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23) Discuss with your prospect exactly what will happen during your sales
appointment. It’s your responsibility to explain what the process will
be.
24) Ask your prospect if it is ok if the two of you come to a definite
decision about whether or not you will work together by the end of your
sales appointment. This will eliminate them telling you they need to
“think it over” and will increase the bond between you because you
asked their permission."
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I have been getting a lot of prospects who 'need to think it over' but I am reluctant to follow the above tips.
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In the end you will just have to figure it out for yourself. His advice is very sound. I may use it to train someone else, but having been doing sales for the last 20 years, I have my own technique, and I almost always close the deal. When you have total confidence in yourself and your product, the process will take on a shape of its own. For now, following steps like this will probably be helpful.
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I tried tip #24 and I had a client say she currently does not have the money, and then she asked 'So should I just say no because we agreed that I will give an answer by the end of the session?' I didn't know how to handle that, so I asked her for a definite date to have her decision (Feb 7th, her next paycheck).
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This is REALLY important. Qualify your prospects before you spend so much time on them. Within the first few minutes of meeting a new prospect, I ask them point blank if they have a bank account (if it's not obvious by their appearance). I don't have time to fool with everyone who wants to waste my time. I guess it could be called "pocketbook profiling". If someone is dressed like a lawyer I probably won't ask. The point though is that I find out early on if there is even potential for a close. If you spend an hour working on someone only to find out they don't have a dime to their name or even an account that you can draft, then you just wasted time you could have been working on a sale that would close.
When people act a little put out that I require them to show me a credit card and a valid local ID for their free trial (if it comes to that), I simply point out to them that I am giving them a free week (or two), but it is based on their ability to be a potential member. They usually can't whip that card out fast enough. People want to be profiled! They want to qualify.
The reason I say "if it comes to that" is that I only offer someone a free trial if they are A) qualified prospects and B) I couldn't close them on the spot. Don't offer it right away unless they come in and ask for it. Go for the early close. However, you don't ever let a qualified, unclosed prospect out of your door without giving them a trial either. That will give you later opportunities to work on them if you can't close them on the spot.
I find that most people will close on the spot though, assuming you have a nice facility with good staff. Don't ask them if they want to join after you've got them interested. Ask them if they want to make a one-year commitment or the open-ended option.
Ask them lots of questions in the beginning, get them talking about themselves, and they will tell you every point you need to focus on to close the deal. People don't care if you've got the XR4000 Thingamajig... A gym is just a box with equipment in it. They have one thing that they really want out of a gym membership. Get them to tell you what that is and you have your blueprint to close the deal right there.