LED Sign Sales- Closing Technique Suggestions- 1 of 3

- Mike Prongue

The reality of working in America today is that you have to be a multi-talented, creative, communications-oriented person or be left behind. 

As my career evolved, there were many times when there was a “break in the action” and I looked up to ask the proverbial question “who are these people and how in the heck did I get here?”  If you have never asked yourself a question like this, then I would suggest that perhaps you have a few more miles to travel on the old career odometer.

Job “A” leads to job “B”. You learn, you get some education- either in a school or on the street in the “school of life”. You get promoted, you take a chance and you take a leap of faith to open your own business. You risk money and time and start to generate some revenue to pay the bills. A year passes and you have a business that not only survived but is starting to actually succeed! 

Good job.

You know a lot of stuff, but can you be an "expert" in everything- probably not so much.

You are probably very hands-on, perhaps more technically oriented, perhaps familiar with how to state the facts and “nothing but the facts” but how much time have you spent learning the fine art of closing the sale? So you don’t need that “slick talk stuff”?

I’m going to give you 9 techniques to close a sale. No, not all here today because I know you’d be out on your boom truck by item 4, so I going to give you 3 techniques for 3 consecutive blog postings.

Some of these will not work for you. Some are not your style. Some are cumbersome. But if you read all 3 blogs and consider all 9 techniques, you may find 2 techniques that you feel comfortable doing. 

It’s a buffet! Take what you like, leave the rest in the pot, on the table for someone else!

Here we go- remember to find 2 techniques of the 9 that you like:

#1 Sets of 3

Approach:

Use “3” as the magic number for bullet points and summary. Think of what has worked on you- “good, better, best” for example?

The “3” points may be feature, function or benefit. Or perhaps price, delivery time or warranty.

The points may be related to drive home a common point, or disparate to “shotgun” a wide sales presentation area.

Three (3) is the perfect business measurement to make your point.

Examples:

This LED sign is made in America, has a 5 year warranty, and can be delivered in 6 weeks.

Our installers are certified, experienced and friendly.

Purchase today and you will get a end of year tax deduction, a 5% discount, and a great deal on an in-stock P-16 full-color LED sign.

#2 Sleep on It! 

Approach:

Smart soldiers live to fight another day. Defer today’s sale to a future sale. If you have a good product and a secure relationship with the customer then what's the harm in giving them time to think? LED signs are a large investment and they may need time to consider your words and review the quote.

How and When to try this:

•  You know they are not going to decide today anyway!

•  The offer is on-the-table and you are pretty sure they will give your offer very serious thought.

•  Tomorrow may be better from a money standpoint for them- budget constraint, revenue pending, etc.

•   Don’t let them make a bad spontaneous decision and damage the relationship!

•   Making the sale today is not life and death for you. Don’t get married on the 1^st date!

The sun will come up tomorrow and there is always another meeting!

Example:

I know this is a big decision for you’ll and an immediate answer is not a great idea- think it over for a few days. Can I call next week to see when I can come by?

The “Sleep on it” close is particularly easy to manage when the sales person visits the customer, and a break in the tension may be required. A quick exit is not always a bad idea.

#3 Financing Makes it Affordable!

Approach:

Overcome price objections by demonstrating that they can afford it!

Determine what they can afford. Show them that with financing that they can afford it. Break it down on a dollar per month  or a dollar per week basis. Make an assumption that the display will improve their sales by 15 percent and do the "profit math".

Also discuss the reallocation of existing advertising expenses from newspaper or radio to an on-premise LED sign.

The “too expensive” objection may be more of an excuse than a real objection. Remember that you can overcome objections but not excuses and if they don’t really want to buy, you at the beginning of a long list of excuses.

Don’t try to use approaches that you are not “cool” with or that feel awkward. You are a unique person and you have to find your own way.

Stay tuned for the next blog and suggestions 4, 5 and 6.

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These comments belong to me, Mike Prongue, and do not reflect the views, opinions, hopes or dreams of anyone else, anywhere else and this includes Vantage LED. I appreciate your constructive opinion which may be sent to me at michael@vantageled.com.