Working in sales? Here’s how to successfully close a sale every time

If you work in sales, you undoubtedly have had difficult customers that make closing a sale nearly impossible. As annoying and discouraging as those clients can be, some of your best training can come from them. If you can win them over, the stubborn sells will usually be some of your most loyal customers.

With these few tips, winning a difficult sale will be easier than ever. 

1. Treat the customer individually

In any sale, one of your greatest assets is your personality. Whether you’re selling in person or online, it’s important to never treat any potential client like just another number. No matter how bored or exhausted you may be at work that day, you should make every customer who talks to you feel wanted, appreciated, and listened to.

By treating them as an individual, not just as a means to an end, they will be more drawn to you as a salesperson and as a representative of your company. 

Part of this individual treatment comes from research. If you have an important potential sale coming up and you know who you’ll be meeting with, look up their profile before they even walk in the door. Knowing a little bit about your clients before you meet with them will help you adjust your sales strategy and play into the concept of sales enablement.

Researching your customers is part of having everything you need for making the most sales possible, so don’t be shy about looking up someone’s LinkedIn profile before they walk into your office. Making this effort to know your clients personally will show them they matter to you, leading them to want to choose your business over a competitor. 

2. Maintain confidence, not cockiness

Another huge component in your success is your attitude when you’re dealing with potential clients. If you’re trying to close a sale and are acting like there’s no hope, your customer will pick up on that and be driven away by that.

On the flip side, being overly cocky and pushy can overwhelm stubborn clients and turn them away from your business. Be confident that you’ll close the sale, but don’t be so cocky in yourself and your abilities that you overwhelm the actual process of talking to your guest. 

This attitude also extends to how you talk about your competitors. In many cases, any potential client who comes to see you will also have spoken or at least looked into one of your competitors, so how you handle the meeting will help determine who they give their business to.

Don’t be afraid to ask if they’re in talks with any other companies. Depending on their answer, you may have to change up your sales strategy. No matter what, don’t bash another company. This will have you coming off as defensive and like you have something to hide. Don’t dwell on another business’s success, but don’t put them down either.

Keeping easy confidence will have your customers more comfortable with you, making them more likely to close a sale. 

3. Know your information well

Finally, it’s important to know exactly what you’re trying to sell. While this may seem like a no-brainer, you should be able to accurately answer any questions your client has for you. Sure, you could direct them to someone else in your company for their answers, but this puts extra hassle on them, leading to frustration and a smaller likelihood of a completed sale. By making sure you’re well-versed in what you’re trying to sell, you can avoid that frustration and keep your sales margin up. 

This also ties in with treating your customers as individuals, but you should be so knowledgeable in your field that you can accurately be giving advice if asked to. The more your clients can trust your information about what you’re selling, the more likely they’ll come to you over a competitor to close a deal. Staying well-informed about advancements is crucial since that is your livelihood. 

Conclusion

Overall, stubborn clients shouldn’t be a source of panic. By learning from them, you can become a stronger salesperson and a better asset to your company. 

Featured image courtesy of Unsplash