The goal of any salesperson is to close the deal – a good sales process can help you achieve this by offering a step-by-step process for selling a product or service which is also easy to follow.
Closing is the final and perhaps the most important step of the sales pitch process.
“After all, signing new customers and upselling existing accounts is how a (sales) rep makes quota. If they’re not getting prospects to sign contracts, they’re not going to hit their number,” Jeff Hoffman, author of the “Why You? Why You Now?” book and sales programs, told Hubspot.
Mark Keating, CEO and founder of SalesGuru, a sales training and development company, believes it’s vital that all salespeople follow a sales process that they believe in.
“There are many great sales processes, at SalesGuru we believe in a sales framework, rather than a strict sales process. Salespeople still need to be able to deviate based on the buyer’s lead.”
‘Don’t leave the close to the end’
A good sales process helps salespeople throughout the entire sales journey, including how to open a sales call.
“You have to open before you can even attempt to close,” says Keating.
It can also help salespeople to avoid deadly sales mistakes that could get in the way of closing.
The first mistake is closing only once and leaving you close to the end of the presentation. Keating advises salespeople to complete mini-closes throughout their pitch. This can be done by asking questions like: “Does this make sense? What do you think so far? Is that important to you?”
Another common mistake is not creating a sense of urgency during your sales presentation. Establishing urgency can help in getting prospects to move forward faster, and ultimately help the salesperson to close the sale.
Practice makes perfect
The best way to get the most out of your sales process is to implement it and to continuously improve. Keating gives a guide for business owners to perfect their sales process and to up their salespeople’s presentation skills.
1. Create and follow a sales framework for sales calls.
2. Do your research and understand that the better your questions, the better the opportunity can become.
3. Create a few real-life examples of sales calls and role-play every week internally.
4. Attend a meeting with one of your salespeople and observe.
5. Train your salespeople. In a challenging and competitive market, often your biggest difference is the skill of your salespeople.
