After you’ve delivered your sales presentation and demonstrated that your product or service is the ideal solution to your prospect’s problem, what if that person won’t proceed with your offer and won’t tell you why? Well, if that’s the case, you still have a chance to earn the sale.
Here’s how this approach works:
Say, “Paul, there seems to be some question in your mind that’s causing you to be a bit uncertain about going ahead with this right now. Can I ask what it is?”
Now, after you ask this question, simply be quiet. You see, if you allow the silence to remain, sooner or later, your prospect will likely fill the void by answering your question.
Then, whatever question or objection your prospect brings up, acknowledge and complement it. Say, “That’s a good question. I’m glad you brought it up. In addition to that, is there any other reason why you might be hesitating to go ahead with this offer right now?”
Again, stay quiet. “Why” you ask.
Because many times, the first objection is just a smokescreen. In other words, the true objection is hidden further beneath the surface.
So, if the prospect gives you another reason, acknowledge it and move on. Then, you continue asking, “And on top of that, is there anything else?” until the prospect finally says, “No, that’s my last concern.”
The thing is, sometimes the prospect will give you a few minor objections before giving you the major objection. You see, it’s almost as if they know that once you’ve drawn out their major objection and answered it, they won’t have any reason not to proceed. Or, to put it another way, they might keep this final objection back from you merely to avoid making the buying decision.
And after they reveal this final concern, you then say, “Okay, Paul. If we could answer that question to your complete satisfaction, would you be ready to move forward right now?” Then, you wait until the prospect says something like, “Yes, if you can take care of that concern, I don’t see any reason not to go ahead.”
And after the prospect says that, you then reply, “Well, Paul, let’s reason together. You tell me. What would it take to satisfy you in this area?” Now, the prospect’s answer to this last question will be the closing condition.
In other words, it’s the final barrier that you must remove. And once they’ve told you what it is, it’s your job to meet that condition to their satisfaction and wrap up the sale.
For instance, suppose the prospect says, “I’d need to talk to two or three other people in our industry who are already using your product and are happy with the results they’re getting before I could make my decision.” You could then say, “Okay, Paul. Instead of wasting your time, let’s make that a condition to the sale. We’ll write up the agreement exactly how we’ve discussed it, subject to your speaking with three other people and being satisfied.”
You see, instead of going away to get names and numbers and bringing them back to the prospect, you’re asking for the order and the prospect’s signature immediately, subject to the prospect following up with the references you provide shortly after. In other words, you always try to confirm the sale at that very moment, even if you have to make it contingent on the fulfillment of a final condition. And by doing this, you’ll be much more likely to get and keep the sale than if you came back later.
