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You are feeling pleased with yourself. Your sales pitch was text book perfect. You remembered to sell the benefits rather than the features, and you have tested the water by asking plenty of open questions. Right now, the sale is ready to be grasped, but you let the prospect get away with a cheery wave and a promise to 'think about it'. And more often than not, that's the last time you see him. He'll shop around until he either makes a decision for himself, or meets a salesman who knows how to close the sale.

Closing the sale is a skill that can be learned. All it needs is a few well established techniques and a nerve of steel!

Let's wind the clock back. You are face to face with your prospect and you have done everything possible to overcome objections and put him in a positive frame of mind. Now ask for the order! Not with a closed question though if you ask if he wants to proceed you'll probably lose him. Try this - 'We can deliver it tomorrow, or would the weekend suit you better?' or 'How are you thinking of paying?' Offer alternatives which cannot be answered with the dreaded word no'!

Your prospect is still not signing. What do you do next? I'll tell you. You ask if there's anything you haven't explained clearly. Ask if there is anything you haven't covered. Ask if he actually likes the product or service you are selling! Unless he comes up with a genuine objection then ask what is stopping him going ahead. Then if you are certain you have the best proposition in the market place, have another go at asking for the order.

This is when you pull out your trump card silence! Ask for the order and shut up! Do not say a word; the next person to speak has to be the prospect. I've sometimes sat in total silence for a couple of minutes and I promise you, it feels like a couple of hours! And I also promise you that the prospect will in the majority of cases utter the affirmative!

Surprisingly, at this point the sale still can unravel. The joy felt at having got the sale can result in a rush of verbal diarrhoea! I've actually heard salesmen talk themselves out of the order. You have done your job. You are happy, the client is happy. Leave it and move on to the next sale.

A word of warning. If you have made any false claims in your efforts to close the sale they'll come back to haunt you. If you have sold a product which is not 'fit for purpose' it will back with you in no time at all.

So let's sum up.

1. Ask for the order

2. If unsuccessful ask why

3. If no valid reason ask for the order again

4. Then shut up!

5. Enjoy spending your commission!

Learn more about this author, Keith Hillman.
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