How to Close a Sale With a Tough Customer
Some customers are harder to convince than others. To increase your revenue, you need to have the right closing strategy. Here is an article on how to close a sale when you're dealing with a tough customer.
When you work in sales, you’re going to encounter tough prospects. They’ll require more time and patience than others, but they’re not impossible to sell to. There’s a lot of sales advice that rely on high-pressure tactics to close, but you don’t need to result to those.
With a little skill and help you can easily make sales with some of your most trying clients.
Want to know how to close a sale with a tough client? Read on to learn how to get that tough nut to crack finally.
How To Close A Sale With Tough Customers
It’s important to note that some sales won’t happen regardless of your persistence and skill. The customer may not be in the right phase of the buyer’s journey. Their department may not have the budget to go through with the sale. They may just be in a bad mood and unwilling to talk.
We can’t promise you’ll close every sale you come by. But if you follow these tips, you’ll be closer to closing than ever before.
Stay Calm
Your next commission could be riding on this sale. Your potential client may be acting rude or dismissive towards you. You may feel frustrated and ready to wrap things up fast. Regardless of how you feel, you must stay calm when trying to close.
Appearing anxious or angry won’t help you make a sale. Those emotions can make you seem not confident and can be very off-putting to a potential buyer. Difficult prospects could also see your anxiousness as a sign that you’re desperate to make a sale. They could try to lowball you on the price or take advantage of you.
Take some time to work on keeping calm in stressful situations. Stay focused on the task at hand, and don’t get overwhelmed.
Be Firm
You’ve already offered them discounts and mentioned that you need an answer soon. But despite what you’ve laid out, they’re asking for more time and a lower price. If you’re desperate to make a sale, you could feel compelled to give the customer what they want. But you should never go back on what you’ve said just to make a sale.
You want to be a salesman that sticks to their word. If you allow people to lowball you on price or other important things, you’ll have trouble making good deals.
Don’t be afraid to stand your ground. Be a salesperson of your word, and stick to the standards you set.
Go Face To Face
If possible, try to see if you can meet your prospect in person to discuss the potential sale.
Seeing them in person lets you show your dedication to the sale and the customer’s needs. It can also be easier to communicate face to face, and you won’t have to worry about anything being misinterpreted in text or email.
Feel free to email additional information, or offer to schedule a phone call to explain things in detail. But when pitching and making big selling points, try to see them in person.
Solve, Don’t Sell
If there’s one golden rule that people in sales should always keep in mind, it’s that clients aren’t as interested in your company or product as you’d think.
Clients are coming to you because they have a specific need to be met. Most won’t care much about your company’s history, awards, or other fluff. They want to make sure that whatever they’re buying can solve their problem.
Don’t focus on “selling” your product or trying to talk up your business. Figure out the client’s specific pain points, and find ways your product or service can improve things for them.
Learning their pain points can also help you determine how likely your client is to buy. People who only have a minor problem won’t want to make a sale fast, but someone with a big and important need could be willing to buy today.
Offer Different Options
When many people try to make a sale, they may accidentally take an “all or nothing” approach. Their products or services are rigid and can’t be changed. They focus on selling one thing one way and then struggle to make sales because they can’t accommodate client needs.
You could be missing out on great clients because you only offer them one solution to their problem.
Present your client with multiple options. List different price points and services and cater each offering to their needs.
Be Direct
Clear and honest communication is important for anybody who works in sales.
Being unclear is a sure way to miss out on a sale when working with a tough client. If you don’t ask questions or outline specific price points or services, people won’t be compelled to buy from you.
Be upfront and direct about what you want from the customer.
Don’t ask them if they had a chance to read your last e-mail if you want to know if they’re going to sign a contract. Simply ask them if they’ve had time to review what you’ve sent and are ready to move forward.
Know When To Back Off
This post is about closing a sale, but there will be times when you won’t be able to make a sale.
Remembering that a “no” right now doesn’t mean a “no” forever. You may be able to pick up the conversation at a later time.
The opportunity for future deals is why it’s important for you to know when it’s time to stand down. Repeated phone calls, emails, and friendly drop-ins can irritate and off-putting potential customers.
Tell them you’re always ready to talk and leave them your contact information. Always open the door, but don’t try to force your way in.
Next Steps
Now that you know how to close a sale, it’s time to use some of those techniques.
Spend time working on building up your lead pipeline. We have a great post on how to create successful lead strategies that can help you beef up your prospect list.
And remember, we’re always here to help. Download the Ultimate Website Redesign Planning Kit to take things to the next level!
