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Ask For It!
posted: Friday, March 25, 2011
Recently we discussed buying signs, and why they are important to be able to recognize during the course of a sale. Along those same lines, attempting to close is also vital to completing a sale. The customer may be ready to say yes but if we never give them the chance to say, "I'll take it" then we run the risk of "taking it back."
The job of all salespeople is to ask for sales no matter what the presentation was like. It may have been you best presentation or it may have been your worst. Regardless, at some point, you need to ask for the sale. Quite obviously asking for a sale after a great presentation is much easier then asking for a sale after a so-so presentation, but nonetheless you must always ask for it. When you ask for it, remember it is important that you are confident, and are asking without limitations, reservations or second guessing.
It is documented that only 20% of customers will utter every salesperson's favorite line, "I'll take it" without being asked for it. Think about that for a second. Would you be happy with a 20% close rate on every presentation? I don't know of a single salesperson that would take that rate. It has also been documented that in 60% of sales presentations no attempt is ever made to ask for the sale. If even one of those people who fall within that 60% were to be asked for the sale and said yes, then wouldn't it be worth the effort to ask? Of course it would.
It's a waste of time to go through a sales presentation and then not ask for the sale 60% of the time. Professional salespeople ask for the sale every time no matter how the presentation went. Not everyone in that 60% is going to buy. But even if one does, then your sales are going to increase along with your CRA (closing rate average.)
We are sometimes afraid to ask for the sale because we don't have the confidence in our skills as a salesperson, but my guess is you are better than you believe. Have confidence in your skills and the presentation that you just completed. Ask for the sale with confidence and you will get it, and if not, then you will get the next one. Just never be afraid to ask!
FINAO - Brad Huisken
The job of all salespeople is to ask for sales no matter what the presentation was like. It may have been you best presentation or it may have been your worst. Regardless, at some point, you need to ask for the sale. Quite obviously asking for a sale after a great presentation is much easier then asking for a sale after a so-so presentation, but nonetheless you must always ask for it. When you ask for it, remember it is important that you are confident, and are asking without limitations, reservations or second guessing.
It is documented that only 20% of customers will utter every salesperson's favorite line, "I'll take it" without being asked for it. Think about that for a second. Would you be happy with a 20% close rate on every presentation? I don't know of a single salesperson that would take that rate. It has also been documented that in 60% of sales presentations no attempt is ever made to ask for the sale. If even one of those people who fall within that 60% were to be asked for the sale and said yes, then wouldn't it be worth the effort to ask? Of course it would.
It's a waste of time to go through a sales presentation and then not ask for the sale 60% of the time. Professional salespeople ask for the sale every time no matter how the presentation went. Not everyone in that 60% is going to buy. But even if one does, then your sales are going to increase along with your CRA (closing rate average.)
We are sometimes afraid to ask for the sale because we don't have the confidence in our skills as a salesperson, but my guess is you are better than you believe. Have confidence in your skills and the presentation that you just completed. Ask for the sale with confidence and you will get it, and if not, then you will get the next one. Just never be afraid to ask!
FINAO - Brad Huisken
