doorway to a sale

Closing DoorsIn a nutshell, the purpose of a sales process is to lead a prospect from the point of contact, through qualification, through the presentation, addressing and removing any objections to the sales and finally closing the sale.When you first get a prospect on the phone or are doing a face to face presentation, there are many directions that the sales process can go; there are many "doors" that a prospect can walk through if you don't direct him properly, none of which lead to the place you want him to get to-you want him to go through the door that leads to him paying you for the service or product you are selling.A sales process should be designed to get a prospect to that onedoor that leads to a close. It should equally close all other doors through which he could go (leading him away from paying for the service or product).Some examples of doors through which a prospect can escape are "I need to talk with my partner", "I need to think about it", "It's too expensive", etc. These are obviously all just objections to paying for the service or product now.An objection can be a good thing if you handle it right. And by that I mean:That you fully understand the objection (clarify it as needed).
Isolate the objection so that there is no other hidden objection in addition to the one he brought up ("Is that the only thing stopping you from going forward today?")
Box him in to doing business now by closing that door ("if we handle that [objection] we can get started today, right?").
Handle or address the objection or concern.
Ask for the order-Close the sale.When a prospect brings up an objection, you need to use that objection to close every other door that the prospect could escape through and then handle the objection-then close the sale.Classic Example:You've just done your presentation and asked for the order.Prospect: I need to discuss it with my partner, so I'll call you tomorrow.Salesperson: That's great, but I thought you said you were the boss?Prospect: I am, but I my partner is my financial backer that I always consult with.Salesperson: Okay, I understand...let me ask you a question, if it were solely up to you, if you did not have a financial backer, would you move forward with this right now?Prospect: Yes.Salesperson: So, you're 100% on this, you definitely want to do it and are ready to start?Prospect: Yes.Salesperson: That's great, what do you think your backer is going to say? What's your gut feeling about his response?Prospect: Oh, he'll likely do it.Salesperson: Wonderful. But what if he says "no" or expresses some doubt, what are you going to do?Prospect: (Explains whatever he knows about your service or product and how he would address some objection) The prospect is now selling you on how he is going to sell his partner/backer.Salesperson: I can see that you are really interested in our service/product. I think it would be in your best interest if we get your partner on the phone together. I do these presentations all the time and I am an expert on our service/product; the last thing I'd want to happen to you is for your partner to ask you some question you don't know the answer to and then that would just delay getting started. Let's set up a conference call...You and your prospect now become a team consorting to handle the partner/backer if he objects.And that's what you want to do with any objection A) understand it, B) Clarify as needed, C) Isolate it D) Box it in and handle it and E) Close the sale. You can apply that formula to any objection.Jamie Sene

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