Every professional sales person has a specific routine that they go through that starts with prospecting potential clients to the process to close sales. As a successful sales person, you have your own routine and plan. Nevertheless, as we all know, the plan does not always lead us to close sales. When we don’t close the sale we can’t help but wonder at what point did the deal go wrong. What happened that made us lose the sale? Many times, unfortunately, after all of the initial work, it is in the process of closing the sale that we lose it. However, some techniques that you can use will help to ensure that you will close sales.

Prepare with the end in mind.

You have a sales plan and the final goal of every sales plan is to close sales. Each prospect and client that you have will need to have a separate sales plan. Each step in your plan needs to move you in the direction of closing the sale. As the process progresses, keep the goal to close sales in focus so that any deviation from the plan will not let you lose sight of you ultimate goal.

Be completely prepared when you go to close sales.

Make sure you have everything you need to close the sale. All paperwork, forms, additional information (even pens!) should be readily available. If you need to check on new information or the client asks a question that you are not prepared for, you could lose the sale. Whenever you need to step away from the customer to get paperwork or information, you are taking a step away from closing the sale.

Never promise more than you can deliver.

Don’t try to close sales by telling a customer what they want to hear instead of telling them the truth. If an item is out of stock or needs to shipped, even if it delays the sale, you must be honest. Clients always seem to have a way of finding out when you have not been up front with information. Your competition is always happy to let a client know when you have not been truthful about something. Be honest and realistic with all of your customers. This will build trust for future sales and referrals. You want to close sales, but you also want repeat business.

Communicate clearly.

To close sales, you must make sure that, through the entire sales process, you have been clear and concise in your communication with the buyer. The last thing you want is an unexpected miscommunication when you go to close the sale. If the buyer feels that you have been twisting or changing information as you moved along the sales process, they will no longer trust you and it is highly unlikely that you will close the sale.

Ask for the sale.

It is amazing how many sales are lost just because the sales person never actually asks for the sale. To close sales you need to ask the buyer for the sale. By the time you have gotten to the point where you are asking for the sale, ask and then be quiet. Over talking at this point is deadly. The ball is in the buyer’s court and they can say yes or no. If you have done your job, they really should not have any further questions. Ask for the sale and say nothing while you wait for the answer.

To close sales, you must be prepared. The majority of your plan to close sales should start at the very first encounter with the customer. By the time you get to close the sale, your preparation, relationship with the customer and your clear communication to the customer should be all you need to make the deal.