How to Close a Sale by Removing All Hurdles

Written by Timothy Ware

Knowing how to close a sale is important. A former manager of mine used to say that the easiest way to close a sale was to ask for it, and while I think this is true, it needs a few conditions to be met.

First of all, clients need to be able to make an informed decision. This means that the salesperson needs to make sure that all possible hurdles to a sale have been removed. In this article, I cover useful information about how to close a sale by making sure that your clients are ready to make an informed decision.

If you are looking for some new sales contracts, I’ve compiled a list of some great sales contract templates, and how to personalize them to your needs.

SignTime can help to close your sales by removing hurdles and streamlining your HR tasks. Sign up for our free trial now.

Sales terminology

Sales has its own language. In some cases, this language describes different types of sales, while in other cases, it might describe different ways in which sales fall through.

First, let’s cover the two ways a purchase journey can end.

Sales outcomes

There are only two types of sales outcomes:

1. Closed-won: You’ve managed to get the prospect to sign a contract.
2. Closed-lost: The prospect has ultimately decided to go elsewhere for your product or service, or they have realized they do not need what you are selling.

While it is easy to understand when a sales process has ended in a “closed-won”, it can be harder to figure out when you should consider a prospect “closed-lost.” I discuss this further below.

You might also be interested in this article: 5 Types of Sales Contracts to Use

For now, let’s look at the different sales styles you can employ to close a sale.

Sales styles

It’s important to know different sales styles. My first VP of Sales used to tell junior accounts executives “show me you know me.” How to close a sale is best described as employing the tactics you suspect will work best on the current prospect. After all, everyone is different and has different needs. Here are some of the most notable closing techniques you can use:

1. Assumptive close
2. Gauge close
3. Now-or-never close
4. Takeaway close
5. Summary close
6. Hard close

Remember, there are lots of different ways to close a sale, and there is no one-size-fits-all option. Being well informed about the different ways you can close a sale lets you make better choices. If you can tailor your closing to the client, you’ll increase your chances of landing the deal.

Assumptive close

Confidence is key here. This style of closing a sale simply assumes that an agreement has been reached. While other ways to close a sale might ask a client to commit, the assumptive close does not. Language is key in this close—pay attention to what words the client is using. If they are acting like the deal is already final, in their mind, it might already be done.

Proceed with confidence, but make sure that you aren’t aggressive as you can still run the risk of scaring off a client.

Puppy dog close

Pet stores love getting people to hold puppies (and kittens for that matter) because the odds of a person purchasing a pet increase if they can “test” the product. Sales is largely an abstract exercise. People have to imagine what a service might do, and a salesperson has to explain it. But, when a person is able to try the product, they can immediately see how their life would be different with the product. This is sometimes called product-led growth.

Now-or-never close

This is a great method if a client is already seriously considering a purchase. The method relies on applying some leverage to create a sense of immediacy. Sometimes this comes in the form of a discount and other times it is a different kind of benefit—a small gesture to push a client from “probably” to “definitely”.

Summary close

This is a relatively straightforward, but sometimes time-consuming, way to close a sale. Clients may potentially have several different possible vendors, so this method focuses on going over the different elements of the deal to refresh the client’s memory. Then, the salesperson can close the deal.

Hard close

Like my old manager used to say, the best way to close a sale is to ask for it. This is a clear and direct request for the client to agree to the terms of a sale. This might be as simple as asking the client when they would like to sign the contract, or even just offering to send them the contract.

With SignTime’s suite of tools, you can send your client a copy of the contract while you’re still on the phone with them. Sign up for a free trial today to close more sales.

How to remove sales hurdles

Sales hurdles are situations or factors that can delay or prevent sales from happening. Knowing what some of these hurdles are, and the best ways to counter them, can increase your chances of closing a sale. Here are some key things that you should know:

1. The customer
2. The possible objections
3. Who makes the decisions
4. When you’re not going to be successful

Know the customer

Be aware of who your customer is and what they need. Different clients have different types of hurdles to overcome, and sometimes clients in the same industries may have different issues you need to contend with. Knowing your customer is pivotal, and you need to show them that you know them.

Know possible objections

If you know a client’s objections, you will be better positioned to address them. Clients want to know that your product will alleviate their pain points, and being prepared to address those objections can make the difference between a sale or no sale.

Know who makes decisions

Sometimes sales people spend a lot of time and effort trying to convince a client to buy a product, but that person isn’t in a position to buy. It is very important to clarify who you should be talking to early in the sales process. This will save time and resources, and you will come across as more professional.

Know when you’re not going to be successful

Sometimes a closed-lost isn’t easy to recognize, but sales take time and that equals resources. If it is clear that a customer isn’t ready to buy, you can always come back to them in the future. But make sure that you’re not constantly attempting to sell to people who are not interested, as that’s time best spent looking for your next sale.

Never worry about how to close a sale again with SignTime

SignTime helps you remove sales hurdles. Instead of waiting days or weeks for close—time that could lead a prospect to reconsider your proposal—use SignTime to get the contract signed during the call.