The traditional way of thinking about selling is to work towards a final close.
But that’s an oversimplification of the sales process.
In reality, a sale doesn’t consist of one close, but rather numerous moments of commitment giving: each one a type of close that combines to create a platform for that all important final close.
It’s important to break free from this linear way of thinking about the sales process.
Instead of working towards a single close you need to break the sales process down into a series of smaller closes in order to gain cumulative customer commitments along the way.
Each one of these should be treated as if you were working towards a close.
At no time should the customer feel that you are taking them on the same journey you take every other customer on.
In order to achieve each close, they need to believe that you are tailoring your actions and responses specifically for them and their situation.
Moving customers through the zones
After years of working with new home salespeople, we have identified four key zones where interaction with the customer leads you to more success.
Your selling strategy should be focused on how to move the customer through these zones, building up their confidence to make a buying decision and helping you to build up to a reservation.
This is about developing the customer’s willingness to buy in order to progress them through each zone in order for them to arrive at an informed buying choice.
You can use each zone as a summary of what you need to cover with a customer in order to progress towards the next zone to get to get to the final close. Using the zones also enables you to spread the sale across key events; not all sales are achieved in one visit.
You should challenge yourself to try and gain small commitments in each zone from your customer, so that you can equip yourself for the negotiation that may be needed to agree the best terms of the sale.
Zone 1
This is the neutral zone used to maximise the meet, greet and qualification stage of the sale.
Zone 2
This is the zone that will enable you to best engage the rational part of the customer’s understanding and where you use your best visuals.
Zone 3
This zone is all about engaging emotions. At this point your customer should have some clarity in their thought process (i.e. what they are looking at and what it will do for them).
Zone 4
This zone refers to the point at which the customer is comfortable and ready to make a decision to buy. This is where your previous closes come together to support the final close.