Making The Sale: 5 Closing Techniques & Tips

Sales closing techniques are a dime a dozen, but if you don’t know how to use them effectively you won’t have a great sales closing rate.

Getting the order is the ultimate goal.

You can find the best prospects in the business, build a tight relationship with them, and go the extra mile to answer questions. But if you can’t get them to pull the trigger on a sale, your efforts are for nothing.

Closing a sale requires work. You need to research, know your customer’s pain points, and be prepared for objections. It’s a process that many salespeople are great at.

But if you or your team are having trouble closing, there are some simple techniques that you can incorporate into your sales closing process that should help up those sales closing statistics.

The Two Closing Styles

There are about as many different sales closing techniques as there are salespeople’s personalities. They all fall under one of two categories.

The Hard Close:

You’re in the thick of a close and your customer is indecisive. You decide to up the pressure a little and let him know that today is the last day he’ll be able to get this deal at a great price. Tomorrow the discount is void, and he’ll end up paying twice as much.

You notice how his eyebrows raise when he hears this news. After a brief hesitation, he picks up the pen and signs on the dotted line.

If this sounds like you, you’re most likely a hard closer. Hard closes are popular and are known as the classics of sales closing techniques.

They tend to be:

Assertive and direct
Deadline-driven and urgent
Fast-talking and assumptive

The Soft Close:

Perhaps you would deal with the indecisive prospect by artfully setting his mind back on the benefits your product or service would provide.

You quietly ask your prospect a simple question. “If you could reduce your maintenance costs by 20% and increase your productivity and profit by 10%, would that help you get closer to your goals for the company?”

And then, you wait for the inevitable yes.

The soft close can almost be known as the no-close. It’s passive and subtly persuasive, quite the opposite to the hard close.

Soft closes are:

Subtle and indirect
Urgent, but in a less pressured sense
Customer-sensitive and attentive

Many specific techniques can fall somewhere in between hard and soft, depending on the demeanor of the salesperson and the business relationship between the seller and customer.

Which Closing Strategy Is Best?

Choosing a strategy depends on how you sell. Some of us are hard sellers, while some prefer a softer approach. Although soft selling has a higher success rate than hard selling, the hard sell has some real potential for certain customers.

They say the customer is king, and this is even more important in today’s world. Increased informational transparency gives consumers greater power, and this is key when it comes to making deals without pressuring your customer.

Whichever you choose, it’s all about aligning yourself with the needs of the potential client. This means:

Learning about their exact pain points

Customers look for salespeople who understand their needs better than they do. It’s essential, therefore, to gain a very thorough understanding of the problem areas that cause the customer stress.

There’s only one way to learn the ins and outs of your customer’s problems, and that is to ask relevant questions and then listen.

Offering innovative solutions to those particular pain points

The businesses that get the most sales are those who present a unique selling point. Closing the sale will be vastly easier if your solution is inventive and original.

Creativity is underrated in the business world, but it can tip the scales in your favor if you’re responsive and think out of the box when offering your prospects a practical solution to their pain points.

Providing a road map for avoiding potential landmines

You’re the expert on your product or service, and the customer knows it. Modern customers expect an outline of how to avoid some potential pitfalls that could trip up their business. This is exactly what your job as a salesperson entails – providing real solutions to their troubles.

Effective Sales Closing Techniques & Tips

If you’ve got most of the sales process down but your sales closing lines need some polishing, give one of these less-used techniques a try next time you’re trying to get the deal.

Classic Closing Techniques

Common closing techniques that are old-school may work in many cases. These include:

Assumptive Close

When using this technique, you simply act as if your customer has already given you the go-ahead. It works superbly for confident closers who can see it through.

Questions that work well to close the deal are things such as:

“When shall we deliver?”
“When can we come in to set it up for you?”
“Do you want that with or without the extra offering of ABC?”

Best For: Customers who agree about the benefits of your product or service but are having some trouble giving a strong yes.

The Yes Close

The key to this strategy is to get the prospect saying “yes” as often as possible.

Keeping in mind that listening is more important than speaking in a sales meeting, you need to get your customer to see the value of your product or service in as short-winded a way as possible.

Bring up some questions that should elicit a “yes”. Some great options are:

“Can you see how this product would save you time?”
“Do you agree that implementing this solution would save you money in maintenance costs?”
“Do you understand how using this product or service would bring you more business/clients and therefore more revenue?”

These should be natural yeses and when it comes to the last question about closing the meeting and agreeing to the deal, your customer is already in the “yes” mindset and has agreed to all the benefits.

That makes the last yes simply a formality, and your deal should be closed with ease.

Best For: Customers who have few objections and are agreeable.

Alternate-Option Close

This is a more subtle way of using the assumptive close. It works the same way, with you acting as though the customer has already decided to make the deal, but simply needs to choose which specific option they want.

Providing your prospect with two or three alternatives often works wonders.

Examples of effective sales closing lines that offer alternate options include:

“Would you prefer this size or the next one up?”
“Would Tuesday or Thursday suit you for us to come and implement it?”
“Which of the three choices seems the most useful to you and your company?”

Even if your customer is unsure, the likelihood is that they’ll make a choice rather than turning all options down.

Best For: Prospects who show interest but are slow to bite.

Suggestive Close

The suggestive close is another variation on the assumptive close. It’s best to use with potential customers that you have built up a great rapport with, and who see you as trustworthy and having their best interests at heart.

The wording you use here is crucial to ensure success. You need to show that you’ve heard your customer and have knowledge of their business.

Some good ways to use this close would be:

“Considering you mentioned that you do staff meetings on a Friday, I would suggest we implement this before your meeting so you can inform the staff. Would that work for you?”
“Based on what you’ve told me about your company, I’d suggest you receive orders on a Monday. Would that be all right?”

Best For: Customers who you have a good rapport and trust with.

Summary Close

The summary close is almost a second close. Once you know your prospect is going to take your offer, simply summarize what they’ll be receiving, in a reminder of all the value they’ll be getting for their money.

It’s a good way to reinforce the quality and features they’ll soon have at their disposal, and remove any lingering doubt that may have been in their mind.

Make it sound as attractive as possible without over-embellishing.

“So you’ll be getting the full-featured package, and remember that comes with free delivery and implementation, anytime customer support, and our comprehensive guarantee.”
You’ve made a great choice. The product has all the features you’ll need, as well as a box for easy transportation, extra cables, a useful user manual, and customer support for any problems you may have. And all this at a discounted rate!”

Best For: Those who have already agreed to take your offer but may seem concerned about what they’ve agreed to.

Now or Never Close

Never underestimate the power of urgency.

This close is built on the idea that what you’re offering will only be available for a limited time. Your aim is to get the customer to commit today.

If they wait until tomorrow, the price will increase, or they may need to do extra paperwork or wait an extra week for implementation or delivery.

“I can give you a 10% discount if you sign today. From tomorrow, we aren’t allowed to give discounts anymore.”
“This is the last one on sale. They’ve been supremely popular.”
“My manager is out today. He would usually have to give approval, but if you sign it today I can push it through quickly.”
“We’ll only be in the area until the end of the day. Thereafter, you’ll need to come to our office in ABC to sign paperwork.”

This works because customers don’t want to miss out on a great deal. They’d rather take it now than lose out and wonder what they may have had.

Best For: Customers who are trying to buy time to think about your offer.

Deadline Close

This sales closing technique works really well when there’s some kind of deadline or event coming up.

For example, if your prospect is planning to launch a new product, you might impress upon them the benefit of closing this deal before the launch so they can begin to implement and use the product or service to help with their launch.

Holidays like Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and so on are perfect times for this.

Create a sense of urgency but also remind the customer of the potential financial benefits of agreeing to the deal before the event.

“If we deliver before next week, your Christmas sales will skyrocket.”
“Changing your accounting system before the beginning of the next financial year means you can start the next year with all your information in one place.”

Best For: Prospects who are reluctant to commit but show obvious interest.

Classic Soft Close

Soft closes get more sales than hard closes, and there’s research to prove that. That doesn’t mean hard closers don’t work, though. It depends on the customer.

If you’re dealing with a potential client who values the working relationship and reacts negatively to being sold to, the soft close would work better.

It involves outlining the benefits of the product or service, and then asking low-impact probing questions to subtly guide the customer into saying yes.

Effective soft closing conversations are structured in a non-threatening and thought-provoking way:

“If buying this product caused your revenue to increase by 10% while reducing maintenance costs by 10%, would you be interested in that?”
“If I could help you eliminate this pain point and significantly reduce this one, does that sound like something you might consider?”

Soft closes are particularly successful as they focus heavily on the benefits to the customer and “ask for permission” in a very relaxed and low-key way. The customer feels like they’re more in charge and aren’t being forced into a corner to close a deal.

Best For: Customers who don’t like being sold to.

If you’re already using these with little success, there are some more unusual but highly effective techniques out there that would be worth trying.

Less-Used Closing Techniques

Some of these are hard closes and others are soft closes. They’re the less-used of the closing strategies, though, so if your classic techniques aren’t bringing you success, try some of these and see how they impact your sales closing rates.

The Sharp Angle

This technique is useful for those prospects who ask for a price reduction or additions to the deal. It’s wise to discuss this with your sales manager before using this technique, but it can be a helpful way of serving a mutually beneficial purpose.

Your customer clearly wants the product. They also want a discount. What they may not be expecting is for you to respond with a counter-offer.

If the prospect has already indicated their desire for a reduction in price and you accept their offer if they sign for it today, it makes it quite difficult for them to back out of what they’ve got themselves into.

Best For: Customers who specifically ask for a price reduction or extra benefits.

The Question

This is a deceivingly simple closing strategy. Asking questions that are relevant to the customer’s business is necessary to discover their pain points, and you can just carry right on and close out with a question too.

It’s effective because it demands an answer but in a non-threatening way, especially if you’ve been asking questions throughout the sales process.

A simple “Does the product or service I’m offering solve your problem?” could be the key to getting the deal closed.

If the answer is “no”, it opens up further discussion around how you can help. It’s essential that the prospect is crystal clear about the advantage your product or service will bring to their business.

If the answer is “yes”, you’re closer to getting the deal closed.

Getting a “yes, but…” can give you further insight into your prospect’s pain points and allows for some negotiation.

Best For: Customers who are straight-shooters and want the deal done and dusted quickly but won’t stand for nonsense.

The Free Gift

Customers want value. If that value comes for free, even better.

Offering a straight-up discount, waiving a fee, adding a free feature or extra product, or giving the first month’s service free at no cost are all effective ways of getting the close.

A free offering upfront is also a great way of getting referral business.

Best For: Any prospect, as an extra incentive.

The Reverse Psych

Also known as the backwards close, this specific technique upends the usual sales process by asking for referrals upfront.

The traditional way of requesting a referral is after the close is made. This strategy puts a spin on the original by introducing a referral request early in the sales process.

An effective question may sound something like this:

“Can you think of anybody who may benefit from what we have to offer? I’d love to get in touch with them and discuss how we can help their business thrive by lowering maintenance costs and increasing revenue by 15 to 20%.”

The reason this works is that your prospect immediately feels like you aren’t selling to them, but they’re aware of the potential gains their own business could receive from taking this deal.

Work your way backwards from there to explain what qualifies your company to provide outstanding service.

Best For: People who may feel suspicious about being sold to and need to be put at ease early in the process.

The Test Drive

Nothing works as well as allowing a prospect to test drive your product or service before committing.

This allows the customer a chance to get to know the product or service and experience firsthand how it can benefit their business.

Once they’ve had a taste of the ease of use and the direct benefits to their business (financial, time, and efficiency), closing the sale is likely to be a breeze.

It’s wise to check with your sales manager before offering free trials, though.

Best For: Prospects who want tangible proof that your product or service works before they commit.

The Take Away

This is a bit of reverse psychology. If your customer is edging for a discount, meet them halfway.

Instead of just caving and giving them the discount they want, agree to give them a lower price… Minus a feature or two.

This works wonders for getting the customer to sign up for exactly what they wanted in the first place, at the original price because they don’t want to miss out on what you removed.

“Sure, we can reduce the price but then you won’t have access to the 24-hour customer service.”
“I can drop the price by 10%, but that won’t include free delivery.”

Best For: Prospects who are looking for a discount before they’ll close the deal.

The Objection

The objection technique is a subtle way of getting the sale closed. Once you’re confident that your prospect understands the details of what you’re offering, ask them if they have any objections.

This allows you to address any problems or questions they may have that are preventing them agreeing to the deal. It’s a non-threatening way of negotiating that makes the customer feel like they’ve got the upper hand.

Try saying something like:

“Is there any reason we shouldn’t proceed with this deal?”
“Do you have any questions that I could answer before we move on?”
“Is there anything that you’d like me to clarify for you before we continue?”

Best For: Customers who had had objections throughout the meeting.

The Scale

If you need to gauge your prospect’s interest before moving on, getting them to rate your product or service on a 1-10 scale can give you a good idea of where they stand and how you could move forward.

A high score on the scale could be an opening into a direct sales closing technique, such as an assumptive close or a suggestive close.

A low score would provide the opportunity to clarify any objections they may have.

This is a technique that’s almost a pre-close. The results of your 1-10 scale will give you an indication of which technique might be best to follow up with.

“On a scale of one to ten, how likely are you to buy a product such as this?”
From one to ten, how confident are you that investing in this will bring you a great ROI?”

Best For: Those who aren’t giving away much about their interest in the product or service.

The Empathy Close

Empathy is an invaluable skill to be able to use in the sales environment.

This is a technique that involves less pressure and direct selling. It’s all about emotion and understanding the customer. Or, more specifically, showing them that you have a good understanding of their pain points but putting yourself in their shoes.

Use language that helps them understand that you’re on the same page. Add in a reference to the product or service without being overbearing.

“I completely understand, we’ve also been going through some restructuring and it’s a stressful time. This product has helped us get it done quicker than usual, though.”
“I’ve been where you are, and I know that you must be feeling overwhelmed. This solution really helped me get out of that dark place.”

It’s essential that you be prepared for these customers to delay. If they ask for some time to decide, show understanding and grant them what they’re asking, but ask if you can make a follow-up appointment the following day or week.

Empathy can be a great way to build trust with your customers, too.

Best For: Prospects who are reluctant to buy and have a specific reason for that reluctance.

The Artisan

In this close, you’ll highlight the amount of skill, time, and work that is being invested by people other than the prospect.

It’s different in that it focuses more on the people involved and their skills and time than on the features of the product or service you’re selling.

This focus on the work involved implies something of high quality, and giving the customer an insight into the effort and passion that has gone into the production or delivering of the product or service increases its perceived value.

Best For: Customers who are appreciative of the value of hard work and time spent on the product or service.

The Ben Franklin

Every American businessman worth their salt knows who Ben Franklin was. What you may not know is the tactic he used when faced with tough decisions.

Franklin would make a list of pros and cons and weigh them up against each other. It sounds simple, but it’s a highly effective way of helping potential customers understand the real value of what they’re buying.

The key is to acknowledge the cons that the prospect is nervous about, but help them to see how the positive aspects outweigh the negatives and how the negatives can be fixed or worked around.

Best For: People who are hesitant to buy because of the perceived negatives of your product or service.

The Visual

It’s a fact that most people respond better to visual information than they do to a simple conversation, numbers, or text.

This closing technique relies on the implementation of visual aids to help the customer make their decision. Graphs, charts, tables, and, in particular, video, are extremely effective and memorable.

PowerPoint presentations are often used to buff up this technique. The customer can also ask to go back to a particular slide if they want to refer back to something, so it’s a very tangible and practical way of making the sale.

This sales closing technique can actually be incorporated into any other technique simply by adding a visual element.

Best For: Incorporating into any other type of close.

The Opportunity Cost

This special technique relies on financial urgency to close the deal.

You’ll impress upon your customer the financial loss they’ll undergo if they don’t take this deal. This is less to get your prospect to agree out of fear but more to highlight the fact that this is an investment and will have a great ROI.

You want your prospect to understand that the longer they wait to close the sale, the more they’re losing out on.

“Our system may cost you 10% more than your current one, but it will save you 20% or more in maintenance costs. That means the longer you stay with your current provider, the more money you’ll be spending and the less profit you’ll be making.”

Best For: Customers who are worried about the cost of your product or service.

The Ownership Close

This is another offshoot of the assumptive close. Act as though the deal has already been finalized and your customer owns the product, and speak to them about their product.

Use language like:

“How will you rearrange your office to fit in your new desk?”
“The money you’ll be saving using your new software can be reinvested back into the business.”
“You’ve got an amazing deal here.”

Notice how the conversation refers to the customer and their new product, and how their lifestyle might change for the better now that they have it.

Best For: People who are already showing a fair amount of interest in the product or service.

The Best Time to …

Here’s another one that makes use of urgency to get the customer to close things off.

Try and focus on something coming up that has some significance to your service or product.

Things like seasons, holidays, and business-related things such as a product launch or your own business’s stock.

“We only have this discount during the Christmas season.”
“The end of the financial year is around the corner. Implementing the new system before then would save you a lot of hassle.”
Summer is here and it’s only going to get hotter. Getting a head start on this would save you time and money when prices go up in a few weeks.”

Emphasize why now is the best time for them, personally or in a business sense, to make the deal and begin implementing or using it.

Best For: Customers who are procrastinating signing off on the sale.

Time & Date

Also known as the Calendar Close, this technique keeps the sales process alive and gives your prospect a little more time to think it over.

If you sense that your customer is not going to close the sale, it may be wise to end the meeting. Be sure to set a time and date for a follow-up meeting, preferably in the very near future so the initial meeting and offer is still fresh in your customer’s mind.

“When shall we make our next meeting?”
“How about next Tuesday at 1pm?”

Their response is also a way for you to gauge how likely they are to commit in your next meeting. It may be that their lack of enthusiasm in the current meeting is simply a result of a bad day or a personal matter, or it could be that they’re not interested at all and just aren’t sure how to get that across.

Best For: Prospects who aren’t ready to sign off on a deal at the end of a meeting.

The Testimonial

People buy from people, and a glowing testimonial helps build trust credibility.

This is a powerful technique because you’re sharing experiences of those who have used and benefited from your product or service.

A great testimonial helps to ease customer’s worries that this product won’t work for them or might be too hard or complicated to use.

Testimonials can be in the form of letters, reviews, or videos of clients using the product.

Best For: Those who are unsure if your service or product will be beneficial to them or their business.

Hard-To-Get

This strategy is a bit of reverse psychology and may be difficult for some salespeople to do, as it relies on being passive rather than active.

If you’re at the end of the sales closing process and your customer just isn’t taking it, let them know that you’re taking a step back and it’s up to them to get in touch when they’re ready to close it out.

This will go a long way towards you being seen as respectful and helpful, rather than pestering.

Best For: Customers who have all the necessary information and want to be in the driving seat.

The Value Wedge / USP

In most industries, there’s a huge overlap between a company’s products and solutions and their competitors’ – up to 70%, in fact.

In order to stand out and pique your customer’s interest, it’s essential to focus on the 30% or so that sets you apart from the others. This is known as your Value Wedge.

You want your pitch to be anything but generic. Why should your customer choose you over others?

“We have the highest success statistics in the area.” (make sure you can back claims like this up with data)
“Not only does our product have all the usual features of a XYZ, it also comes with three brand new, exciting and effective modes that take it from standard to premium.”

Best For: Prospects who want something innovative and that stands out from competitors.

The Triple Threat

Otherwise known as the Pattern Close or the 1-2-3, this strategy is all about laying your pitch out in threes.

It may sound strange, but it’s harmonious to the brain, easy to process, and reinforces your message.

Highlight:

Three pain points your customer has
Three benefits of your product and how they will fix the pain points
And three add-ons, customer testimonials, or product options

Best For: Incorporating into any close.

Adjournment Close

If you can tell your potential customer is not going to close now, get the upper hand by using this technique.

Give them time to think it over or consider the points you’ve raised in the meeting.

If you’ve raised enough tension in the meeting and impressed upon the prospect that they need to seriously consider this offer, they’ll likely be raring to go when you see them again.

It also shows respect for the customer and allows them space. It may be that they’re waiting for month end or for funds to come in but retain a high level of interest in closing when that comes through.

Best For: Those who you can tell aren’t going to close the sale now but who have incentive to come back and buy.

Budget Close

Sometimes customers will be very interested but simply can’t afford your offer.

If you want to make the sale, find out how much they can afford and cater just for their budget. You can:

Strip the product or service down to its bare minimum
Arrange to pay in installments
Offer a variety of packages that may suit their budget better

If you’re willing to step out and make a plan for the customer, it’s also a great way to build trust.

Make sure not to get customers to sign themselves into debt they can’t repay.

Best For: Customers who are on a specific and rigid budget.

Ask The Manager

If your customer is after a discounted price and you can tell they aren’t likely to sign at the current price, the Ask-The-Manager close is an effective way to get them to take that next step.

Tell your prospect that you aren’t authorized to give a discount but you can get hold of your manager and ask for one.

This gives the impression that you’re going out of your way to accommodate the customer, and is likely to bring good results.

If your manager is nearby, let the customer see that you’re having a discussion. If not, get on the phone and let them see the animated talk you’re having.

In some cases, the prospect would rather sign at the current price than disturb the manager, so whichever way this sways, chances are there will be a good outcome for the salesperson.

Best For: Customers who are hesitant to make the sale at the current price.

The Bonus

As its name suggests, the bonus close takes a normal closing technique a step further by offering something surprising and attention-grabbing.

This could be the key to pushing them over to signing. Things that work well include:

“I’ll throw in a free month upfront so you can start off on a good note.”
“You’ve put up with me for the last few hours so I’ll set you up with free delivery at your convenience.”
“You know what, I’ll give you an extra two sets of batteries so you have a backup in case of emergencies.”

Best For: People who are close to signing but are reluctant for no apparent reason.

The Bracket

This strategy plays on the principle of three again.

In this close, you’re going to make three offers.

Something luxurious, overly full-featured, and obviously out of their budget
A good deal that covers all their needs and falls solidly into their price range
A watered-down option that is missing several important features for a low price

This makes it easy for the prospect to consider their options and come to the natural conclusion that the middle one would suit them perfectly.

Best For: Those who need a logical reason behind spending the money on your service or product.

The Daily Cost

For those potential clients who are interested in the numbers behind your offer, bringing it down to the cost per day is an easy way to show them how inexpensive it really is and how much value they are getting for a small amount.

“It comes down to just $3 per day. Not bad for what you’re getting, is it?”
“$20 a week isn’t much to pay for the benefits you’ll be getting out of this.”
“Paying $200 a week isn’t that much when you consider that you’ll be upping your revenue by at least 10%. That means you’ll still be making a profit of $300 each week.”

It’s easier for customers to understand the value and the great price they’re paying for it if it’s reduced to its smallest increment.

Best For: Customers who want to know numbers.

The Demonstration

As the name implies, this close involves you demonstrating your product to their client.

You can do this in person or show a video if you aren’t able to have the product with you and use it.

If, however, you can demonstrate to them in person, allow them to give it a try once they’ve seen what it can do.

This strategy works because:

They can’t deny the evidence
They’ll get a headstart on learning how to use it
Engaging the senses allows the customer to develop a stronger attachment to your product

Best For: People who need some tangible proof of the benefits before they commit.

The Distraction

This is a proper hard closing technique. Take advantage of a moment of distraction, such as a phone ringing, a colleague knocking on the door, or a noise outside the room.

In that moment, ask directly for the sale.

Make use of the ruckus to push the sale through without an objection.

Best For: Prospects who have been in the meeting with you for a while and are approaching the end of their rope but haven’t taken the deal yet.

The Golden Bridge

The name of this closing technique comes from Sun Tzu’s quote about winning wars by building your enemies a golden bridge.

Basically, you’re just leading them where you want them to go in such a way that they feel they’re choosing to go there themselves.

You do this by making the other options seem unavailable or undesirable.

“We’re out of this particular model at the moment.”
“This one really hasn’t been very popular.”
“That one is quite a bit more expensive and has basically the same features.”

By doing this, you subtly lead the customer to the “natural” conclusion that the other option is the best for them.

Best For: When you want a prospect to choose something specific.

Cause & Effect

Highlighting how the future will change if the prospect makes this deal now is effective for those customers who are broad-minded and consider the bigger picture.

You can make this personal or global, such as:

“Starting now will ensure you can live a life of luxury when your retirement comes.”
“A portion of the cost is donated to WWF, so if you go for this deal then you’ll be contributing to saving the lives of orphaned animals.”

It’s useful to help the prospect link their action now to something bigger and better in the future.

Best For: Prospects who are thinking about the bigger picture.

Selective Deafness

This is another hard close. The salesperson simply ignores any objections and keeps pointing out the benefits of choosing this product or service.

The idea is to keep your prospect’s attention on the good instead of the negative.

Actively lead your customer away from their objections by drawing their attention back to the positives.

(It’s too expensive.) “Imagine how this will supercharge your productivity and bring in new business.”
(Can you add XYZ?) “ABC covers those same features.”
(I don’t think I’ll use all those features.) “This is a one-stop solution to your current pain points as well as any that may arise later.”

Best For: Customers who have excuses as to why they can’t buy.

The Shame Close

Emotional involvement is a huge key to getting a potential client to make a move.

This hard closing technique relies on your customer feeling ashamed about the product or service they’re currently using, making it easier for them to switch.

“I think your kids really deserve the best.”
“Does your current system really make the lives of your employees easier?”
“If you’re really not interested in making more profit, then it’s best to stick to what you’re already doing.”

It’s best for those who are comfortable making hard closes.

Best For: Customers who aren’t biting but have no emotional connection to the deal.

The Shopping List

This one is for customers who may be having some trouble seeing how your offer will help their business.

It’s simple enough and is a great way of explaining the benefits step by step.

Write down the prospect’s needs, from product features to essential services needed
Verify with your customer that you’ve got this right
Go through the points one by one and explain how your product or service ticks all the boxes

Best For: Customers who need some visual of how the product or service will help fix their pain points.

Standing-Room Close

Show the customer how popular it is and impress upon them that it may not be available for long.

Urgency could be the key to getting that deal closed, and showing how others are after the product is a testimonial in itself.

“I sold one of these in all 5 meetings I had yesterday.”
“A customer placed an order for 1000 last month and we’re expecting them to order even more this month.”
“The orders are coming in so fast we’re running out of stock.”

Best For: Prospects who want it, but not now.

Bonus Tips For Closing The Sale

Your close is the big moment, but there are some points to keep in mind when going through the sales process that can have a big impact on your success rate.

Follow the 70/30 rule – listen 70% of the time and only speak for 30%.
Make sure you have a deep understanding of your customer’s pain points.
Don’t be afraid to adapt as the meeting goes and change your tactics.
Humor can be the ice-breaker that gets the sale. Use it, but wisely.

Conclusion

The efficiency of your sales closing techniques can make or break your deal. Refine this part of the sales process and you’ll likely find your sales conversion rate improving.

Regardless of whether you’re a hard or a soft closer, the techniques outlined here can be incorporated into every meeting to make getting the close a whole lot easier.

Editorial Team

August 10, 2024