Say just enough to close the sale. If decision-makers are ready to make a commitment, let them commit. Get out of their way. Make this your sales new-year resolution.
When a girl says, “Would you like to kiss me?” it’s not a question. It’s an invitation to kiss her. It’s not a request to impress her with your ‘PowerPoint presentation’ that was leading to the very kiss. Get out of your way.
There are reasons sellers impede the sale by continuing to give information yet the buyer is ready to purchase. First, the seller could simply be self-absorbed and not see the signs that the buyer is ready to, well, buy.
So he talks himself out of the business. Caught up in what he is saying, he does not notice the buyer mentally switching off. After all, have you ever heard of someone listening his way out of the business.
Another reason sellers overtalk is they simply don’t know that they need to say enough to close. They were never taught this. Until now.
A third reason is the seller wants to impress the buyer. As if to say, “I have worked on this presentation for weeks. I am also learned in this field. You will not take away my moment in the sunshine even if you are ready to buy. You must listen to me.”
Other sellers are simply sanctimonious. Driven by self-righteousness, he sees it as unethical (sinful, actually) to limit the pitch to only what is necessary for the buyer to make a purchase decision. So, he spells out all the nuts and bolts of the service to appease his self-perceived moral superiority.
Whatever the reasons you have lost sales because you said more than was necessary, stop. In 2020 and going forward, say just enough to close the sale.
None of the reasons given hold any water. When you are self-absorbed you will keep wondering why your conversion rates (to sales) are so poor yet everyone tells you how stellar your presentations are.
And, you don’t get rewarded on presentations made but sales closed.
Next, hubris has no place in selling. The more you impress the buyer with your knowledge, the more you make him feel small and highly unlikely to buy; if you find one who wants to impress you back it becomes a debate not a sale. Good luck with that!
And, self-righteousness, just as with hubris, only serves to waste the buyer’s time and aggravate him out of a sale.
When the iron is hot, strike.
When you see signs that he is ready to buy, close. Even if it’s minutes into the pitch.
So long as your conscience is clear that your solution solves his problem, say just enough to close.
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Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
