Why No Sales Closing Technique Will Ever “Convince” Your Buyer

Tired of trying to convince clients? This article explains why the best prospects don’t need hard sales closing techniques. When you’re visible and trusted in your field, your expertise does the talking.

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A recent LinkedIn collaborative article asked: Your client questions your pricing. How can you convince them of its value? The answer is straightforward and maybe a little counterintuitive: You shouldn’t “have to convince” a decision maker of its value, or your value.

Your Ideal Prospects and Clients Don’t Require Sales Closing Techniques

My very best clients didn’t require convincing, and here’s why:

• I’m highly visible in the marketplace, and a prospective client can see my experience my expertise, my style, and potential results early in their buying process. They can follow me on LinkedIn or engage with content on my website. They might meet me at an event or be introduced by another leader in the marketplace. I’m viewed as trusted advisor, peer, and an expert who can help them solve their significant sales challenges. No sales closing techniques required.
• They’re likely experiencing some kind of challenge internally or in the industry that they haven’t solved; this results in a level of self-qualification before we connect for an initial sales conversation.
• I use my strategic selling methodology; it allows me to tailor the prospect or client experience and helps them make strong decisions for their business.

Why “Sales Convincing” Might Be Happening to You (or Your Sales Team)

If you’re finding yourself (or your sales team) in a position of having to constantly convince of client of your value, below could be a few reasons why.

• Many opportunities aren’t well qualified, and therefore they aren’t “closable,” which leads to using sales closing techniques that don’t work and are received as self-serving. When I assess clients and their level of qualified opportunities, we often uncover that they are further up in the pipeline than previously thought. This means they aren’t ready for closing.
• Your prospects and clients may view you as an “order taker” and not a peer. A professional seller who is viewed as a peer is excellent at advisory intelligence. This means they have developed an understanding of the client, their business, and their industry, and they combine that understanding with thoughtful insights, questions, and ideas that get the client thinking differently.
• You’ve developed relationships at the wrong levels within the client. I believe in building strategic relationships across the client; but when challenged on this, most sales professionals will admit they work too low within an organization. They have relationships of influence (which are necessary), but not enough relationships of authority. Even the best sales closing techniques aren’t effective on someone without true authority to make a buying decision.
• Your sales proposals are too inwardly focused and don’t leave room for collaboration or conversation. Any proposal needs to be highly focused on the client, and not highly focused on the seller or the seller’s company. Following this one simple technique will improve a client’s vision of your value, because the proposal is focused on them. Additionally, if a proposal doesn’t leave any room for discussion or collaboration, it’s very difficult for a buyer to have a role in crafting the solution. That lead to lack of buy-in, and ultimately lack of value.
• You don’t have the right sales closing phrases, or you don’t have the required confidence in using them. Many sellers don’t ask for the business, period. They leave everything in the hands of the buyer to “get back to them.” It’s very challenging to show value with that approach. Sometimes, it really is a matter of the right language at the right time. Sales managers, it’s critically important to coach and role play with your sellers. Help them to gauge when an opportunity is closable, and what words will best work in asking for the business.

A Final Thought on Price and Sales Closing Techniques

Price is commensurate with value. Value increases when a prospect or client “convinces” themselves they need to solve a problem. Value increases when a seller understands the results and value a client is looking to accomplish, and then articulately ties their solution to those results and value.

Most price conversations begin in the seller’s mind, and they often talk themselves out of their own value. More than a client or prospect ever will.  Before using a sales closing phrase with a client or prospect, it may be most valuable to “close you” first.

Stop convincing and start closing with confidence.

You can elevate your sales processes and close sales with confidence. Explore my sales consulting and sales training services to unlock the strategies that attract and convert your ideal clients. Reach out today to get started.