Clinching the Deal – The Art of Closing

Hello again, sales superstars! You’ve made it to the third and final chapter of our Dial & Deliver Series – where we help you maximise your results from your telesales activities.

Chapter 3 is the final piece of the puzzle – all about the art of effective closing. How to bring home the bacon (or the tofu, for our veggie friends). If you haven’t read the other two chapters, you can find them here:

Dial & Deliver: Chapter 1 – A B2B Telemarketer’s Guide to Glory

Dial & Deliver: Chapter 2 – The After Party: Lead Nurturing, Metrcis & Handling Rejection

The Sales Playbook: Closing the Deal

First things first, there’s no magic trick to closing a deal. Neither is it about ‘wining and dining’ your prospects. That’s just bribery. The real key to bringing the deal home lies in a healthy mix of relationship building, emphasising value, and sneaking in a sprinkle of gentle persuasion (Well, a little bit more than a sprinkle).

Here are some top tips from, well… us:

Build trust with your client:

Ever seen a horse trying to pull a carriage without reins? It doesn’t work, does it? You need that connection, that rapport. It’s the reins in your sales carriage.

Know your product like the back of your hand:

A few of us in the Smartlead team are also (semi)pro musicians. And there’s a lot of correlation between music artistry and sales artistry. Learning a new song and learning your sales patter are both all about one thing – commitment, baby! Your product is the song, and you’ve got to rehearse it over and over again to make sure you’re tone perfect for the performance.

You’ve established the need – now reinforce it:

You’ve worked hard to understand your client and establish they have a need for what you’re selling. Reinforce this idea by illustrating clearly how you can meet that need or solve their problems effectively. Build a picture of what they can expect from the end results of your beautiful friendship.

Customise your approach – empathise and adapt:

Have you met two identical people? No? Us neither! Customise your pitch. Sales are just as much about empathy as they are about business acumen. This isn’t just about getting in their heads – it’s about getting in their hearts too.

Create a sense of urgency:

Many of our team used to work in the print advertising game. And there was never an easier sell than a top press title – because there was a print deadline. And if your client missed the boat, they missed the boat.

If only this kind of self-imposed urgency existed in all other markets…

No such luck. So, you’ll have to brew your own urgency.

There are many ways you can do this. You can create time-specific offers, exclusive discounts or special promotions to motivate your prospects to act before a specific deadlline.

Or, by emphasizing the value they’ll receive and the potential consequences of not acting quickly, you can encourage them to make a decision.

The right route to take all depends on your client’s initial pain points and your product/service’s benefits. Consult your instincts. You’ll know what to do. Use the force, sales jedi.

Address concerns directly:

During the closing stage, it’s common for prospects to have lingering doubts or concerns. This is one final shot at objection handling. Just as before, take the time to address these directly and provide reassurance. Listen actively to their concerns and offer solutions that address their specific worries. By showing that you understand their reservations and have solutions in place, you’ll build trust and increase their confidence in your product or service.

Offer a guarantee (if you can):

One way to alleviate any remaining doubts is to offer a guarantee of some kind. This can be as simple as a money-back guarantee on the product or service itself, or it could be an assurance that your firm will provide customer support for a specified period of time. A guarantee provides peace of mind and builds trust in your business.

Remember – you have to ask for the business!

This seems like an obvious one. But, even at this stage of the game, many salespeople forget the actual purpose of the whole process. They realise that the end goal of a sales call is to get a customer to say yes… but they don’t always realise they have to ask the question first. If your prospect hasn’t already handed you that yes on a platter, you need to ask them for it. So, when you hit your closing question, be direct: “Do we have a deal?”

The different types of sales close

The Assumptive Close: Why wait for them to make up their mind? Just assume your client totally wants your product/service (because who wouldn’t?), and gently guide them to the next step, like discussing payment plans or delivery dates. (Sneaky yet effective!)

“So, let’s get you set up. We’ll have your account up and running by tomorrow. Do you have your credit card to hand?”

The Now-or-Never Close: Create a sense of urgency with limited-time offers, special discounts, or exclusive bonuses – whatever gets your client to take action pronto. After all, nobody wants to miss out on a sweet deal. (FOMO – every salesperson’s best friend.)

“We’ve got a window to get the ball rolling on your order this week. If you sign up right now, we’ll be two steps ahead by next month and have you reaping those rewards ahead of schedule.”

The Summary Close: Paint a pretty picture of all the delightful benefits, features, and value they’ll be scoring with your product/service. Let the client see exactly what they’re investing in and why it’s worth every penny. (Remind ’em what they’re getting!)

“Let’s recap: You’re not just gaining state-of-the-art software, you’re getting 24/7 customer support, free future updates, and free training for the entire team from our product experts. Shall we go ahead and book this all in?”

The Question Close: Turn the tables and get your client to make the closing statement themselves. By simply asking questions like,

“How do you see our product/service benefiting your business?”

Or

“Seeing all the benefits we’ve talked about, how do you envisage this solving that challenge we discussed?”

You can guide them to close the deal on their own. (Mind. Blown. 🤯)

The Takeaway Close: “Wait, you’re telling me I can’t have it?” Dangle the carrot, then snatch it away to ignite that irresistible craving. Just remove a feature, bonus, or discount to make them realise they NEED your complete offer. (Who knew we were all toddlers inside? 🍭)

“To be honest, our premium package – the one with all the fancy bells and whistles – is very popular. You could opt for the standard… but of course you’d lose out on x, y and z.”

The Alternative Close: “Do you want the blue one or the red one?” Choices, choices! Offer them a couple of options to choose from and make them feel in control while nudging them toward closing on something. (Plot twist: Either way, you win. 🎬)

“So, would you prefer a Monday or Wednesday start date for your service?”

The Testimonial Close: A friend’s recommendation is worth its weight in gold, right? Share stories of previous customers’ awe-inspiring successes with your product/service, and suddenly everyone wants a taste of that sweet victory too. (Please, sir, can we have some more? 🥄)

“Remember Jane from Cupcakes Galore? She saw an uptick of 200% in sales within three weeks of using our service. Can I put you down to be our next success story?”

The Balance Sheet Close: Break it down with some good ol’ pros and cons for the client. Comparing the benefits (many) to the drawbacks (few) will make the decision a no-brainer for them. (Who doesn’t want to see the light? 💡)

“On one hand, you invest X amount in our solution. On the other, you’re looking at increased sales, happier clients, less stress…”

The Puppy Close: Ever brought a puppy home “just for a trial” and ended up with a furry family member for life? Offer your client a trial run or temporary access, and watch them fall head-over-heels for your product/service. Works like a charm! 🐶

“Why don’t you take our service for a spin this week, free of charge? No strings attached, promise. But beware, it’s as addictive as cuddling a puppy!” (Furry pupper not included… sadly.)

The Sharp Angle Close: Answer this, salesheroes: When your client asks for a small concession in exchange for closing the deal, what do you say? Drumroll, please… “YES!” Seal the deal, and everyone walks away smiling. 😃

“Free shipping? Well…since you asked so nicely – and because it’s Tuesday – we can swing that. So, what do you say? Let’s make it official!”

Remember, you’re not just selling a product or service – you’re helping your clients improve their lives and businesses. These questions will help you not only close the deal, but also create lasting relationships built on trust and support.

And remember – no doesn’t always mean never

Often, “No” means “Not now.” So, hang in there, buddy! And always, always, always follow up.

Till next time, keep rockin’ those sales, and remember to keep it genuine, keep it fun, and keep it you.

To hone your sales game, sign up for our Smartlead Sales Training Academy. Your sales figures, your boss and your bank balance will thank you.