Secrets of Sales Success Pt. 1: 4 Easy Steps to Closing the Sale

Closing the sale is where we all get the most anxiety. As they say, "Nothing happens until somebody sells something", and that couldn't be more true. After all, selling something is the only way you can truly bring success to your company.

There are so many ways to close a sale, and many of them call for up to 8 steps. Even though they work, they drag out the sales call. By the time you are ready to close the sale, the customer no longer desires all the items or services they were interested in. But with this guide, you can close a sale in four steps-3 bases, and 1 homerun.

1^st Base: Be prepared. When you greet the customer, begin finding things about them that you like whether it's their outlook on things, their outer appearance, or even their skepticism. What you are doing is finding a bonding ground. This helps you and the customer to relate, making it easier for the both of you to relax. TIP: Make sure you've done your homework. Have anything with you that you may need. Being an unprepared sales person is the worst impression you can make on the client.

2^nd Base: Be a people pleaser. One thing that makes a good sales person is their true desire to make people happy. If you don't care about the customer's happiness, you are setting yourself up for failure. TIP: Once you have greeted the customer, it's time to find out what appeals to them. Ask them for feedback on the offers/products you have presented them. Use "The Power of Three" method. Tell them about three key features of each service/product you are offering. If a product doesn't have at least three features, a customer will not see a reason to buy it.

3^rd Base: Be excited. If you aren't excited about what you're selling, then your customer won't be either. You don't have to jump up and down, but you do have to sound lively, make eye contact and have some testimonials. Tell them about your personal experience with the product, and how much your other customers are happy with the product. TIP: You should be able to answer "who, what, when, where, why, and how" about what you're selling. What is it? Who uses it? How does it work? When is it available? Where can they buy it? And most importantly, why should they buy it?

Homerun: Ask for the sale. At this point, it is time to summarize the advantages of the product. After you have presented the advantages, simply ask for the sale. TIP: Say, "So what do you think? Would you like to make the purchase?" If you have followed the first three steps correctly, the customer will either say yes or no-they will not be on the fence.

You will have customers that say no, and you need to know what to do in those situations. Read this article for help: Small Business Troubleshooting: How to Deal with Tough Customers.