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Increase Closing Opportunities by Watching your Customer.

Written by: John Brennan

Article Overview: "You can observe an awful lot just by watching" - Yogi Berra Usually, buying signals are given by the customer through their body language. Ignore them, and you will miss opportunities to close. Catch them and respond effectively, and see your closing ratio take off.

Increase Closing Opportunities by Watching your Customer.

It is easy to talk yourself out of a sale by going on well after customers have made up their minds. By talking too much you may trigger an objection, give them time to retract their decision or simply run out of time to get a firm agreement. Missing a buying signal does not exactly impress a customer with your responsiveness, either.

In general, when a customer is considering your proposal, weighing up the pros and cons, there is a certain amount of emotional energy being expended. When the customer has made the decision - either for or against your proposal - the tension disappears and the customer relaxes. If you are paying attention, you will hear a soft sigh of relief that the decision-making is over. Shoulders may slump, and body relax into the chair.
Stop whatever you are doing or saying and ask for the order.

When customers are very interested in your product or service, they may do or say some of the following.
-Touch or stroke the product.
-Pick it up and hold it.
-Glance at it frequently.
-Smile at it.
-Ask lots of questions about it.
-Ask for details of installation or delivery.
-Ask about payment terms, or warranties.
-Shift from saying "you" to "us".
-Restate product benefits, or how they expect it will solve a problem.

These behaviors may be unconscious signals that the customer is ready to be closed. You should stop what you are doing and go for the close. Often you will get their agreement. Sometimes your attempt to close may be premature, but by asking for the order, you will flush out the remaining objections.

Body Language and the Close
There is a certain amount of drama associated with closing the sale. It is the moment you and the customer both know is coming. It is the climax of your interactions; ideally it is the result of increasing momentum and sense of urgency that has been building during the sales process.

When you respond to a buying signal by asking customers for a commitment to buy, they experience a mild rush of feelings, which usually causes them to cast down their eyes. When that happens, they must know without a doubt, that when they look up, their eyes will meet yours, unwavering, expectant, and deserving of a straight answer. It may nor be the answer you want, but you will get an answer. If your eyes are not there, the customer is off the hook, and does not have to give you a straight answer.

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  Closing with Ease

Article Tags: body language



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