Ask For The Business

ASK FOR THE BUSINESS ~

As a sales professional, it is our responsibility to get the foundations of our sales structure as solid as we possibly can. For example; we need to ensure our product knowledge is razor sharp and up to the minute. We need to know what our competitors are up to and where our product advantages are to be found.

It is important we know the basics of the sales process. This involves knowing how to actively listen to our prospects, understand their needs and how to gain this information through smart open questioning.

My first book, available from this site 😉 goes into detail on basic sales skills and techniques. So, if you wish to know more on that, check it out right here or if you are looking to lap up all the knowledge you can, join our super online Ultimate Sales Professional course and learn in-depth sales skills and so much more.

Once we have the basics in place, we need to practice them until we become confident and comfortable when we use them. The ability to ask a closing question with confidence, transparency and clarity will result in a very positive response. Sounding robotic or stumbling when using a sales skill is very embarrassing for both the prospect and the sales professional and usually results in a negative reply.

However, you may have mastered your product knowledge AND have every confidence in your sale skills AND know most responses when handling objections BUT….. how good are you when it comes down to asking for the business?

As unbelievable as it may seem, many prospects don’t buy because they were simply not asked to do so!

Let’s take an example. Imagine we have a sales professional that has spent a lengthy amount of time with their prospects. The sales person has formed a great relationship, has actively listened and knows exactly what the prospect needs. Sales skills have been used with transparency and confidence to find out their budget and timeline. They have compared with competitors and even the prospects agree that the product the sales professional is promoting is the best for them.

Then the time comes for the sales professional to reveal the price. Out comes the pen and pad. Confidently, the sales professional writes down the payment and the options to pay the balance. They then turn the paper around for the prospects to view. The sales professional, in silence, then looks at the paper and then at the prospects. The prospects look at the paper and then back at the sales professional, who in return does exactly the same thing again back at the prospect. In this silent standoff, several glances from both the prospect and the sales professional occur back and forth at each other and the figures on the piece of paper.

Finally, not knowing what to do, the prospects break the embarrassing silence and ask if they can take the price sheet away to think about it. The deflated sales professional lets them go and hopes in vain that they return to place the order. This scenario happens too many times.

The solution is very simple. Ask the prospects for the business!

Before you show the price, clarify that the prospects would buy if the price is affordable.

John and Mary….is this something you can use? And you like it? So, if it’s comfortably affordable you’ll take it?

(If they say anything other than YES at this point, you’ve missed an objection at some point during your presentation which is a whole other subject also found in Ultimate Sales Professional)

Once you write the price down and turn it for the prospect to view you can continue;

The down payment is normally paid using a credit card. Is that good for you?

For the balance…would you prefer the finance option or cash?

Reach your hand over to the prospects and shake it to congratulate them on their new purchase.

Finally…..if all else fails – just say….

Would you like to buy it? 😉

Ask for the business, give it a go!

Improve your Sales Skills and learn more about Asking for the Business!

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