I was speaking with a completely lovely salesperson the other day. She is awesome. Self-aware, hungry, dedicated. Ready to be a true pro.

She is smart, loves her product, KNOWS her product, but seems to have trouble when it comes to making the final close. In a short conversation, we revealed 3 of the top reasons that she may be stumbling over making the close with clients who should buy.

Her issues are not unusual… perhaps the conversation will sound familiar to you, too.

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First obstacle to making the close: Feeling defensive.
When a customer comes in who is wary of her, and tells my salesperson that she is “just there to make a sale” or “just there for the money”, she wants to set them straight, defend herself. It is true that our dear salesperson is interested in her own success, but it is even clearer to me that she is interested in people understanding that she is there for THEM. So, when a person accuses her of being out to take advantage of them, she backs off and wants to defend.

Possible way to overcome the first obstacle: When we explored ways that she might behave – other than being defensive – we discovered that a simple question like “Has that happened to you before? Someone has taken advantage of you?” gave her a TON more confidence and made her feel like she could get on her customer’s side – rather than trying to prove that she was a nice girl! Great move in the right direction.

Second obstacle to making the close: The Price is Too High…
in HER mind! It’s no wonder she is having a hard time closing…she doesn’t understand why or how people pay so much for her product. When we dug into this, she realized ways that she could find out from current customers (and salespeople) why people pay what they pay for their product. Just because it seems like a lot to her, doesn’t mean that it seems like a lot to the customer.

Possible way to overcome the second obstacle: She started walking around her house saying the price to herself out loud – over and over. Just practicing getting the price out of your mouth will make a big difference. Also, asking around to find out from other salespeople or happy customers why and how they paid so much will make you convinced that you are creating a great value.

Third obstacle to closing: I Don’t Want to be Pushy
Other successful colleagues  seem to guide a conversation, but she feels uncomfortable with controlling or exerting authority. Conversations tend to get uncomfortable and she is reluctant to look too manipulative or pushy.

Possible way to overcome the third obstacle: When I asked her what her colleagues were doing that she wasn’t – she saw it right away. They talk straight to their customers. They answer questions directly. They make recommendations succinctly. They ask questions and wait patiently for answers. They are powerful and deliberate when they speak – which instills confidence and more often leads to a sale! She is practicing these ways of speaking and already called a prospect back and made a sale!

Of course, these aren’t the only three things that can keep a person from closing! What are your obstacles? Let’s talk!

Love ’em all UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl