Looking to Close More Sales?

Testing, testing, 123.

We all love a test, right? Well, perhaps not taking tests. Not many people will admit to liking that. But we love to test things before we buy. We love to try things out, and ensure that we are making the right decisions.

I remember when I was young, my brother and I built a bridge to an ‘island’ we found in the fields behind our house. I use the word island quite generously. But, we were young explorers and for all intents and purposes; it was an island! Anyway, after we built the bridge, we knew we needed to test it, to make sure that it would last and not break; allowing us to fall into the brook below. I used to be quite chubby, and as the heaviest, I was volunteered to traverse the bridge first.

“If it can take your weight Rob, it can take everyone else!” by brother exclaimed. So, low and behold, I started the several meter shuffle to the other side. Well, I wish I could say that our engineering skills were perfect, but that would be a lie. The bridge collapsed just as I got midway, allowing me to drop into the water below. We tested the bridge, or should I say, I tested out the bridge, before we could confirm it was safe.

Before a gig, a band will take part in a sound check so that everyone included can be confident that the levels are just right. When you are driving and face a blind T-junction; you don’t tend to just shoot out and hope there is no crossing traffic in front of you. You peep, and you creep, until you can see the junction a little clearer and make your way into the junction.

One skill massively overlooked when it comes to sales, is the Test Close. Looking to close more sales? Than the test close could be the tool that is missing from your locker.

Now, if you know me, and know everything I stand for, I am totally against any form of manipulation or pressure tactics to obtain a sale when it just is not right. But done in the right way, a test close can ensure that you have answered any relevant questions, made the benefits of your proposal quite clear, and that nothing has been overlooked.

It can really be quite simple to implement too! I do go into quite a lot of detail about test closes in The Paragon Mindset, however, here is something to take into your next sales meeting:

A test close needs to be simple – not over complicated. A test close needs to give the prospect the chance to ask any further questions, and should be there to ensure that you can answer those final questions, or perhaps to seal the deal should the buyer be ready to buy!

Let’s say you are going through your proposal, and you are about ready to come to the end of the proposal. Open ended questions such as:

“How does that sound?”
“Does that all add up so far?”
“How does that grab you?”

You will see that these are open ended questions, and will allow the conversation to keep flowing. Without going into too much detail, and to hopefully urge you to order a copy of The Paragon Mindset, the test close really can be as simple as that! As with everything in sales, you do not need to over complicate anything!

Ask open ended questions such as these whenever you feel either your buyer looks over excited and ready to buy, or when they look a little lost! You can then either get your pad and paper out and get them to sign should they be ready, or, if they are looking a little puzzled, you can then go over any details you have overlooked and try to sell your product or service again!

So there we are. If you are looking to close more sales, go for the test close! The test close can act as a slight buffer; a way to ensure that you are on to a winner before you try to close the sale and mess up completely!

Give it a go – and let me know how you get on!