Are you struggling to close deals despite your best efforts? What if there were proven strategies that could transform your sales approach and boost your success rate?
Keenan shares valuable tips for closing a sale in his book, Gap Selling. His practical guidance helps salespeople master the art of closing deals by breaking down complex sales processes into manageable steps while maintaining authority and balanced customer relationships.
Whether you’re a seasoned sales professional or just starting your career, these proven strategies will help you close deals.
Tips for Making a Sale
Keenan offers three tips to close a sale: Remember that a sale is made up of little sales, establish yourself as an authority, and stand up to your customer.
1) A Sale Is a Process Made Up of Little Sales
Keenan explains that every sale is a process made up of little sales. Focus on obtaining the next incremental commitment from the customer to keep your deal moving forward, instead of fixating solely on the final close.
He breaks down the sales process: First, you need to sell someone on the idea of giving you their time. Then you need to sell them on answering your why questions to reveal their long-term goals and the underlying causes of their issue. You need to sell them on the idea of sharing data with you so that you can evaluate the value of the solution, and you need to sell them on the idea of listening to your pitch so you can demonstrate the value of your proposition. Only then can you actually make the final sale.
(Shortform note: Getting a series of yesses from your client can improve your chances of closing the final sale because of a persuasive strategy called the “foot in the door technique.” Psychologists explain that often, someone is more likely to grant you a large request (like lending you money) if they’ve already granted you a smaller request (like letting you borrow their car). This is because people want to maintain a consistent image of themselves. When someone grants a small request, they gain a positive self-perception as someone who’s generous, reasonable, or accommodating. If they were to then turn down a larger request, their actions would be at odds with their self-perception as a generous and accommodating person. Therefore, they’re unlikely to turn down the larger request so as to hold onto their positive self-perception.)
2) Establish Yourself as an Authority
Keenan recommends that salespeople establish themselves as knowledgeable consultants and valuable assets to their customers. He challenges the conventional wisdom that people buy from those they like. Instead, he argues, people buy from those who provide them value. Thus, focus on providing expertise and solutions rather than trying to be everyone’s friend. For instance, if you’re selling software, be able to discuss not just your product, but also industry trends, best practices, and how your solution fits into the broader technological landscape.
| How to Be Knowledgeable and Likeable While Keenan asserts that expertise is more important than likeability, some sales experts argue that being liked or disliked by customers can still make a difference when making a sale. Humans are naturally social creatures, and your customer may be more inclined to listen to you or perceive your solution as valuable if they enjoy spending time with you. Fortunately, expertise and likeability aren’t mutually exclusive. Here we’ll discuss how to cultivate both qualities. Likeability: To become more likeable, sales experts recommend that you simply listen to your customers. People enjoy feeling heard, and are more likely to trust someone who understands them. Furthermore, show enthusiasm for your customer’s business. When you can demonstrate that you care about their success, your customer will feel like you’re “on their side.” Lastly, always keep your word. Customers like someone who they can trust to follow through, even on small things like coordinating meeting times. Expertise: Becoming an authority will require you to develop a strong foundation of industry knowledge. Career experts recommend several strategies to learn more about your industry. By networking and getting to know more people in your industry, you can learn about current developments and best practices. They also recommend keeping up with industry publications, finding a knowledgeable mentor, or taking a course. Lastly, consider choosing a niche area of your field and becoming an expert to build your authority. |
3) Stand Up to Your Customer
Keenan emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balanced partnership with customers throughout the sales process. He cautions against becoming subservient or readily agreeing to excessive demands. Instead, be prepared to stand your ground when necessary, clearly explain your rationale, and propose mutually beneficial compromises.
Furthermore, he encourages you to tactfully challenge your customer when they change their mind or offer reasons for backing out of a sale. He suggests framing your challenges with language like “I’m confused, I thought you said…” and “Could you explain to me why…” This maintains a tone of respect while forcing the customer to clarify and justify their position. Challenging the customer keeps the conversation open and provides an opportunity for you to continue convincing your customer of the value you can provide.
(Shortform note: According to communication experts, challenging someone without alienating them is a delicate balancing act. Thus, they recommend that you begin by establishing common ground to set a constructive tone, so the person knows that you’re here to collaborate and discuss. When challenging someone’s beliefs, they advise you to focus on the problem rather than the individual so as not to come across as making an accusation, which could be alienating. Lastly, they recommend that you make the client feel like you understand where they’re coming from throughout the conversation by asking clarifying questions and summarizing their position to demonstrate your understanding. When they feel understood, they’re more likely to listen to what you have to say—even if it challenges their beliefs.)
