Avoid These 5 Costly Closing Mistakes

Closing a sale is the most important aspect of a salesperson’s job. Both amateurs and professionals are prone to bumbling the close. In order to be successful when closing sales, avoid these 5 costly mistakes:

Not Actually Asking for the Order

There’s an old saying that goes, “ask and you shall receive.”  A common mistake that salespeople make is not asking for the order. Most salespeople make this mistake because they’re afraid of rejection. Instead of getting straight to the point with their close, they stall which causes them to bumble the close. You will never get the answer you’re looking for if you don’t ask the question. Go into every sales call prepared to ask for the order.

Persisting After Your Prospect Says No

Hearing the word no is very common in sales. In sales, there is no such thing as a 100% closing ratio. When a prospect expresses their unwillingness to give you the order, the biggest mistake you can make is to continue to press the prospect. Pressing your prospect to say yes after they’ve said no is unprofessional, shows a lack of maturity and damages your relationship with your prospect. There are some situations where it’s appropriate to offer an alternative. However, most of the time, your best chance of getting future business is to take no for an answer, thank them for their time and move on to your next prospect.

Not Closing with the Prospect Directly

During sales calls, it’s not unusual for a prospect to bring in an assistant. Even though they have brought their assistant into the conversation you must close the sale directly with your prospect. Trying to close the sale with their assistant can lead to miscommunication and unexpected expectations between you and your prospect.

Using Statements Instead of Questions

Your close should never be phrased as a statement. Instead, it should be phrased as a question. When you ask a question, you encourage your prospect to give you a direct answer. For example, instead of telling your prospect that it would be great to get their project started next week, ask your prospect how soon they would like you to start on their project. When closing by asking questions, you’ll shorten your sales cycle and close more deals.

Softening the Close

Salespeople who try to soften their close and give their prospects space ultimately lower their prospect’s sense of urgency. This is a big mistake. Too many sales calls fizzle out because of a prospect’s low sense of urgency. When you soften your close, you are interfering with your prospect’s desire to buy from you right now. When it’s time to close the sale, be direct not soft.

The next time you are getting ready to close a sale, remember that you are about to embark on the most important aspect of your job. Both amateurs and professionals are prone to bumbling the close. Stay focused through the close and avoid making these costly mistakes and wait for your sales to skyrocket.

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