYZ Corp. Open

Compelling Event

• Natural compelling event:– Existing contract expiring– Site opening or moving– Existing system being discontinued

• Manufactured compelling event:– Expiring discount– Expiring promotion– Limited product availability

DisqualifyingDisqualify (Takeaway)

• Maybe this is not the right direction for you to go.

• It sounds like you all are doing pretty good and might not need this.

• It does not seem like this is something you are really interested in.

Dealing with Objections

Watch our webinar recording of How to Consistently Get Around

Sales Objections

https://salesscripter.com/event/how-to-consistently-get-around-sales-objections-2/

Early Sales Process StagesInitial Contact

(First time to speak)

Cold CallInbound CallEmailEvent

2 to 5 minutes80% on prospect20% on you

First Conversation(Appointment/Meeting)

Phone CallFace-to-FaceDiscovery

20 to 30 minutes50% on prospect50% on you

First Meeting(Presentation)

DiscoveryPresentationDemonstration

1 to 2 hours20% on prospect80% on you

• Redirect• Goal is to get to the meeting• Try to pre-qualify

• Redirect or Overcome• Goal is to get to a presentation • Try to further qualify

• Overcome• Goal is to close (Sale or agreement to

move forward)

Redirect to Pre-Qualifying Questions

During Initial Contact

Response:

I understand. (Redirect to one of the qualifying questions) But if I could ask you real quick:

Are you currently using any automation tools to manage your inventory levels?

- Or -I understand.

(Optional defuse) And I want you to know that we are not trying to sell anything at this point.

(Optional defuse) I don’t even know if you are a good fit with what we do.

(Redirect to one of the qualifying questions) But if I could ask you real quick:

Are you currently using any automation tools to manage your inventory levels?

Redirect to Pain Points

During Initial Contact

Response:

I understand. (Redirect to one of the qualifying questions) When I talk with other manufacturing companies, the often express challenges with it taking too long to process orders and there are sometimes errors.

Have you ever been concerned by those?:

Redirect to CloseDuring Initial Contact (Late in Call)

Response:

I understand. And I want you to know that we are not trying to sell anything at this point as we don’t even know if you are a good fit or not.

Our goal is to simply open the dialogue between our two companies so that if you reach a point where there is budget available, you will know who we are and what we have to offer.

Can I put a brief 15 to 20 minute call on your calendar next Tuesday or Thursday afternoon?

Redirect to CloseDuring or After Appointment – Before Presentation

Response:

I would like to ask you to do me a favor and hold off on that concern right now. We are not trying to close any sale with you right now so the topic of budget being available is not completely relevant.

All we are trying to do right now is clearly identify if we are a good fit for you. That is why we would like to spend 20 to 30 minutes with you and show you some information on how we can help based on what you have shared so far.

We will continue forward aware that you have a budget concern and after that next meeting we can identify the level of fit and direction and pace to go. Does that sound reasonable?

OvercomeClose Attempt – After Presentation

Tactics:

• Get to the root of the concern

• Budget displacement

• Focus on ROI

• Identify sources of funding

• Look for alternative sources of funding

• Plant seed for the future

What is SalesScripter?

Cold Calling

Objections

Gatekeepers

Sales Messaging

Voicemail

Qualifying

Closing

Sales Process

Rapport

Building Interest

Cold Emailing

Setting Appointments

Building Credibility

Call Cadence

• Provides complete clarity for what a salesperson should do and say

• Very practical and easy to understand / implement / adopt

• Consultative selling approach

• Many tactics are counterintuitive

One Half - Sales Methodology

What is SalesScripter?

Cold Calling Scripts

Objection Responses

Key Questions

Marketing Tools

Voicemail Scripts

Meeting Scripts

Cold Email Templates

• Software platform that provides all the tools needed to execute the methodology

• Campaign-based (buyer persona) structure

• Makes it extremely easy to implement and reinforce the methodology

One Half – Prospecting Platform Software Application

Complete Sales Training Solution

Cold Calling

Objections

Gatekeepers

Sales Messaging

Voicemail

Qualifying

Closing

Sales Process

Rapport

Building Interest

Cold Emailing

Setting Appointments

Building Credibility

Call Cadence

Methodology

Salesperson

Manager

Cold Calling Scripts

Objection Responses

Key Questions

Marketing Tools

Voicemail Scripts

Meeting Scripts

Cold Email Templates

Software PlatformResources and Services

Books

Training Videos

One-on-One Coaching

Sales Consulting

Live Training

Completely

Aligned

Resources

• Five ebooks – Found at https://salesscripter.com/ebooks/– Do’s and Don’ts of Cold Calling– How to Get around Cold Call Objections– How to Build a Value Proposition that Generates

Leads– How to Build Sales Campaigns that Sell– How to Build Email Drip Campaigns that Convert

Sales

• The Cold Calling Equation – PROBLEM SOLVED– Found at

http://www.amazon.com/The-Cold-Calling-Equation-Problem/dp/1468173545

Our Books

Training

• Week 1– Understanding the Ideal Sales Process– How to Make Cold Calls– Appointment Setting Tactics– Voicemail Messaging Methodology

• Week 2– Sales Messaging Workshop– How to Get Prospect’s on the Phone– How to Get Around Objections– How to Incorporate Buyer Personas into Your

Selling– Overview of a 2-Step Qualifying Process

New Hire Onboarding Training Program / Sales Prospecting 101• Week 3

– How to Build Your Value Proposition– How to Focus on Prospect Pain– How to Get Around Gatekeepers– How to Perform the Perfect Takeaway

• Week 4– How to Build Rapport, Interest, and

Credibility– How to Improve Mental Strength When

Selling– How to Be a Better Closer

* Available through e-learning videos, live virtual, or live in-person* Can be tailored to your business

SalesScripter

What do you sell? ___________

How does it help? ___________

What problems do you fix? ___________

What questions should you ask? ___________

SalesScripter

SalesScripter

If You Want More Help

• https://www.youtube.com/user/LaunchPadSol• Or search Sales Scripter• Over 130 videos• Sales Prospecting 101 Training Program• Webinars• Sales Tips• SalesScripter demo videos• Subscribe

Step 1 – Go to our YouTube Channel

Resources

• Five ebooks – Found at https://salesscripter.com/ebooks/– Do’s and Don’ts of Cold Calling– How to Get around Cold Call Objections– How to Build a Value Proposition that Generates

Leads– How to Build Sales Campaigns that Sell– How to Build Email Drip Campaigns that Convert

Sales

• The Cold Calling Equation – PROBLEM SOLVED– Found at

http://www.amazon.com/The-Cold-Calling-Equation-Problem/dp/1468173545

Step 2 – Get Some of Our Books

If You Want More Help

• Build your scripts and campaigns– Call scripts– Email templates– Voicemail Scripts– Objection responses– Key Questions– And more

• $49 per month / $29 per month with annual subscription– 30 Day Money Back Guarantee

Step 3 – Sign up for SalesScripter

If You Want More Help

• One-on-one Sales Coaching

• Sales Consulting– Script development– Strategy development– Sales process development

• Sales Training– Custom sales training programs– Content aligned with your information in SalesScripter– Delivered virtually or in-person

Step 4 – Contact us for Coaching, Consulting, or Training

Questions?

Michael HalperFounder and CEO

SalesScriptermhalper@salesscripter.com

www.salesscripter.com