Most sales professionals have "the one that got away." The client who was so close to signing — but failed to purchase. You may not even know what went wrong. In the pool and spa business, every client matters. Before your next sales call, consider a few strategies for preventing those leads from slipping through the cracks.
Sometimes the buyer needs a bit of extra push to help them decide to sign the deal. Whether you are selling a new pool to them or getting the client to agree to pool cleaning services, try to vary the approaches you use based on where they are in their decision and what's holding them back. Here are some ideas to help you get started.
#1: Now or Never Close
Put a rush on your clients. Encourage them to decide because now is the only time they have. For example, you may say, "Right now, I have just a couple of spots left for the season. My phone is ringing off the hook, so I need to know what you're thinking now."
Creating a sense of urgency with the buyer is one of the best ways to get them to move forward. If they really can't make that decision now or they don't want to spend the money, you'll also know right away so you can move on.
#2: Assumptive Close
In this type of close, the goal is to assume they want to go through with the sale even if you are unsure that they do. You'll need to know the power of your product and have some confidence to pull off this close. This strategy is also an excellent place to get those extra products or services in place.
In short, simply say, "So, I have Tuesday, May 10th to schedule for your installation. Is that date going to work for you?" Or, you may want to say, "I brought a contract all ready to go with what we discussed. All you need to do is to sign to secure your place."
#3: Summary Close
In this particular type of close, the goal is to reiterate all the services and benefits you'll offer to the client. You want them to feel they found a terrific deal and that you solved all of their problems and concerns. You'll stress the value and benefits of what you have to offer, so they feel as though they cannot say no.
In this type of close, you may say, "So, you have pool cleaning service every week with the added benefit of an upgrade to our Silver package where you'll get more services on a routine basis without spending as much. You'll be able to relax in your pool every week starting this week!"
#4: Takeaway Close
Another type of close is the takeaway close. In this strategy, you state that you don't think your services will be a good fit for the client and, as a result, the fear of missing out causes them to sign.
You might say something like, "You know, I don't want to encourage you to invest in a spa for your backyard. I get it — it's going to take some commitment to keep it up, and I don't want you to feel like you have to keep up with the neighbors."
#5: Sharp Angle Close
In this type of sales close, you'll address one of the customers' most common questions — the cost. Many customers will ask you what they can get "for free" or "extra," and you can play that right into your court with this closing method. In this method, you're going to have a sharp angle — throw at them the need to decide now to get that great offer.
For example, the customer may ask you to make the fall closing service a free part of the deal when signing up for pool services. You may say, "Yeah, okay, I can do that, but only if you sign the contract now so I can get you on the books."
Finding the right way to close every sales transaction is one of the best parts of being a sales professional in the spa and pool industry. When you master each type of closing, and when to apply it, you'll see more leads signing on the dotted line and fewer becoming those deals that didn't happen.
