The average successful salesperson visits each prospect 4.4 times, and their closing rates average 17 percent, or approximately 1 sale out of each 6 prospects. That means they close one sale for every 26 visits.
What if you averaged only 2 visits per prospect and your closing rate did not change? Then, you would be closing 1 sale out of every 13 visits. At that rate, you should be able to double you sales and increase your income.
What if you closed about half of your sales on the first visit, and the average number of visits dropped to 1.5 per prospect?
Why do most salespeople have to visit 6 prospects an average of 4.4 times in order make one sale? Simply because that is the way they learned how to sell. They can give you plenty of seemingly logical reasons why, in their market, with their products and services, it has to be that way. But, does it?
Do you think that most prospects want to have multiple meetings in order to satisfy a need that is important to them? Of course not. They want to buy what they need and want ASAP. All they really need to determine is:
A) Whether your products and/or services will suit their requirements; and
B) Whether they can trust you and your company to reliably satisfy those requirements.
The longer it takes for most prospects to reach that conclusion, the less likely they are to buy from you. So, it is imperative that you:
A) Adjust your selling process to focus on those two buying decision factors; and
B) Accomplish that in one or two visits.
The steps required to become an accomplished One-Call Closer are:
1. Only visit with prospects that want the benefits of your type of products and/or services. That means you must learn how to find them and make appointments with them.
2. Make mutual commitments to do business if you can meet each other's Conditions of Satisfaction. That is the first close.
3. Establish a deep Relationship of Mutual Trust and Respect during the first twenty minutes of meeting with them. That is entirely different from "building rapport."
4. Be willing to disqualify (for now) any prospect that indicates that they will not buy immediately. Staying there and continuing the sales process virtually guarantees that you will not make the sale now- nor in the future.
5. Determine the exact buying intentions of the prospect, and get another commitment to do business, if you can meet each other's Conditions of Satisfaction.
6. Determine exactly what the prospects Conditions of Satisfaction are and whether you can meet them.
7. Discuss every feature, benefit and detriment of your product or service with regard to how it will affect the prospect's needs. Exposing all detriments will eliminate almost all objections and ensure the prospect's trust.
8. Close on every point throughout the entire sales process.
This sales process can shorten sales cycles and increase closing rates- Salespeople that close most of their sales in one visit- Even in complex, High Tech and Major Account selling- typically have the highest closing averages.
Copyright Jacques Werth 2007. All rights reserved.
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About the Author
Jacques Werth, author of High Probability Selling has trained The Best in the Business in over 70 industries. Discover how to make fewer appointments and close more sales at High Probability Sales Training.
