6. Product Selling Consultative Selling
Company
Product
Features
Benefits
Goal: Get Customers
Value
Pain Points
Questions
Product
Company
Name Drop
Goal: Starting Conversations /
Next Step in Process
13. Trial Close
• A test close
• Checking in to see what prospect is thinking
• Provides extremely valuable information
• Can be performed every time you talk with the prospect
14. • What do you think of what we have discussed so far?
• How do you think this fits with what you are needing?
• How would that feature help you?
• Is this something you would use?
• Are we heading in the right direction?
• Is this what you were expecting to see?
TRIAL CLOSE
SOFT CLOSE
HARD CLOSE
SALES
TAKEAWAY
Trial Close Questions
15. Assumptive Close
We do free consultations every day at
10:00 a.m. What day works best for
you?
16. Alternative Close
We do our free consultations on
Tuesdays and Thursdays. Which day
works best for you?
18. • What would you like to do next?
• What direction would you like to go form here?
• Do you want to continue talking about this?
• When would you like to talk again?
• What does the path forward look like?
TRIAL CLOSE
SOFT CLOSE
HARD CLOSE
SALES
TAKEAWAY
Soft Close Questions
19. • Are you ready to move forward to the next step in the process?
• What would you need to be able to make a commitment to move forward?
• If you had everything that you want, are you prepared to move forward?
• When are you going to make your final decision?
• (If delaying the decision for a period of time - X months) OK, but do you mind if I ask if
there will be a change or something different at that time that will make that a better
time to look at moving forward?
• Is there anything that is preventing you from being able to move forward with this
purchase?
TRIAL CLOSE
SOFT CLOSE
HARD CLOSE
SALES
TAKEAWAY
Hard Close Questions
20. Partnership Plan
Activity Due Date Owner Status
Initial Meeting 11/05/2019
Michael Jones
Dennis Martin
Complete
Presentation / Demonstration 11/16/2019
Michael Jones
Dennis Martin
Veronica Flores
Complete
Discovery Meeting 11/23/2019
Michael Jones
Stan Wilson
Open
X Corp to provide requirements 11/29/2019 Stan Wilson Open
Presentation of draft proposal and contract
language
12/2/2019 Michael Jones Open
Communication of change requests to
documents
12/5/2019 Dennis Martin Open
Delivery of final executable documents 12/12/2019 Michael Jones Open
Partnership agreement signed 12/19/2019 Tech Bee / X Corp Open
Implementation begins 1/15/2020 Tech Bee / X Corp Open
Go live 4/1/2020 X Corp Open
If you would like to keep moving
forward, this is what our partner-
ship plan looks like. These are
some of the steps that need to be
taken between now and you
getting up and running.
Based on what we discussed
today, are you interested in moving
forward with this plan?
21. Partnership Plan
Activity Due Date Owner Status
Initial Meeting 11/05/2019
Michael Jones
Dennis Martin
Complete
Presentation / Demonstration 11/16/2019
Michael Jones
Dennis Martin
Veronica Flores
Complete
Discovery Meeting 11/23/2019
Michael Jones
Stan Wilson
Open
X Corp to provide requirements 11/29/2019 Stan Wilson Open
Presentation of draft proposal and contract
language
12/2/2019 Michael Jones Open
Communication of change requests to
documents
12/5/2019 Dennis Martin Open
Delivery of final executable documents 12/12/2019 Michael Jones Open
Partnership agreement signed 12/19/2019 Tech Bee / X Corp Open
Implementation begins 1/15/2020 Tech Bee / X Corp Open
Go live 4/1/2020 X Corp Open
OK, no problem at all. Do you
have enough interest to move
to the next step on this
partnership plan?
Close For Next Step
22. Partnership Plan
Activity Due Date Owner Status
Initial Meeting 11/05/2019
Michael Jones
Dennis Martin
Complete
Presentation / Demonstration 11/16/2019
Michael Jones
Dennis Martin
Veronica Flores
Complete
Discovery Meeting 11/23/2019
Michael Jones
Stan Wilson
Open
X Corp to provide requirements 11/29/2019 Stan Wilson Open
Presentation of draft proposal and contract
language
12/2/2019 Michael Jones Open
Communication of change requests to
documents
12/5/2019 Dennis Martin Open
Delivery of final executable documents 12/12/2019 Michael Jones Open
Partnership agreement signed 12/19/2019 Tech Bee / X Corp Open
Implementation begins 1/15/2020 Tech Bee / X Corp Open
Go live 4/1/2020 X Corp Open
Great. Do these steps and
time estimates look correct
and acceptable to you?
Do you have anything that you
want to add or change?
Build Plan Together
23. Partnership Plan
Activity Due Date Owner Status
Initial Meeting 11/05/2019
Michael Jones
Dennis Martin
Complete
Presentation / Demonstration 11/16/2019
Michael Jones
Dennis Martin
Veronica Flores
Complete
Discovery Meeting 11/23/2019
Michael Jones
Stan Wilson
Open
X Corp to provide requirements 11/29/2019 Stan Wilson Open
Presentation of draft proposal and contract
language
12/2/2019 Michael Jones Open
Communication of change requests to
documents
12/5/2019 Dennis Martin Open
Delivery of final executable documents 12/12/2019 Michael Jones Open
Partnership agreement signed 12/19/2019 Tech Bee / X Corp Open
Implementation begins 1/15/2020 Tech Bee / X Corp Open
Go live 4/1/2020 X Corp Open
Sure, we can definitely delay the
meeting. But according to our agreed
upon partnership plan, you want to have
the system implemented by January 1st,
and if we delay the meeting to next
month, that will likely impact your ability
to be up and running by January 1st.
Use to Manage Sales Process
24. • Natural compelling event:
– Existing contract expiring
– Site opening or moving
– Existing system being discontinued
• Manufactured compelling event:
– Expiring discount
– Expiring promotion
– Limited product availability
Compelling Event
25. Sales Takeaway
• Opposite of trying to get the prospect to
move forward
• Express doubt in fit or justification
• Opposite of what most salespeople do
26. When In Doubt, Call It Out
It seems like you are having trouble finding time for
this. Maybe this is not the right time to discuss
this?
Prospect Rescheduling Meeting
27. When In Doubt, Call It Out
It seems like you are having trouble figuring out
what direction to go. Maybe this is not a good fit for
you right now?
Prospect On-The-Fence
28. When In Doubt, Call It Out
Well, it sounds like you guys have done a good job
of putting all of the right pieces in place. Maybe it
does not make sense for us to spend too much
time on this?
Things Are Pretty Good
31. Why Takeaway
• Improve Rapport
• Improve Credibility
• Improve Quality of Leads
• Improve deal momentum
• Uncover new information
• Improve close rate
32. • I do not know if you need what we provide.
• I do not know if you are a good fit with what we do.
• I do not know if we can help you in the same way that we have helped others.
• I do not know if you are interested in those improvements.
• I do not know if you are concerned about those areas.
• I do not know if you are the right person to speak with.
• I do not know if it makes sense for us to talk.
TRIAL CLOSE
SOFT CLOSE
HARD CLOSE
SALES
TAKEAWAY
Soft Sales Takeaway
33. Key Takeaways
• Doing the other things right will make closing easy
• Having a good sales message will make closing easier
• Screening and qualifying will make closing easier
• Improve your objection handling to improve your close rate
• Focus on the sales process and closing on the right goal
• Trial close every step of the way
• Strategically use the sales takeaway when appropriate
Pros: Trial closing improves qualifying and deal management by collecting valuable information. This tactic can also improve rapport, as it can sub-communicate positive vibes like confidence, experience, abundance, and putting the prospect’s interests first.
Cons: One challenge with this tactic is that it gives the prospect an opportunity to share negative thoughts and gives him more control. If you have not been successful in building interest and rapport and you then invite the prospect to share thoughts, you might not get the answers that you want to hear.
Pros: This can help to push a prospect along before he can object or change his mind. This may also motivate a prospect who might be in a neutral or on-the-fence position to act.
Cons: This level of aggressiveness might sub-communicate negative vibes to the prospect, and this could negatively impact rapport and credibility. This approach could push away a prospect who was in a neutral position.
Pros: This can help to push a prospect along before he can object or change his mind. This may also motivate a prospect who might be in a neutral or on-the-fence position to act.
Cons: This level of aggressiveness might sub-communicate negative vibes to the prospect, and this could negatively impact rapport and credibility. This approach could push away a prospect who was in a neutral position.
Pros: This tactic displays confidence and can motivate action.
Cons: One downside to this tactic is that you are telling the prospect what to do instead of letting the prospect tell us what to do. This can motivate action but we may create action with prospects who are not fully on board and this could decrease the quality of leads.