"If I can, would you.."
Posted: Sun May 12, 2002 7:48 am
Over the past seventeen years, I have had the opportunity to train many sales people. Of all the selling tools, the selling tool that seems to be the hardest for sales people to maintain is his or her sales manager. New sales people use the sales manager due to the fact that they are in the learning process and need input from the sales manager on a regular basis during their training. However, as soon as the sales person thinks they have learned it all (which no one ever does), they seek the assistance of their sales manager less and less. It is at this point that their sales begin to diminish.
At some point in during the sale, the sales person must go for the close. This is especially true when the customer is throwing buying signals. If the sales person is really listening to the customer instead of talking to much, buying signals are easy to read. It is how the sales person reacts to the buying signal that increases or decreases his or her odds in closing the sale.
Using the sales manager to close more sales:
It is a very simple selling technique that all sales people regardless of experience should employ. It is called, "If I can, would you." It is simple, yet it cuts to the chase and calls for a buying decision on the customers part. This technique is not to be used at random, but only when the sales person has listened enough to determine the customers greed button or the real obstacle that is holding the customer back from making a buying decision today.
Here is one example of when to use this closing technique and to employ the sales manager.
The customer is buying a home to be place on private property. The sales person has done a good job in asking the right questions and has learned that the customer has to have a septic tank installed. This little gold nugget of information should be stored in the memory banks to close the sale. The customer wants a particular home, but in his or her mind, they can't buy because they just don't have enough money for a down payment and a septic tank. This is a money obstacle and this is where the "If I can, would you" needs to come into play.
"Mr. Customer, I know you really love and want this home. From what you have told me, you need a septic tank, but you don't have the money to have one installed at this time. You have said that you need to save some more money for the septic tank before you can purchase your home. I don't know if I can do this, but, IF I CAN GET THE SALES MANAGER TO AGREE TO INSTALL A SEPTIC TANK FOR YOU AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU, WOULD YOU BUY TODAY?" There it is. Now you are about to find out whether the customer has really been sold on you, the dealership, and your product.
Again, this is a simple, yet powerful closing technique. It can be used in many different scenarios, but again only when the customer's real needs are determined, or when the customer hit you over the head with a very strong buying signal.
At some point in during the sale, the sales person must go for the close. This is especially true when the customer is throwing buying signals. If the sales person is really listening to the customer instead of talking to much, buying signals are easy to read. It is how the sales person reacts to the buying signal that increases or decreases his or her odds in closing the sale.
Using the sales manager to close more sales:
It is a very simple selling technique that all sales people regardless of experience should employ. It is called, "If I can, would you." It is simple, yet it cuts to the chase and calls for a buying decision on the customers part. This technique is not to be used at random, but only when the sales person has listened enough to determine the customers greed button or the real obstacle that is holding the customer back from making a buying decision today.
Here is one example of when to use this closing technique and to employ the sales manager.
The customer is buying a home to be place on private property. The sales person has done a good job in asking the right questions and has learned that the customer has to have a septic tank installed. This little gold nugget of information should be stored in the memory banks to close the sale. The customer wants a particular home, but in his or her mind, they can't buy because they just don't have enough money for a down payment and a septic tank. This is a money obstacle and this is where the "If I can, would you" needs to come into play.
"Mr. Customer, I know you really love and want this home. From what you have told me, you need a septic tank, but you don't have the money to have one installed at this time. You have said that you need to save some more money for the septic tank before you can purchase your home. I don't know if I can do this, but, IF I CAN GET THE SALES MANAGER TO AGREE TO INSTALL A SEPTIC TANK FOR YOU AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU, WOULD YOU BUY TODAY?" There it is. Now you are about to find out whether the customer has really been sold on you, the dealership, and your product.
Again, this is a simple, yet powerful closing technique. It can be used in many different scenarios, but again only when the customer's real needs are determined, or when the customer hit you over the head with a very strong buying signal.