Sales Management:
Deal Closing
All Leaders sell us on their Ideas.
You either sell your vision, or you are sold on someone else’s.
If we don’t pursue our own goals, we end up advancing someone else's agenda.
The real mastery lies not just in selling but in closing the deal.
Why Closing Deals Matters?
- Momentum: Closing deals generates momentum, energizing you to continue achieving more
- Energy: Without closing a deal, the energy spent with a Customer is lost
- Helping: Closing deals is about delivering solutions and meeting needs
- Economic Impact: What you buy determines the type of economy you support
1 – ATTITUDE
Before every interaction with a Customer, you must check your attitude.
If it's not positive, you must change it.
Remember, your task is not only to have an optimistic attitude but also to transfer it to your Customers (attitude is contagious, like the flu).
This is where your professionalism starts.
2 – GREETING
You must make people feel welcome and at ease.
Introducing yourself in a professional and pleasant manner.
Show your sincere desire to help and support them, along with your empathy and openness to communication.
3 – COMMON GROUND
Continue building a personal connection with your Customer. What do you have in common? The more common ground you find, the easier it is to build a connection.
When you know your Customer, you know how to help.
4 – NEEDS FINDING
Identify the problems your Customer is trying to solve with your product.
You can't start discussing your product without knowing what's important to the Customer and why.
Understand their previous experiences and the solutions they have tried.
Can't find any needs – create them and maximize them.
You must qualify the customer – their needs and payment ability as well.
5 – SELECTION
By knowing the needs of your Customer, you can select the right product.
It is your responsibility and your job to find the solutions that satisfy the Customer's needs.
By the way, one study by Accenture found that 81% of Customers are not on the right product during the purchase.
JUST FOLLOW THE STEPS
Without following them, deal closure will be inconsistent, a matter of chance, or luck.
Even if people know you and your product, they can be unsure about your service.
That’s when you need to pursue and close the deal!
IMPORTANT:
You must be ethical and sell only what truly helps your Customers.
TRUST IS CRITICAL
From the start a Customer doesn’t trust You.
Distrust is your problem.
This is your job to create Trust.
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS AGREE WITH YOUR CUSTOMER
People love to be right.
– You are right! The price is high...
– I understand!
etc.
Your task is not to be right – your task is to build a connection.
Connection is built out of agreement.
6 – VALUE BUILDING: PRESENTATION
The value of what the Customer receives – the product – must exceed the value of what they give – money.
You must include three key characteristics of the product:
Feature – Something attractive about the product.
Advantage – A special quality or characteristic that sets the product apart.
Benefit – How the product can be used, what it offers, and the experience it provides.
Urgency – People must want to get it know – as they understand – this is what they need now!
Never show a feature without attaching advantages and benefits.
And remember – you must be interesting here.
7 – MENTAL OWNERSHIP
Let your Customer imagine having the product, touching it, and owning it in their mind, considering how it will serve them.
Mental ownership precedes every purchase.
– What are you going to do with your new X?
Then, identify any excuses or negative responses they might have to not buying.
8 – TRIAL CLOSE
You should validate the level of readiness to purchase.
What is the Customer feeling about the product?
– How would you rate your new X from 1 to 10?
Verify the selection by proposing alternatives to ensure the Customer is on the right product.
– Would you like to move up or down with your product?
9 – SERVICE WALK
Customers care about post-purchase service and support.
The more complicated the product, the more you must sell your company.
Who will be there for the client if they have issues with the product?
The rest of the company should be sold before the sale is ever made.
Your Customer should have confidence in both the product and the company
10 – WRITE UP
Summarize the key benefits, advantages, and features that matter most to the Customer in writing.
Let the Customer see what they will get and how their needs will be solved in writing. A deal that is written becomes alive – words just disappear in the air.
11 – CLOSE
Address final concerns by asking:
– Do they have any last-minute questions or concerns? – and addressing them promptly.
Express gratitude by thanking the Customer for their time.
Outline the follow-up plan, including next steps and support they can expect.
Finalize the agreement, show your Customer all they get, and make the exchange.
12 – DELIVERY
Ensure the Customer is happy and understands how to use the product.
Provide clear instructions or a user manual for the product to help the Customer get started.
Offer support channels, such as a helpline or chat support, for any questions or issues they might have.
Schedule a follow-up call or email to check in on their experience with the product.
13 – FOLLOW UP
Stay in touch with your Customers to ensure continued satisfaction, repeat business, and referrals.
Send them updates or tips about the product to keep them engaged.
Encourage them to provide feedback to understand their experience better and leave reviews to promote your service to future leads.
RESPONSIBILITY
Deal Closure is fully your Responsibility.
Customers don’t make Sales – You do.
Customers don’t stop Sales – You do.
THE WORDS OF OWNING
Direct the mind of your Customer into the ownership of the product.
"Your new X"…
Your job is to build an emotional connection.
VALUE
You can only close when you have built value.
Value = Feature + Advantage + Benefit
People want to know they are buying the right product.
THIRD PARTY DATA VALIDATION
Always back up your saying with data!
People believe what they see, not what they hear.
Never assume they trust what you are saying – show them the data!
EMOTIONS + LOGIC
The key is to create an Emotional Connection with the product.
Sell with Emotions, but Close with Logic.
Keep things logical by providing accurate information.
POSITIVE LANGUAGE
You're in the people business – not X business.
Every sale starts with relationships – positive ones!
Always use positive words to create positive connections.
Maintain a can-do attitude:
– I'll be happy to do that.
Use a sense of humor and always show understanding.
YOU MUST BE COMPLETELY SOLD
The first Close you need to make is to Close yourself.
You must believe in what you do.
You are either convinced that your product, your service, and your company are great, or you are convinced of something else.
You choose!
So, if you have any problem with closing a deal, ask yourself this question: Am I completely sold?
Then follow through with commitment to get it done, whatever happens.
If there's no commitment, turn back and make sure you're sold.
Check what you are sold on.
Also, ensure you are working for a company you love.
OBJECTIONS
Customers will make excuses and use reactionary defensive responses (RDR) to avoid spending resources: time and money.
The key is to continue being persuasive and creative.
Be willing to close the deal, no matter what happens – you'll always have something to say.
It's also a brilliant idea to practice dealing with objections with your team.
Never take it personally and never quit.
Don't just handle objections – handle attitude!
Don't push against the objection – pull in: You are right, I agree with You, I understand!
Your mission is not to sell, but to solve the problems of your Customer.
You are not selling – you are helping and closing.
FOLLOW UP
If you work with Customers remotely or the process is long-term – You must follow up at every step.
Following up is the king Deal Closures.
Utilize all available technology and techniques,
plus CRM.
80% of all sales are made between the 5th and 12th contact!
Follow-up is so important to nurture relationships.
You should nurture both sold and unsold customers.
If you lose follow-up, you lose opportunities to build relationships and close a deal.
Treat that as an interesting Game.
PRICE IS NEVER AN ISSUE
Purchase is about decision!
First – Decision
Second – Sense of the Money
When You have Money Problem – Build Value:
Benefits, Advantages, Features –
in your product, yourself, and your Company – and Urgency.
Solve main problems, find what's important for your Customer – and the price conflict will resolve itself.
SECOND SALE
After the decision, Customers become more open to spending a little more.
The second purchase supports the rightness of the first decision.
Second money is the easiest money.
– Would you consider adding/going up to the next level - it will only cost a little more.
Second sale is dessert.
PERSONAL TRAITS
You must be:
Committed, Confident, Convinced, Consistent,
Pursue till the end, Willing to learn.
With complete attention to your Customer and
always getting attention on yourself.
Don't be an excuse factory to not close your deal.
PRINCIPLES
Product second – first are people and solving their problems and needs.
Understand people to get product’s benefits, advantages, features, and urgency to them.
Customer must regret if they don't buy.
Make sure you are speaking with a decision maker.
You must Listen Listen Listen and then Give Give Give what a Customer need!
Sell Yourself – the first rule.
Always Agree – the second rule.
Give Give Give – the third rule.
And whenever you are rejected or disappointed –
always finish every conversation and follow through with Thankfulness and Appreciation.
and,
Always Be Closing!
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I confidently do everything possible to ensure your Company's Service is Exceptional and Customers are more than Satisfied.
I also strive to upsell and encourage Customers to recommend the Company, increasing Revenue of your Company.
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