PROOF - ALWAYS BE CLOSING BRINGS GREATER RESULTS WITH - ALWAYS BE GIVING
Training / ALWAYS BE CLOSING | ALWAYS BE GIVING
Do you want sales, customers, or both?
The first step in a successful sales approach should focus on abandoning traditional closing tactics that may result in customer resistance, instead favoring a more open, engaging, and conversational style. Recent Harvard studies have discovered that being an “opener” – someone who promotes insightful conversations by asking genuine follow-up questions – leads to better results. This shift responds to the growing customer resistance towards conventional closing techniques and their increasing desire to express themselves more freely. Here are three methods to transition from a “closer” to an “opener”:
1. FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMER BY ASKING GENUINE QUESTIONS: Open-ended questions pave the way to successful sales. However, observations have shown that many salespeople tend to dominate conversations. Rather than merely changing the questions, you need to genuinely engage with your customer. This authentic interest fosters an atmosphere that encourages the customer to make decisions beneficial for their situation. Open-ended questions that stimulate customers to talk about themselves transcend the boundaries of being a mere sales technique; they represent an open invitation to know your customers better.
2.PRACTICE ACTIVE LISTENING: Although not a natural trait, active listening can be honed over time. Active listening involves total sensory engagement. It’s crucial that your customer sees your interest in their words through your body language and facial expressions. They should hear responses that validate their thoughts, assuring them they’ve been understood. It’s important to eliminate all distractions and maintain your complete focus on the customer, demonstrating that you value their insights.
3.UTILIZE THE POWER OF SILENCE: The ability to comfortably stay silent is one of the most potent yet challenging tools to master in sales conversations. Silence can feel awkward in a conversation and naturally urges someone to fill it. By deliberately staying silent, you invite your customer to continue speaking, giving them control over the conversation and enabling the discovery of their real needs and concerns.
The traditional concept of “closing” needs to be replaced with “opening.” As the demand for traditional closing tactics decreases, so does its value. Conversely, the increasing demand for “openers” enhances its value in the journey towards sales success.