We’ve all been there…
A deal is winding toward the close, but something just isn’t clicking.
The fact is, there isn’t one sales closing technique that will consistently deliver the outcomes you want.
Closing is a process that begins much earlier than the final step.
We’ll go through those steps in the sales process, touch on why each step is important, and explore why a particular sales closing technique works.
Sales can be a bit of a maze at times, but the good news is that with a handful of effective tools in your arsenal, you will close deals.
You may wonder: what magic lies behind these strategies? How do they weave their influence over customers’ decisions?
Get ready, we’re diving headfirst into lessons in psychology, persuasion strategies, and advice on building trust with your clients, plus 19 of my favorite sales closing techniques.
Understanding the Importance of Sales Closing Techniques
Sales closing techniques are not just buzzwords or tricks.
They’re crucial tools in a sales reps arsenal, often making the difference between meeting quota or falling short.
Some sales reps will resist the idea that a sales closing technique should be defined and used to increase the chances of an outcome.
However, it’s important to remember that most prospects need some guidance and clarity on the path to a decision.
Some need to feel like they are getting a deal, others need firm direction, and others need space to come to their own conclusions.
Becoming adept at measuring prospects’ needs and then determining the right strategic and tactical approach are advanced sales skills.
Why Closing is Glorified
Every business has 2 primary reasons for existing; the first is to solve certain problems for a market, and the second is to grow and be prosperous as a result.
The reason sales reps are so well paid is that they are the conduit, bringing solutions to problems and capturing revenue in the process, which is business lifeblood.
Closing skills are the final and critical step that turns a curious prospect into a paying customer, satisfying both reasons for the business’s existence.
Closing is the most glorified of the sales steps because it triggers invoicing!
As you’ll learn though, closing starts well before the deal concludes.
Each step in the sales cycle includes mini-closing events, from building rapport early on to demonstrating an understanding of prospect needs and pain points, to effectively handling objections along the way.
All this sets up a powerful moment where the deal is closed.
Mastering The Art Of The Close
Mastering different closing techniques isn’t simply about having responses ready or applying high-pressure tactics.
It’s about knowing when to use a closing technique appropriately.
Think chess grandmaster rather than eager rookie; they don’t rush —they plan carefully, and consider various outcomes before making their move.
Mastery comes from practice coupled with feedback – so take time to reflect after each interaction and learn from your successes and missteps.
Over time your intuition will guide you as you start seeing patterns, helping you predict how prospects might respond under various circumstances.
Before We Get to the Sales Closing Techniques…
First, you must understand that closing is a byproduct of everything else you do leading up to the moment you apply a sales closing technique.
It’s not one sales technique that will help you close more deals, and drive your income through the roof.
No, it’s a bunch of things, capped off with a final closing technique or combination of a few.
First, let’s run through a few reminders so that your final step, your perfect closing technique, has the best chance of landing.
Reminder #1 – Closing is an Art and a Science
Getting a prospect to say “yes” is an art. But, it’s also rooted in the science of psychology, influence, persuasion, emotional triggering, and trust.
Understanding these factors can significantly boost your success rate in closing sales.
Understanding the Art of Closing
Some people are natural closers. I’m sure you know some very persuasive people who always tend to convince others of their plan or desired outcome.
Because we can’t necessarily define what makes them so persuasive, we refer to their capability as “natural” or as “art”.
The art of closing means having an intuition about how and when to push a deal forward, and the confidence to ask for a commitment.
Much like a painter or musician, there is a degree of natural talent required. But like any world-class artist, there also needs to be thousands of hours of practice.
You probably have some natural artistic ability, and the rocket fuel is practice, effort and learning.
Harnessing Persuasion Techniques
Sales isn’t about pushing a product or service; rather, it’s about using communication skills to understand the customer and frame how your offering is better than other options.
Persuasive selling requires skillful communication and the ability of sales reps to empathize with the client’s situation, needs, and concerns.
So how do we persuade effectively?
One powerful technique involves painting vivid mental pictures that appeal directly to the emotions of your prospects.
For example, if you’re selling cars, don’t just talk specs. Talk about how safe they’ll feel driving their kids to college, or the family on road trips, thanks to advanced traction control.
If you’re selling software, don’t just talk about your responsive customer service, talk about how great it feels when issues are resolved in under an hour.
Quiet Influence
Influence is a little different than persuasion, in that it’s less direct.
Rather than painting a picture for your prospect, your influence is going to quietly impact them over time.
People are influenced by their perception of things. Think fashion trends, which tend to influence most of us over time.
Here are some key influence triggers you can use to affect your prospects:
Reciprocity – When you assist your prospect in some way, they are very likely to be open to doing something in return, which deepens their investment in the process with you.
Commitment – Being reliable and always demonstrating the value you place on the prospect can differentiate you from less committed competitors.
Social Proof – This is why referrals are so powerful. The prospect knows someone who has benefited from doing business with you. This is also why testimonials, case studies, and even anecdotal stories are so influential.
Authority – Having data or statistics to back up your claims is very powerful, along with tangible confidence.
Likeability – People buy from people they like. Although not always true, if you can find some common ground or have some fun with a prospect, you increase your chances.
Scarcity – No need to scream that “there are only a few units left”, instead just mention it almost in passing, and watch the effect it has.
Incorporate these triggers today to increase your influence.
Emotional Drivers
Very few people make buying decisions based purely on logic. Emotion always factors in.
That doesn’t mean we should avoid the logical reasons they need a solution to their problems, it just means that we can’t get stuck there.
A great way to uncover emotional drivers is to ask follow-up questions during any phase of discovery.
For example, if a prospect tells you they need training to improve sales team performance, ask them for more detail, and to explain all the reasons behind the performance issues.
Ask them how this is affecting the company, their boss, and them personally.
Pay close attention to the emotional drivers that are uncovered, and then address those pain points throughout the sales and closing process.
An effective way to leverage these emotional drivers is to transition from discussing product features and technical details to painting a picture of how the benefits will lead to desired outcomes.
It is critical to start by outlining product features to address the logical buying persona, but the real impact will happen when you can paint a picture of how the emotional driver will be satisfied through the benefits.
Learn more about this dance between features & benefits here.
Reminder #2 – Trust Comes First, then Closing
Selling is an art that hinges on building trust with your prospects.
Establishing a solid rapport paves the way for open conversations, helping you identify needs accurately.
A key element of this process involves active listening, where you don’t just hear words but understand their intent too
When we talk about closing deals, it’s essential to remember that identifying customer needs forms the bedrock of every sales process.
By listening and demonstrating your understanding, trust begins to build naturally.
Active Listening AND Relating Back
The old advice was that the strength of your offering, sales pitch, and closing approach was the magic that led to the win.
We’ve since learned it’s your ability to understand, empathize, relate, and align your solutions with the logical and emotional needs of your prospect.
Closing really does start with your very first interaction.
To get at those nuggets of information that can seal the deal, mastering active listening becomes imperative.
It allows you not only to grasp what prospects are saying but also to decode unspoken signals through tone and body language.
Real listening means staying fully engaged without interrupting or jumping ahead with solutions before completely understanding issues.
So how do we cultivate this skill?
- Start by clearing your mind when engaging in a conversation; focus solely on your prospect.
- Pick up cues from their words, tones, and expressions which will give insight into underlying concerns or expectations.
- Frequently summarize points back as validation that you’re following along.
The last bullet is critically important. It’s one thing to actively listen, but you need to demonstrate to your prospect that you are hearing what they are saying, and seeking clarity on what you feel is being implied.
Remember that each exchange is a chance to discover more about wants, needs, and how things may be changing. The more we know, the easier it is to demonstrate how we can help.
For a prospect, nothing beats a pitch tailored precisely to what they need.
Reminder #3 – Overcome Objections Before Closing
Reframe the idea that objections are barriers, and instead think of them as bridges leading to successful deals.
Most human beings prefer to avoid friction, and the whole idea of objections is that a prospect is questioning whether your solution can address their needs.
But frankly, this is an important part of the process. The prospect needs to know that you can help them, and this is how they find out.
So what can you do? Make the awkward process as enjoyable as possible. Accept their objections with a positive attitude and address them head-on.
Turning Objections into Opportunities
I recommend a handy 4-step process to address most objections; identify, question, explore, and then diffuse.
After identifying an objection, ask more probing questions to ensure you understand the total concern. Get conversational about this, so you and your prospect are working together.
You’ll often find that the issue is something different than was initially implied, so you can address that. Often through this dialogue, the issue will decrease in importance.
If it doesn’t, you now have a key item that must be addressed to move forward, and that’s valuable for you to know!
Bear in mind that there’s no one-size-fits-all response when handling objections; it requires flexibility and your desire to both understand and address the issues in a positive way.
Reminder #4 – Leverage Urgency & Scarcity
The art of closing a sale often comes down to your ability to create a sense of urgency or scarcity.
When time is of the essence, most people are more likely to make a purchase decision promptly.
So how do we create this feeling?
Leveraging Time-Sensitive Offers
A powerful way to instill urgency is by introducing time-sensitive offers.
This could be an exclusive discount available only for a limited period, or perhaps access to additional features if they move ahead within a set timeframe.
The balance here isn’t just about offering something valuable—it’s also about generating enough motivation to not let that value slip away.
Making Scarcity Your Ally
Besides leveraging time, scarcity is another powerful tool that should be in your toolkit.
Limited availability – whether it’s a product or service window, or slots in an upcoming training session – can work wonders for getting prospects off the fence quickly.
But remember, don’t overdo it. You need these tactics to come across as genuine and not just sales gimmicks. They should be used to encourage prospects forward.
Creating a sense of urgency prevents deals from stalling. It’s important to get business closed ASAP so other variables don’t have an opportunity to derail your deals.
In essence, applying techniques like these will give you more control over pace without making your potential customers feel pressured unfairly.
So next time when working on an elusive deal consider throwing some urgency or scarcity into the mix and watch how it transforms your closing game.
Reminder #5 – Leverage Social Proof
Social proof is a powerful force in sales. What precisely is social proof and how can it be used to its fullest potential?
The concept of social proof is that people are more likely to act in a certain way when they observe others doing the same.
Incorporating Customer Success Stories Effectively
A compelling way to incorporate social proof into your sales pitch is through customer success stories.
These narratives provide evidence of satisfied customers who have benefited from your product or service.
When sharing stories, specificity matters. Details about how your solution helped solve problems or improve outcomes can paint a vivid picture for potential buyers.
- Tangible Benefits: Did the client save time? Money? Highlight concrete outcomes.
- Narrative Appeal: Engaging storytelling keeps prospects interested and invested in the story you’re telling – their story could be next.
- Genuine Testimonials: Authenticity shines through every time.
In some cases, prospects may want tangible evidence like case studies or to speak with customers.
However, more often all that’s necessary is a well-crafted story that outlines challenges, and outcomes, and weaves some elements of your prospects’ situation in.
For me, this is a favorite sales closing technique.
Remember that building trust takes time Accelerate the process through stories infused with potent authenticity, detail-rich content, and great outcomes.
Reminder #6 – Soften Your Hard Close (Involve your Colleagues)
Success in sales closing is usually a collaborative mission, particularly when your products or services are more complex.
It’s like a relay race where various team members play an essential part, passing the baton to one another until the finish line is crossed.
As the lead sales rep you are responsible for the outcome, you are the captain of the team, so you need to know which colleague should run what leg of the race.
My favorite part about involving colleagues is the positive impact it has on prospects.
They get a chance to meet other team members and build a picture of your organization through more than just you (as charming as you may be!).
Non-sales personnel can also soften the experience for prospects, giving them a different view of your organization.
Tips For Improving Collaboration In Your Organization
A valuable perspective any organization should have is that it is everyone’s responsibility to support the sales effort.
Organizations invest so much to acquire customers, and nobody has a job if these actions aren’t a priority for everyone.
As a sales rep, work with your management to identify the people in your organization who can help in the selling effort.
Perhaps a member of the production or the client success team should be brought in? Maybe a key manager can highlight how client feedback is incorporated into the product roadmap.
Start looking for opportunities to bring in your colleagues.
Reminder #7 – Take Responsibility for the Close!
Eventually, all sales reps find themselves at a moment when they need to advance the sale.
Getting the sale done is ultimately your responsibility as the sales rep.
Remember that sales closing techniques are like keys, each with a unique cut to unlock a particular door.
When it’s time to finally close the deal, there are numerous proven sales closes and the trick is knowing which key fits the lock of your prospect’s decision-making process.
Unfortunately, closing is something we practice least because most opportunities don’t reach the closing stage. Talk about added pressure!
My advice is to learn as much as you can, refer back to the reminders above, and consider each closing technique outlined in the next section.
So, What are the 19 Sales Closing Techniques?!
Without further delay, let’s get to 19 highly effective, field-tested sales closing techniques that you can start using today.
Each of these sales closing techniques has its time and place based on the factors and variables outlined above.
Some will resonate for you, some will not. I have practiced each sales closing technique on this list personally.
Remember, these techniques can be combined…
The key is to keep learning, keep practicing, and never stop figuring out what works for you to close more deals!
1. Sugar Close
Toss in a sweetener near the end, and tie it to signing by a certain date. Some refer to this as a “now or never close”, but I like my name better.
2. Unique Offer Close
Some people want a deal that is unique to them. Create something and be sure to let them know it’s a special deal.
3. Reminder Close
If your prospect becomes hesitant late in the deal, remind them why they began talking to you in the first place. Reframe the opportunity (or lost opportunity cost).
4. Puppy Dog Close
If you let someone play with a puppy at a kennel, they are very likely to want to adopt it. If you have a skeptical prospect, provide a free trial to alleviate concerns and increase the odds they will buy.
5. Objection Hunter Close
The best sales reps constantly hunt for objections so they can be addressed. This is also critical at the end of the sale. Just ask if any reasons are stopping your prospect from moving forward.
6. Walkaway Close
This one is more advanced. If a prospect is throwing up late objections, tell them perhaps the fit isn’t there. Often you’ll find out very quickly if the objection is real or not. The walkaway works at all stages of the sales process to ascertain if concerns are critical or not. Use this one with caution!
7. Implied Close
Near the end, adjust your language to imply that the prospect has already decided. Talk about how things will work (not how they could work).
8. Assumptive Close
A little different than the implied close. Assumptive closing is more of a concept that you bring into all phases of selling. It’s a tone and tenor that telegraphs to your prospect throughout the sale that you are the right fit for their needs.
9. Lesser Option Close
If a prospect is stuck on a particular item or objection, let them know of other vendors/solutions that may address the issue, but also have downside considerations. The idea is to help them find clarity and realize the grass isn’t necessarily greener elsewhere. This one is advanced so use with caution.
10. Alternate Options Close
Where possible, present your prospect with options. I sell SAAS and we have different services. Providing options helps your prospect feel some control while giving you a chance to lead them comfortably to preferred options.
11. Soft Lead Close
One of my favorites! Instead of hard closing, ask soft questions to lead the prospect forward. “Are you interested in learning about the sale?”. “Does that satisfy the final requirement you shared?”. “Are we ready to assemble an initial agreement?”.
12. Take Away Close
If a prospect is stuck on price, reduce the scope of your offering to provide a reduced rate. Ensure they understand what they are losing to gain a better price. This close will both advance the sale and help the prospect decide if a price break is worth the loss in service.
13. Sharp Angle Close
A classic closing technique, this one is effective if you are being pushed on price or for more features, and have the ability to offer a concession in the call. When your prospect asks for X, reply “Sure, and if we do that will you sign up by X date?”.
14. Summary Close
With this close, you are diffusing pressure and reminding the prospect about everything they are getting and the associated value. It’s a feel-good technique that should uncover any final adjustments, and finish with the prospect saying “Sounds good”.
15. Casual Close
One of my favorites. If you have a good rapport with your prospect, at the appropriate time say something like “OK, so it feels like we’re doing this. Are we doing this?”. Say it playfully and with a smile.
16. Direct Close
This one is simple. At the appropriate time when objections have been addressed, just say “I think we should move forward. Do you agree?”.
17. Deadline Pressure (Stick to Your Guns) Close
If you have addressed all objections and there is time-based pressure at play, let it work its magic. Resist the urge to buckle on price or conditions, and hang out in that uncomfortable space until your prospect agrees to move forward. This one is an advanced technique, not for the faint at heart!
18. Left Hemisphere Close
For those analytical prospects, compile a list of the advantages (and a few disadvantages) to help them come to a logical decision. People are still far more impulsive and emotional than they think, but this approach will work with logical people.
19. Empathy Close
Also one of my favorites, because I genuinely care about people and want them to benefit. So long as you truly believe in the value of what you’re selling, this is powerful. Just express genuine empathy for your soon-to-be customers’ problems, along with complete confidence that your offering is the right solution.
FAQs
Why do I need sales closing techniques?
Although we all have problems and need solutions, the act of making a decision often trips people up.
Understanding how to lead a sale to close is an art and a science, and if you want to be a sales star you need to learn how.
Are there more closes not listed in this article?
You bet! There are loads of closes, including from sales pros I like. The above are ones I have personally used and can vouch for.
Every good salesperson has strategies and the best sales closing techniques that work for them. The more you sell, the more you’ll figure out your favorites.
Which are the best sales closing techniques?
Every sales closing technique listed in this article has its merit.
The best sales closing technique will depend on your product or service, organization, industry, and the conditions and variables.
Practice and internalize everything you have learned and you’ll close more deals and be well on your way to becoming a high-performing sales rep.
How do I close a sale fast?
To close sales quickly, use persuasive tactics like creating urgency or scarcity while leveraging trust built through relationship development.
Also, consider employing proven sales closing techniques such as a direct or sharp angle close. Each sales closing technique listed above can be used, and refer to all the closes for specific late-stage actions you can take.
Conclusion
So, we’ve taken a wild ride through the world of sales closing techniques. We’ve explored how persuasion strategies and psychology play their roles in clinching deals.
We learned to build trust with clients and identify their needs accurately for successful closes. Overcoming objections was another major focus, as we discussed turning these roadblocks into opportunities.
The power of creating urgency and scarcity in sales closings cannot be underestimated; it keeps deals from stalling. Similarly, leveraging social proof such as testimonials or customer success stories adds weight to our pitches.
Different situations call for different techniques – from summary closes to the puppy dog close – each has its unique approach! And let’s not forget about collaboration: teamwork makes the dream work!
Mastering these sales closing techniques is like learning a secret language; one that speaks directly to your prospects’ desires and concerns. It’s time you put this newfound knowledge into action – happy selling!