How Do You Show You Want The Business?
We’ve been discussing closing techniques and recently (closing gambits I call them) and I received an interesting justification for using them. The justification I received was “attempting to close using a closing technique shows you want the business”.
At face value this is completely true. Why would a person bother trying to close the sale if they didn’t actually want it? I mean, is this really an issue? I scour sales studies like a madman and I don’t recall ever seeing a category of “didn’t want the business” for the reason sales were lost in any survey or study.
This isn’t really the issue.
The client knows you want the business. The real question here is whether or not your use of a closing gambit is seen positively or negatively by the client.
Fortunately, we have some real studies on this topic.
In one study conducted by Jon Hawes, James Strong, and Bernard Winick, industrial buyers were questioned on this subject. Six traditional closure techniques were researched:
- The Assumptive Close
- Yes Set
- Model/Example
- Reciprocity
- If-Then
- Impending Event
The customer’s trust in the salesperson was then tested by a means of 24 pairs of characteristics on a seven-step scale.
What Did The Results Show?
The results? The results showed that every single technique tested damaged the basis of trust. And predictably, the most manipulative techniques damaged trust the most.
Clients already know you want the business. If you want to communicate that to them—tell them. Or, do something special for them. There are far better ways to show you want the business than insulting them with a closing gambit. Be genuine and use a facilitative approach to help them move toward their desired outcome. That will keep trust in tact and make them see you as a consultant and coach.
Closing Tip: Closing gambits damage trust.