Close the Sale: How to Stand Out in a Competitive Market

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Welcome to our 6th webinar of 2013!

• Specifically for our premium members • Please submit questions!  We’ll try to answer questions at the end • We will send you a copy of the full presentation recording and post in our Education Center

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Sales Survey www.SurveyMonkey.com/s/wwsales

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How much of your annual business comes from weddings?

41.4%

20.4% 8.9%

12.0%

14.7%

2.6% None

Less than 25%

26% - 50%

51% - 75%

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75% - 90%

100% (all of it)

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What is your business category?

Other (please specify) Wedding/Event Planner Videographer

8.4%

2.1%

16.2%

1.0%

6.3%

Photographer Jewelry Hair/Makeup Event Decorator Disc Jockey Cake/Baker Band/Ceremony Musician

0.5% 0.5% 1.6% 1.0%

8.9%

15.2%

3.7%

1.6% 2.6%

2.6% 2.1% 3.1%

7.9%

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15.7%

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How long have you been selling your current product or service?

27.3%

26.5% 17.3%

16.1% 9.6% 3.2%

Less than 1 year 1-5 Years

6-10 Years

11-15 Years

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16-20 Years

21+ Years

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How long have you been selling any product or service?

32.5% 18.9%

18.1%

13.3%

15.7%

1.6% Less than 1 year 1-5 Years

6-10 Years

11-15 Years

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16-20 Years

21+ Years

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What is your age?

29.5%

29.5%

19.5% 14.2%

4.7% 1.6%

1.1%

18 to 24

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55 to 64

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65 to 74

75 or older

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Do you like the sales process?

Not Sure, 11.6% Yes, 63.5%

No, 24.9%

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Listen to the language

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Listen to the language…

• Doesn’t like to sell “I feel "naked" having to pitch my own stuff. I'm much better selling others'.”

• Likes to sell “Since I am selling myself, and I get to control the outcome of what I am selling, it's fun and easy.”

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Rejection “Rejection is always bad, but a rejection is a step closer to a sale in the sense that at least I am taking meetings.”

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How long is the average sales cycle for your business, from the initial inquiry to the sale?

Other (please specify)

10.2%

At, or after a third appointment

3.4%

After their second appointment, via…

7.8%

At their second appointment

8.3%

After their first appointment, via…

36.6%

At their first appointment

22.9%

On their first inquiry, whether in…

Without speaking with me/us

8.8% 2.0%

0%

5%

10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

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What’s the question?

• Sales is about asking lots of better, open-ended questions • Make them feel that it’s all about them

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#1 skill you need to close more sales… …listening

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#2 skill you need to close more sales… …shut up

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What really makes you different?

Your bullet point lists all look similar

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Sell the outcome, not the process

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What is your closing ratio? for every 10 appointments, how many do you close?

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

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7

8

9

10

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What’s the right closing ratio?

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Being the best value

does not mean having the lowest price

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“…so we could decide if we need to raise the budget but ultimately

choose what we thought was the best value for our money.”

- quote from a real bride in an email -

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When do you have pricing power?

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When to ask for the sale: What are the key buying signals?

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Buying Signals: • “Asking for more details about a certain service or product.”

• “Asking about payment information”

• “Nodding heads, approval – like ‘yes, yes’.

‘That's what I am looking for’ ” • “They start talking about placement, timing, details, see themselves in our setting.”

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Buying Signals: • “More questions they have... the more I have a shot at them.”

• “When they ask about the deposit is to hold a date or, if they ask about having a tasting.”

• “They start to speak as if the contract has already been signed and make detailed plans that include me.”

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Buying Signals: • “Who do I make the check out to?”

• “Do you accept Visa, MC or Amex?”

• “Do you have a contract ready now or can it be ready soon?”

• “How soon can you get started?”

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Buying Signals: • “The first buying signal is an online inquiry, which shows their interest in our service.”

• “A response directly from our website generally means they are interested.”

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When to ask for the sale • Assume the sale: “We always assume the sale, so all of our conversations with the couple are about what we're going to do for them and how.”

“I like to ‘assume’ the sale, and often will walk the prospect through the process of their purchase, and then ask for pre-payment that meets both our terms.”

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Don’t sell them… help them buy!

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Make them feel like they’ve already bought

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How to ask for the sale: • Just ask

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How to ask for the sale: • Just ask • Ask about payment method or terms

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How to ask for the sale: • Just ask • Ask about payment method or terms

• Choice/alternative close

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If they don’t buy today, follow up!

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Handling objections • This is selling, not order taking

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Handling objections • This is selling, not order taking

• Are they interested?

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Handling objections • This is selling, not order taking

• Are they interested?

• What happens when they say “no”?

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Handling objections • This is selling, not order taking

• Are they interested?

• What happens when they say “no”?

• You’re the first one we’ve seen

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Handling objections • This is selling, not order taking

• Are they interested?

• What happens when they say “no”?

• You’re the first one we’ve seen • It’s too much money

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Handling objections • This is selling, not order taking • Are they interested?

• What happens when they say “no”?

• You’re the first one we’ve seen • It’s too much money

• We’re paying for this ourselves

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They’ll pay more or less based upon the value they perceive

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Feel – Felt – Found

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If when they come back‌

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What’s Coming Up in our Next Webinar?

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Questions?

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