1. How to Improve Your Close Rate
Michael Halper
Sales Prospecting 101

2. Some Key Points
• Most common area for desired improvement
• Should be one of the easiest steps of the process
• Born a closer?
• Tremendous control
• Direct closing tactics versus indirect closing tactics

3. What are you trying to close?
Stage GoalsInitial Contact
(First time to speak)
Cold Call
Inbound Call
Email
Event
2 to 5 minutes
80% on prospect
20% on you
First Conversation
(Appointment/Meeting)
Phone Call
Face-to-Face
Discovery
20 to 30 minutes
50% on prospect
50% on you
First Meeting
(Presentation)
Discovery
Presentation
Demonstration
1 to 2 hours
20% on prospect
80% on you
Pre-qualify
Gather high-level information
Build interest in having conversation
Schedule a First Conversation
Hard Qualify
Gather detailed Information
Build interest in meeting
Schedule a First Meeting
Sell Product
Map out Next Steps
Close (Sale or agreement to move
forward)

4. Direct Closing Tactics
• Trial Close
• Assumptive Close
• Alternative Close
• Letting the Prospect Lead
• Turning Questions into Statements
• Evaluation Plan
• Compelling Event
• Disqualifying

5. Trial Closing
• Asking the prospect for their thoughts and opinions.
• Examples:
– What do you think of what we have discussed so far?
– How would that feature help your operation?
– Is this something you could see your employees
using?
– Do you want to continue forward with these
discussions?
– What direction do you want to go in from here?
• Should be performed in every prospect discussion

6. Assumptive Close
• Assumes the prospect wants to move
• Example:
– What time would you like us to put you
down for your free consultation?

7. Alternative Close
• Provide the prospect with two options
to choose from
• Example:
– We have workshops available on
Monday afternoon and Thursday
morning. Which one would you prefer
to be signed up for?”

8. Letting the Prospect Lead
• Look to the prospect to advise as to
the direction to take
• Examples:
– What would you like to do next?
– What direction would you like to go
in?
– Do you want to continue talking
about this?
– When would you like to talk again?
• Requires good execution in other
key areas

9. Turn Questions into Statements
• Change questions into statements to
motivate movement and commitment.
• Example:
– Question: Would you like to meet next
week?
– Statement: We should meet next week.

10. Evaluation Plan
Activity Date Owner Status
Meeting with Shawn Adams 6/25/2010 Smith Complete
Meeting with Executive team 7/23/2010 Smith Complete
Send info and call Shawn Adams first week of
August
Smith Open
Whiteboard session 8/13/2010 Smith/Adams Open
Process Recommendations/Proof of Capabilities 8/27/2010 Smith/Jones Open
Build Business Case 9/3/2010 Smith/Adams Open
Presentation of Draft Proposal and Contract Language 9/10/2010 Tech Inc./ XYZ Corp. Open
Communication of change requests to documents 9/17/2010 XYZ Corp. Open
Delivery of Final Executable Documents 9/24/2010 Smith Open
Partnership Agreement signed 9/30/2010 Tech Inc./ XYZ Corp. Open
Implementation TBD Tech Inc./ XYZ Corp. Open
Go live with partnership 1/2011 Tech Inc./ XYZ Corp. Open

11. Compelling Event
• Identify or create a compelling event and use that to drive the close
• Natural compelling event:
– Existing contract expiring
– Site opening or moving
– Existing system being discontinued
• Manufactured compelling event:
– Expiring discount
– Expiring promotion
– Limited product availability

12. Disqualifying
• To doubt or question the fit or potential
to move forward
• Examples:
– Maybe this is not the right direction for
you to go.
– It does not seem like this is something
you are really interested in.
• The exact opposite of what 90% of
other sales people do 100% percent of
the time
• Advanced sales tactic

13. Indirect Closing Tactics
• Communicating value
• Qualifying the prospect
• Finding pain
• Building rapport
• Building interest
• Building credibility

14. Key Takeaways
• Closing should be one of the easiest steps of your sales process
• There are things you can do to be a better closer
• Qualifying prospects better will immediately improve your close rate
• Trial close every step of the way
• Use a mix of direct and indirect closing techniques to improve results

15. If You Want More Help
• Books / Ebooks
– The Cold Calling Equation – Problem Solved
– Do’s and Don’ts of Cold Calling
– How to Get around Cold Call Objections
– How to Build a Value Proposition that Generates Leads
– How to Build Sales Campaigns that Sell
– How to Build Email Drip Campaigns that Convert Sales
• Videos
– Dozens of how to videos and slide decks
• 10 week web-based training program
• One-on-one sales coaching and consulting
• SalesScripter
– www.salesscripter.com
– Walk-through services available

16. www.salesscripter.com | info@salesscripter.com | 713-802-2026