Commitment
If you have no commitment you have NOTHING.
Commitment in selling is agreement from THE CUSTOMER to a clear and specific action which will move the sale forward.
Commitment is the difference between having a meeting and having a sales meeting.
Many salespeople make the mistake of just setting one objective for their meetings with customers. The trouble is that if they don’t reach it then they’ve failed. So next time they set the goal a little lower and so on until they reach it.
The smart way of setting commitment levels is to set TWO.
- The best possible commitment you could expect from that particular customer at that stage in the sales journey
- The minimum you will accept from that customer.
So if you get a level of commitment from your customer anywhere between these two levels you can come out knowing you have had a successful meeting.
By commitment we mean commitment from the customer to do something for you. If you leave a customer with all the actions on you to do things – write a report, send a quote, arrange a demo or whatever, you have nothing.
So always ask the customer for something from them before you write the report, send the quote etc. AND DON’T DO ANYTHING UNTIL YOU GET IT.
Always have something you can ask for, it can be small, even trivial – the point is that what you’re really asking is whether they’re committed.
Of course if you can’t get the minimum commitment, or if nothing happens after you’ve asked for it, then clearly there are still worries in the customer’s mind. Go back and find out what, with your open questions.
Often if you keep on hitting a brick wall there are personal reasons why the customer is not giving you any commitment, nothing to do with the business logic of your proposal.
By definition you are on tricky ground here, so tread carefully. If possible ask your Guide if they know what the issue is.
Asking for Commitment
If you’ve done everything right so far in the sales meeting, then asking for commitment is just a natural follow-on. Once again it’s back to our old friends Open Questions. So some typical Commitment Questions are:
- What’s the next step?
- Where do we go from here?
- How do we take this further?
- Who else needs to be involved?
- When do you want to get going on this?
- What happens now?
- How shall we proceed?
- What do we need to do to to move forward?
There are two major benefits of this approach
- the customer feels in control
- the customer owns the decision
Some customers, particularly professional buyers in Purchasing Departments, are becoming wise to the classic Closing techniques (see ‘Closing’ below). This technique of putting the closing decision in the hands of the customer gets round that issue, and reinforces the feeling that you’re in partnership with your customer, not sparring with them.
Closing
Helping your customer decide to buy…NOW
1. The Power of Scarcity
Imply that there is a limited supply of what you’re offering.
2. The Power of Time Pressure
Imply that time is running out for this particular offer.
3. The Power of Peer Group Pressure
Imply that they’ll be left behind/out
Other closes you should know about:
The Puppy Dog Close.
Based on the principle that if you want to sell a puppy to a family you leave it with them over the weekend; when you come back to take it away they re so attached to the cuddly cute bundle of fun they insist on keeping (and paying for) it.
This close is widespread in the software industry today, and any business where you can leave your kit (or people) for the customer to `play` with, and find indispensable, should be using this close.
Columbo.
Taken from the scruffy TV Detective who always appears to be way off track with his suspects until he’s just leaving, the suspect thinks they’re off the hook, but as Columbo reaches the door he pauses, looks puzzled, and says something like “By the way…” “Just before I go…” , then goes on to ask a razor-sharp question exposing his suspect’s guilt because he’s caught them unawares.
Use it if you’re selling add-ons like maintenance, service agreements, or if you’re asking for referrals. Can sometimes lead to your customer inviting you back in to their office!
Be careful of the Columbo effect at the end of a meeting when everyone is relaxed and off guard. Many a sale has been lost because the salesperson hasn’t realised that the customer encounter isn’t over until they’re off the customer premises, out of sight, and out of hearing!
The Alternative Close.
Probably the most popular one, it involves you asking your customer to choose between two options, either of which will be OK by you. Some typical alternative closes are:
“When would you like delivery, this month or next?”
“What colour would you prefer, blue or white?”
“Who should we invoice, you or your accounts department?”
“How will you be paying, cash or credit?”
“Where shall we do the training, here or in a hotel?”
The psychology is simple: the decision your customer has to make is a minor one, but one which pre-supposes the major decision – the order – is a foregone conclusion.
The Porcupine Close. Sometimes known as the Mirror Close.
Your customer says something like:
“If we decide to go ahead with your proposal we’ll need delivery by May 17 latest.”
To which you reply:
“If I can guarantee delivery by May 17 will you give me the order today?”
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