6 Sales Closing Techniques That Will Boost Your Sales

Theoretically, learning how to close a deal with a client seems pretty straightforward: make a call, give your pitch, overcome objections, and ask for a sale.

However, closing sales is a bit more complex in practice.

While there’s no exact formula for how to close a sales deal, there are a number of techniques that you can use to increase B2B sales. We’ve picked out six of the best closing techniques to help you set new records and get those bonuses you’ve been dreaming of.

What are the best sales closing techniques?

There they are – but how about we go over each of them in depth?

1) The Now or Never Close

What is the strategy?

Offer your prospect something they can only have if they commit within a specific timeframe to create a sense of urgency. This might include:

• The last product we have in stock
• Commit today to get a 15% discount
• This offer is only valid till [date]
• Sign up now to get a priority in the implementation queue

Why does it work?

The prospect now feels as if they could miss out on something – and no one likes FOMO. So if they’re likely to say yes someday, it makes sense to do it now to make sure it’s not an opportunity (or deal) missed.

Best time to use it

When you can offer discounts and you’re dealing with customers whose biggest problem is that they don’t have time to decide right now, this technique is golden.

2) The Assumptive Close

What is the strategy?

The Assumptive Close is when you believe you’ll close the deal from the moment you begin the sales interaction. Your wording will suggest that it’s a “done deal”. The idea is to check in on your prospect regularly, gauge their degree of interest and objections, and determine if they’re on the same page as you.

Why does it work?

This technique works because optimism and confidence can be contagious. As a result, the prospect believes the solution should be as simple to them as it is to you. Just a warning though: there’s a thin line between confidence and arrogance – watch yourself.

Best time to use it

The best time to use the Assumptive Close technique is when you’re dealing with familiar leads and know that your offer is a perfect fit for them. It’s not one to use when you have zero relationship with your prospect, or if you’re hearing repeated objections that the solution won’t work for them.

3) The Question Close

What is the strategy?

The concept of the Question Close technique is that asking your prospect probing questions can force them to actually explain why something does or doesn’t work for them. Ask your leads things like:

• Why can’t you proceed with this type of shipment for your customers?
• Why won’t your service address this specific issue?

Why does it work?

These questions provide you with a far greater opportunity to demonstrate why your solution meets their requirements and will help their business. You’re creating the ideal opportunity for your product to fly in and save the day. Superhero vibes.

Best time to use it

Adopt the Question Close technique when your lead appears to be on the fence but isn’t really expressing why. Avoid using it when the prospect has said explicitly why certain features of your product don’t work for them. When you do encounter resistance, make sure to ask open questions to get the info you need – ‘why’, ‘what’, ‘how’, and all that jazz.

4) The Summary Close

What is the strategy?

Take some time to explain all of your product’s features and the main value points that your prospects would see. You may also utilize this time to differentiate two or three viable solutions you’re presenting, reminding your lead of all their options in one go.

Why does it work?

Hearing all of the advantages at once may appear to be more powerful than the 30 minutes you’ve previously spent going through each of them.

Best time to use it

The Summary Close technique works best when you know your product is a good fit for your lead, and all they need is a brief reminder of how and why it would work for them. This method is probably one to avoid if your conversation has been limited, or the prospect has made it clear your solutions aren’t impactful enough for them.

5) The Sharp Angle Close

What is the strategy?

Some prospects frequently request price discounts or add-ons because they know they have an advantage in the sales process. They also know that you expect it.

To deal with these seasoned negotiators, use the Sharp Angle Close to catch them off guard. If you have approval, give them what they want — but at a cost: “Yes, I can give you six months of service for 15% off if you sign the contract today”.

Why does it work?

This technique works because you give them something you’ve been willing to do in exchange for a strong commitment and a quick sale.

Best time to use it

The Sharp Angle Close is one for the prospects who are easily sold or who demand incentives to sign. On the other hand, it’s better to avoid this technique when your prospect is unfamiliar with sales nuances and doesn’t request any special deals.

6) The Puppy Dog Close

What is the strategy?

This technique is based on the concept that people who walk into a pet store and hold puppies are the ones that are most likely to buy them. You can use this style of close in a variety of industries, for example:

• Offer a free trial if your product is a software or a tool
• Offer a test drive if you’re selling cars

Why does it work?

When people start using the product, the benefits you promised them become tangible and, ideally, they discover that they actually can’t live without your product.

Best time to use it

It’s best to use the Puppy Dog Close technique when it’s challenging to measure your product’s features over the phone or via email. Steer clear of this technique if a ‘test drive’ or a free trial isn’t relevant to your product.

4 tips to close a sale quickly

Here are four additional closing sales tips that can help you use these closes even better. 

1) Identify the decision-maker

Identifying the decision-maker is one of the most crucial steps to closing a B2B sale quickly. In most cases, decision-makers assign the task of learning what you have to offer to someone else.

Of course, getting a decision-maker on the call is the fastest way to close the deal. So make an effort to tailor your sales pitch to that person’s interests and do all you can to arrange a meeting with that individual. You’ve got this.

2) Be real and use empathy

A client can tell whether you’re being sincere during the sales process. That’s why it’s critical to show the customer that you care about their company, not just the contract.

Coming across as too calculated might turn people off, but being prepared is not a bad thing either. So (before you answer a customer’s objection), empathize with them, show them that you care, repeat and maybe even summarize their concerns, and only then provide your answer. This will help you build rapport and put your prospect at ease.

3) Create a sense of urgency

But at the same time, you do have targets to hit. Once you and your prospect know that your product is indeed right for them, there’s nothing wrong with a little nudge in the right direction. Applying a deadline to your offer will help motivate your prospect to commit, or even better: apply a discount or free-trial on a limited time so they can’t help resist.

This doesn’t mean you should rush the consumer. Instead, strive to give them one more reason to get your product or service right now.

4) Overcome objections

Most prospects will have a set of objections that they’ll throw your way during the sales conversation. A great sales strategy is to identify the common objections in your industry beforehand, and tailor your sales pitch to overcome any of these concerns your prospect may have.

To help with this, we strongly recommend getting with your sales team and having each member brainstorm potential objections. Spend some time planning how to effectively overcome these objections during the sales process. And hey presto, when an objection comes up during your next sales conversation, you will be fully prepared to answer it.

Seal your next sales deal

Now that you know the best way to close sales, it’s time to implement these techniques and tips into your sales cycle. Look at your existing sales pipeline and see which one of these closing sales techniques would work for them. Practice your objection handling with your sales team by role playing and consider using sales analytics tools to listen to a few of your calls every month.

On top of that, make sure you carefully tailor your interactions to engage your prospects. You’re not only dealing with humans here, you’re dealing with humans that have an influx of sales messages flying into their inbox on a daily basis. Stand out from the crowd by personalizing your message, using research and ahem… maybe some exclusive data, perhaps? Shameless Similarweb Sales Intelligence plug, incoming:

FAQs

What is the most important part of closing a sale?

For prospects, trust is the most important part of closing a sale. It ranks higher compared to economic factors like price or return on investment (ROI).

What are the three main ways to close a sale?

In general, there are three best times to close the sale. The first is when the prospect expresses signs of approval, the second is after stating a key customer benefit, and the third is after handling an objection.

How do you close a sale without being pushy?

The top ways to close a sale without being too pushy include avoiding calls or emails when you don’t have updates to share, not talking about your product straight away (note to self: build rapport with your prospect), asking questions, and .. stop with the “but”s!