In a previous blog article Listen More … Make More [Link] I wrote about making more money by listening.
When you are actively listening to your prospects they often times will give you buying cues.
You need to listen for buying cues so you can close the deal…
When you are in that act of listening, you should be able to pick up on the subtle buying cues of your prospect. That’s when your prospect is actually giving you signals that they’re ready to buy.
This is much different from them just whipping out their wallet and pulling out a credit card and giving it to you. Of course you know you made the sale then and it’s pretty awesome when it happens, but that can be rare.
More than likely they’re telling you in so many words, whether through their actions or through their actual words that they’re giving you that they’re ready to buy?
I’ll tell you a little story here ’cause you know I love telling stories
A while ago, probably more than 10 years ago, I bought a new car. It was a BMW, a little three series 328. It was red. I had my eye on this particular car, not necessarily the red one, but on a 3 series coupe.
I go into the dealership. I remember sitting down with the sales person and he did an amazing job of actually listening to me, what my wants were, what my budget was, and all that.
He then says, “You know, that’s great. We have this car that’s been here for a little bit. It’s got heated seats. It’s a little bit more power than what you’re wanting, but would you like to go test drive it? It’s manual transmission like what you wanted as well.”
I went out and I test drove it. Of course, I fell in love with it. It was bright red, black interior. It was stick shift, which is what I wanted in that car. However it was the higher model than … and more expensive, of course, than what I really wanted to spend on this car.
When we get back to the desk the sales guy says to me, “I know you told me your budget and all this, but how’d you like that?” I was like, “Oh, you know, that’s … it was pretty amazing and great pickup. It’s a great car.”
He replies, “Well, do you still wanna do the four cylinder?” I was like, “Well, you know, probably because it’s in my budget.”
He said with confidence AND a straight face, “Are you opposed to more power?”
I think at that point he knew he had me. I definitely loved the power behind the wheel of that particular car. Then I was like, “Well, yeah. It’s okay. I know it’s been on the lot a while. How ’bout you take $2,000 off the sticker?”
He was like, “Eh, can’t really do that. The most I can do is $500.” I was like, “I don’t know if I can deal with just $500 off.” He goes, “Well, if you don’t, somebody else is gonna buy the car,” or, “I’m not worried because somebody else is going to buy the car.”
He had such confidence in his sales approach and just the way that he listened. He knew the buying signals that I was giving … probably because as I was driving the car, I was lighting up like a freakin’ Christmas Tree.
He knew he had me at the test drive because he was listening and watching for those buying signals. He was watching. Those signals are typically when people are leaning forward, they are smiling. Basically they’re engaged in the conversation and you know you are making the sale at that point.
It’s at that point that you just need to shut up, and ask for the sale.
Don’t try to keep selling the product. You already know that they’re sold on the product. It’s just a matter of coming down to negotiating the final details, or answering qualifying questions.
That’s the point where so many sales people talk themselves out of a sale because they keep going on about more benefits and features, which don’t matter at that point!
The prospect has already PURCHASED in their minds
’cause that prospect is ready to buy. At that point, you want to be listening for those buying cues. You wanna look for that body language. People are leaning forward. Their eyes are opening up. They’re really engaged in the conversation. At that point, go into your closing techniques.
“Would you see yourself taking this on Thursday? How do you think you’re gonna fit this in your budget?” Things like that are little trial closes.
That’s how you move very quickly into the closing stage of the sale because you’re listening for those buying cues. There’s no reason to keep selling at that point.
Just take the money at that moment when people are ready to buy. Go ahead and let them buy. I hope this has helped so that it’s kind of quickens your sales process and make sure that you’re moving your mouth less.
Keep your mouth closed. Keep your ears open. Listen to those buying cues and you will definitely sell more. I can’t wait to share more information with you.
Put some comments below.
All of this advice is part of my full program on Impact Selling… want to chat about how to double your sales? Schedule an Impact Call at no cost here: www.TomJackobs.Com/Impact
