Lately a recurring question I’ve been asked concerns the right way to close a sale, particularly what to say. The usual “Sign here” is a bit rote, right?
I'll share a nifty thing that I discovered a few years ago. Once you connect the dots between something you’re selling and what a prospect’s goals are, all you have to do is outline them. Of course, what someone wants varies from situation to situation. They may want higher retail sales per square foot. They may want a lower scrap rate. They may want higher occupancy, retention and attraction for their office building. They may want higher student performance at their school.
What do all of these things have in common? They can be statistically tied to outcomes from energy efficiency improvements. So, what I typically do is say, “Okay, now that we’ve made that link between ______ and _______, how soon would you like to receive those benefits?” Mentioning those benefits is what gets a prospect emotionally excited and more motivated to move forward. You’re painting a vivid picture of the prize they stand to claim once they do.
In my experience this has been a foolproof way to convey a prospect’s business goals back to them. Once you point out a connection between your offerings and their goals, they begin to resonate with the project on a personal (and professional) level. It makes things crystal clear, so when you finally ask, “How soon should we start?” the answer will be obvious.
