Have you ever been in store where you stop to look at an item and immediately the salesperson asks you “Are you interested?”, “Would you like to buy it?” or “Would you like to try it on?”
I don’t know about you, but in these situations, I immediately feel trapped and under pressure. And all I want to do is run out the door. The same thing can happen when I am on the phone or in meetings where the sales person is just too pushy.
I often ask people how comfortable they are asking for the order? Invariably, the answers can range from “feeling very confident”, to “it depends” and finally to “not at all”.
Many of the reasons salespeople shy away from asking for the order is fear of rejection or perhaps being too pushy. However, if we don’t ask, we will never know if the person wants to buy the product or not.
Luckily, there will often be occasions when the customer is so keen they automatically give you the order, saving you the hassle and worry of asking.
There are also times when customers find it daunting to make a buying decision. Some people are habitually slow to change and get overwhelmed. In other cases, they feel confused, require more information, clarification on a point or perhaps just reassurance.
Therefore, it is fair to say that as the salesperson – it is our job to let the customer know we are there to help them. We need to gain their trust, lead the conversation and help them make the right decision.
The first step is to gauge the customers reaction about your product or service. Often known as the “trial close”, simply ask them for their opinion with a question like “What do you think about XYZ?”, “What are your thoughts on XYZ?” or even “How do you feel about that”?
By inviting their feedback, you can quickly assess how they feel about your product or service and how keen they might be in purchasing it.
A negative response will indicate that an objection exists, giving you the chance to clarify any concerns they may have. On the other hand, if you get a good response it opens up an opportunity to ask for the order.
Sometimes, the customer will reply with a question or comment that will leave you unsure of how they really feel. This uncertainty can be quite distracting, as many salespeople interpret them as objections or a negative response. Thankfully, this is not always the case and offers us the chance to dig deeper to find out what the customer really thinks.
If it’s confidence we wish to build, there are ten steps we can undertake. To be successful, work through each stage when asking for the order.
- Before asking, get yourself into a positive mindset
- Gauge the customers reaction and have a backup plan
- Encourage the customer to imagine they are already using the product or service
- Talk about the benefits that are important to the customer only
- Don’t ask permission – make suggestions
- Check in with the customer to find out what they think using lots of questions
- Identify if they have other questions or need clarification
- Reconfirm timescales and other relevant details
- Try a number of ways to ask for the order – pick one that fits
- Leave price until last and make concessions only when it makes sense or with an immediate sale
Be prepared to ask for the order twice, but remember “no” doesn’t always mean “no”. It often means “no right now”.
More importantly never finish a conversation without agreeing the next action. Whether it’s to process the order, confirm an appointment, email over a quotation or arrange a call back. The secret is to always take the customer through the key steps in asking for the order.