The most successful salespeople all have one thing in common: They’re excellent closers. When a prospect is qualified and the meeting is going well, top salespeople just know they’re going to close that sale.

If your confidence is lacking when it comes to closing any sale, it might be time to improve your closing strategy. Luckily, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. The best salespeople across all industries rely on the same few powerful techniques to close deals time after time—and so can you.

Check out these 4 proven selling strategies that the most successful salespeople rely on to boost their closing ratio. Implement these techniques now and start to dominate your competition:

1. Dig into challenges and objectives

Before you even begin a sales Strategies presentation, you should always be crystal clear on your prospect’s challenges and objectives. Ask probing questions and listen carefully. By understanding these crucial elements first, you’ll be equipped to connect your solution to those things your prospect cares most about—adding extreme value to your product or service.
Try asking, “What is this challenge costing your organization?” By articulating the cost of the challenge, your prospect is also telling you the value of your solution. For example, if a problem is costing the organization $500,000 dollars, then your solution is worth $500,000. This simple approach creates value and helps establish a larger budget for the solution you’ll present.

2. Clarify the prospect’s priorities

It can be extremely frustrating to reach the close of a sales presentation only to hear, “We’re going to put this decision off until next year.” The problem here is that you failed to establish clear priorities. Just because a prospect voices a challenge doesn’t mean the organization is committed to solving it right away.

Try asking, “Is solving this challenge a priority to you right now?” This is a probing question, but it doesn’t have to be aggressive. Simply challenge your prospects to think about whether or not they’re ready to address their deepest frustrations right away.

3. Tell the truth

Have you ever had the feeling that you’d already lost a sale—but kept pushing through anyway? Your instincts in this situation will tell you to stick to your point and stay on track, but that’s not the way to close a sale. Instead, be honest with your prospect when things start to go south.

Try saying, “I get the sense that this isn’t going well. Where do you think we may have gone off track?” This type of honesty catches prospects off guard and prompts them to let down their walls. When they share their feedback, don’t get defensive. You’ll close way more sales once you learn to tell the truth, adjust your approach, and get back on the same page as prospects.

4. Share the reins

A pushy close—even after an otherwise successful presentation—can put prospects on the defensive. When their walls go up, your chances of closing the sale go out the window. Instead, share the reins and give the customer a sense of control.

As you reach the close, try asking, “What would you like to do next?” This not only lets prospects know that the final decision is in their hands, but also provides you with valuable feedback on whether or not they’re interested in your solution.

Which of these proven strategies will you use to close more sales in the future? Share your Strategy plans in the comments below. Check out this free Special Report on 3 Closing Questions You MUST Ask for even more great sales advice.

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Source: salesforce.com