10 TRUTHS about Sales Training: TRUTH #9 – It’s never too early to ask for the order, commitment or go for sales action!

“Are we there yet?”  Sales Leaders, we’re almost home!  I’ll never forget what a buyer once told me about a salesperson, “I would have given him/her the P.O. if the rep had just asked me.”  The end result was a plant shutdown because they didn’t get the parts, the buyer got reprimanded and moved to a new location while the sales rep was “let go.”  Both parties suffered because of this.  Never feel that it is premature to ask the customer for a commitment.  Remember, interaction dictates our actions, so close and keep closing until the customer says, “Yes!”  How many times can you ask?  As many times as you want, as long as the customer continues to interact through the stages of the buying process.  If you feel you’ve asked enough, change the subject, go back to relationship building and keep the door open.  But, before you leave or hang up, set the next call objective with that customer to keep the stages of the buying process moving.  Too often, we miss the opportunity when the customer says, “Let us think about it and we’ll get back to you,” and later you can’t even reach them.  So set the time and date now, during the call, for the next meeting, with your eye on the objective, “I’m going to close ‘em!”