SMM: What are some closing techniques that you've had the best success with?
JH: I don't close, I have a conversation. This always works for me because what I do, I have a ton of questions that I ask, I make sure that they know I was listening. I always ask if they are ok with me taking notes because I don’t want to miss anything they are saying. I can then say, “What I'm hearing is” and if that's not correct, they will let me know and then add “I'm really looking for this that or something else.” I also have what I call my “secret weapon” which is something I've always done when I am done with the question-and-answer part of the conversation. I ask one more question. “Is there anything else?” The reason I ask, they will give me the objection that I’d get when I’m trying to close. Let's say I asked you Kerry, “I'm glad that we talked, is there anything else?” You might say “actually yes there is” and you would tell me. I would address it for you and then I would say is there anything else? You might say “there's one more thing”. We would basically go back and forth between each other. When you ask again is there anything else and you say no and tell me that it is exactly what you wanted and then…, they have basically closed themselves.
There's always going to be something that you cannot address like, I don't have money, the timing isn't right or some other situations. Whatever it is, here's what I have always done. No matter what you try and it didn't work, you've asked the question is there anything else, I would say “Kerry, I totally understand. This is a big decision. How about this… today is Friday morning and its 10AM. I know this was a good time for you to meet with me, why don't we get something on the calendar for next Friday at 10AM and between now and then if you have any questions you can reach out.” You will now give me one of the three responses: 10 is no good but 9 is better, that's a perfect time or I really want to think about it. That last one, I really want to think about it, is a maybe that nobody wants to hear and then you ask if it is ok to contact them in a few months. You let them know that you're giving them time to actually make this decision and you have another appointment on the books.
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