Outlining How to Close Sales and Wrap Up Details in Your Sales and Marketing Plans

Back to Page 1: Sales and Marketing Plans – What Works?

Back to Page 3b: Sales and Marketing Plans – Proposal Development and Simplifying the Decision
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Page 4

Outlining How to Close the Sale and Wrap Up Details in Your Sales and Marketing Plans

sales and marketing plans

Now that you have presented your product or service as the ideal solution to your prospect’s problem or need, and you’ve answered their questions and objections, it’s time to get their decision to buy.

Their saying they are willing to go ahead is not the same as actually making the commitment. People break promises all the time.  That’s why your sales and marketing plans need to include the closing and after-close processes.

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STEP SEVEN — Closing the Sale

(getting their decision and payment).

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Has someone asked the buyer if they are ready to buy now? Has anyone asked for the order?

Surprisingly, this is the number one failure of inexperienced and unsuccessful salespeople. They visit with a potential buyer but never actually ask the person if they want to buy now.

Others spend half the time making the sale and the rest of the time buying it back. Once someone is ready to buy, stop selling and take the order.

So the trick to successful selling is to:

  • find out what the buyer really wants,
  • explain and demonstrate how your product or service satisfies that,
  • ask if that sounds good,
  • address any objections they may have,
  • then take the details so the order can be processed.

Sounds simple enough, but it’s surprising how many people do not follow this process.  That’s why it needs to be spelled out in your sales and marketing plans, including how to close and how you and your people will be trained in closing techniques.

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STEP EIGHT — Transacting the Order

(collecting and delivering).

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Just because the customer says yes does not mean you will collect. Nor does it mean you will keep the money once you receive it.

First, has their check cleared? If payments are involved, are they making proper and regular payments? Or worse, have you granted them credit without verifying their credit worthiness?

Even if they are credit worthy, have you offered some kind of warranty? For example, if they are not satisfied, can they get their money back?

For many, getting the customer to buy is only half the battle. In most cases, the after-sale is just as important as the sale. From a ninety-cent candy bar to a $90 million dollar turbine, poor performance can turn cash receipts into a liability.

So, does your product or service perform in such a way that your customer would want to buy more from you if they could?

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STEP NINE — Upselling at the Close

(getting them to spend even more).

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The best customer is someone who already has their wallet open.

Once they have agreed to buy from you, is there something else they might like? Some add-on that would make the product or service an even greater experience

(…like a Bose sound system and sunroof after they have agreed to buy the car, or a service contract once they have agreed to buy some product or service)?

Are there other products and services that could be bundled together with whatever the person is buying?

Remember, as long as you don’t gouge your buyers, many will be receptive to purchasing other products and services once the initial decision has been made (“Would you like fries with that?).

 

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See Page 5: Getting Customers to Come Back — and Managing Sales Reps Through Your Sales and Marketing Plans