Be prepared for objections. For instance, say the strong agreement you want isn’t forthcoming. Don’t move on. Instead, address the prospect’s response in a tactful way.
For example, your trial close is: “You’re willing to invest a bit more to get top-quality craftsmanship and world-class service, aren’t you?” If the prospect hesitates or is reluctant, it signals that you’ve failed to make a strong case for investing in quality. At that point, you have to go back and get the response you want. You could say: “Please understand that I just want to make sure we’re a good fit and that you’re doing what’s best for you. Let me ask you a question: Would you agree that your home is one of your most important investments?”
WHAT’S YOUR POINT? Trial closing is often simplistically described as “asking questions” or pausing at various points during the presentation to ask: “Does this make sense?”
Trial closes are questions you ask — but they’re questions asked with a purpose, rather than to simply fill the silence. You formulate them by asking yourself what people should think about in order to consider buying your product. Your questions direct them there. At some point you’re not asking them for information, you’re asking them to focus on what you want them to focus on.
For instance, our company sells a composite window. So, after explaining the features and benefits, I might ask: “Can you see why vinyl or aluminum is not an option in this climate?” That sets us apart from our competitors. And those types of questions teach prospects how to deductively go through the buying process.
Moreover, it’s important to ask questions with some flare. If you say: “Does that make sense?” It’s more than likely that the prospect will say: “Yes, yes.” Ask dull questions and you’ll put them to sleep. Ask dynamic trial-close questions and you will command the prospect’s attention and get a meaningful answer.
NO BIG DEAL If you fail to consistently trial close throughout the presentation, then when it comes to asking for the sale, you create a shock, a Big Event. Why? Because you’ve just activated the prospect’s conscious mind, and it’s the most natural thing in the world for them to say: “I need to think about it.” Suddenly you’ve become the pushy salesperson.
Your trial closes will pay off when you present the prospect with your proposal because you’ve taken the Big Event out of your close. By getting positive agreements throughout the presentation, you’ve earned the right to assume the sale. Your close is simply the obvious conclusion designed to help the prospect get what they want. Lead into it with a question such as:
Or recap: “We just discussed how our company is second to none, how our product is ideal for your situation, and how investing in this product allows homeowners such as yourselves to get an excellent return on investment. Is this something you want to go ahead and do?”
TRAIN FOR TRIAL CLOSING Trial closing takes a tremendous amount of tact and confidence, the kind of confidence that comes from believing in yourself, your company, and your product. It’s an art you must practice and master. If you focus on it daily, you can get good at it in a year.
When we train for trial closing at our company’s sales meetings, we break the presentation down piece by piece. So I might say: “OK, you’re presenting to a homeowner and are at the point where you’re explaining that our company installs with its own crews and that all our people are insured. Steve, give me a trial close.”
And Steve will give me some closing questions that get prospects committed to that particular feature or benefit. For instance: “Bob and Mary, have you ever considered what would happen if someone you hired to work for you got hurt on your property and they weren’t insured?”
Another exercise for reps involves taking out a piece of paper and having them write down all the questions they can think of that they might ask in the sale.
What will mastering trial closes do for your company? It will not only help reps make more sales, it will help them make sales faster because they’re getting more one-call closes instead of chasing people into next week. —Jon Jones is sales manager of Sun City Replacement Windows/Renewal by Andersen of Las Vegas. Reach him at: jon@rbavegas.com.