When making sales, you have to go for the close when the time is right. As a business owner or salesperson, you want to present the close in a way that increases the chances that the prospect will say yes. Phil M Jones is a master of influential communication. He wrote a book called Exactly What to Say: The Magic Words for Influence and Impact that I have read several times. The following are four sets of powerful words that every business owner or salesperson can use to close more deals with prospects.
You have three options…
Many prospects are paralyzed by the thought of making a bad decision, so they choose not to make any decision at all. There is a simple trick to help the prospect decide, by laying out their three options.
Providing three options makes you appear impartial. Also, offering three options conforms to the Rule of Three. The rule of three is a concept that suggests that the human brain can process and remember three items at a time more easily than large sets of information, making the options presented easy to digest.
The best way to use the powerful words “You have three options…” is to begin by setting the stage to show the prospect that you understand their issue. Then once the stage is set, launch into your list of three options.
Option one is the do-it-yourself (DIY) option. Option two is the do-nothing option. And option three is the preferred option you want your prospect to choose. You always want to leave your preferred option to the end so that you have a chance to give it some value. Also, you want to ensure that your option is the path of least resistance and end with a statement saying, “Which is easiest for you?”
For example, let’s assume you are a hiring manager. You have just interviewed a candidate you think would be a good match for your team. First, you want to set the stage by saying something such as: “I know you are not happy with your current employment situation. You don’t like your work schedule, and your boss is a real jerk.” Summarizing the person’s situation demonstrates that you understand their problem. It is now time to list those three options.
A couple of ways you might think about using the powerful words “You have three options…” could be:
“It seems to me that you have three options:”
“Option 1 is that you continue to submit resumes, go on interviews, subject yourself to background checks, and maybe get a job offer that could be better or perhaps worse than your current situation.”
“Option 2 is that you do nothing. It is very unlikely that anything will change, and you will still be unhappy with your current situation.”
“And option three, you can accept our generous offer to join our team that meets your work schedule requirement.”
“What is easier for you?”
Providing three options and saving the best for last makes it much easier for the person to see the value of choosing your preferred option.
There are two types of people…
Your job as a business owner and salesperson is to be a decision catalyst. One decision-making problem is that the prospect has to wade through the pros and cons of many options. Often, it becomes overwhelming, and instead, they choose not to make a decision for fear of potentially making the wrong decision. Even when a prospect makes a decision, they frequently question if they made the right decision.
Help the prospect by providing a simple binary decision. With only two choices, a prospect is much less likely to regret their choice and the decision is much easier to make. For example, if you own a family restaurant that offers wine, rather than providing a bunch of wine choices for your customers, simply offer a red or white house wine. Don’t make it too complicated. By presenting just two options, you let the customer pick, making them part of the decision-making process without making it too complicated.
To take the concept of binary choice decision-making to the next level during a sales call and when you have a clear option that you want the prospect to choose, business owners and salespeople can use the powerful words, “There are two types of people…”
A couple of ways you might think about using the powerful words “There are two types of people…” could be:
There are two types of people: one prejudges a solution and says “no” out of hand, and the other is open-minded and willing to try something new when it makes sense.”
There are two types of people, one resists change out of fear, and the other recognizes that change is inevitable and moves with the times.”
There are two types of people: one reads blog posts like this and does nothing, and the other acts upon the information to make positive changes in their life.
Presenting a prospect with a simple binary choice that “There are two types of people…” with one type that is not very flattering to be associated with and the other type that is much more flattering is a powerful way to steer a prospect toward your offering.
If you… then…
A very simple set of powerful words taps into some of the unconscious memories you have growing up, and that is using the “If you… then…” sandwich. Growing up, we’ve heard this condition statement. Some examples include, “If you don’t eat your dinner, then you’re not going to get a dessert.” Or “If you don’t study hard in school, then you won’t get into a good college.”
Throughout our lives, we have been conditioned to recognize if/then outcomes as true. As a result, we have built habits or, more accurately, shortcuts in our thinking process to accept those “then” statements as being true.
A couple of ways you might think about using the powerful words “If you… then…” sandwich could be:
If you give our solution a try, then I’m sure you will not be disappointed.
If you buy your store inventory from us, then I’m sure your customers will be more than satisfied with our quality.
If you hire me for this job, then I’m confident you will thank me later.
If you try our inventory management software, then I’m sure you will see results almost immediately.
Business owners and salespersons must master the “If you… then…” sandwich because it taps into the psychological part of your prospect’s brain.
What happens next is…
Your number one job as a business owner or salesperson is to build a relationship with the prospect and educate them about your value proposition. But once you have laid out all the reasons why the prospect needs your offering, you need to move that prospect to commit to your solution. Too many salespeople fail to take control. So, instead of asking for the sale, they hope the prospect sees the value and will ask for the sale. The problem is prospects are generally biased toward inaction.
As Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson suggest in their book “The Challenger Sale,” the best salespeople know how to use the three Ts (Teach, Tailor, and Take Control). So, to close the deal, you need to take control of the situation to move them to the close.
A great way to transition from your pitch to the close is to use the powerful words “What happens next is…” and then fill in what they need to do to complete the sale or move the process along. Prospects like to be led, so don’t ask them, tell them what they need to do next.
Once you have laid out your next step, finish with a question that presupposes they agree so you can move the sales process to a conclusion.
A couple of ways you might think about using the powerful words “What happens next is…” could be:
What happens next is that we are going to complete the intake form. Are you ready, or do you need a break?
What happens next is that we are going to get your account set up. What day works best for you?
What happens next is that we need to have a meeting with my designer. Are you free next Monday?
To transition from your pitch to the close, the powerful words “What happens next is…” followed by the next step and another question keep you in control of the sales process and presuppose that the prospect is ready to move forward.
How do you plan to use these powerful words to close more deals?
