Its imperative that almost everything about business ends with someone getting someone to say yes. Often, business owners try to get an agreement without a solid plan. Failing to plan something is merely baby steps for the entire plan to fall through.
There are three simple steps to help to get a ‘yes’ and increase your chances of success.
Step 1: Preparation
Before meeting your potential client, re-emphasise on your goal to get them to say ‘yes’. Then, drawing on all that you know about them, consider the following questions:
• What do they want?• What would motivate them to say yes?• What would cause them to say no?• What are their most likely objections?• How will you answer them?• What do you have to do to win them to your point of view?
Discover the possible reasons, benefits they might reap from agreeing to close the deal and focus your argument on the same.
Step 2: Execution
Execution includes not just the negotiations, but also the time and place, along with the medium of communication. It is important you give the impression that you have done your homework, and that you understand them. After presenting your case, you need to listen to what the other party has to say. The latter is critical and can be used to salvage the situation even if you mess up the initial part of the conversation. Regroup the new information and help them understand that you want what they want as well.
Step 3: Follow Up
Follow-ups can be of two types, depending on the conclusion of the execution.
I. Following up when you get a ‘yes’
Yours follow up will re-emphasise their decision, and don’t forget to express your gratitude for the agreement. Try to remind them of the benefits they gain out of it, and reaffirm for them that they have made a right decision.
II. Following up when you haven’t gotten a ‘yes’
If the execution does not conclude in the affirmative, pause the discussion for a while and come back to it later. Doing this will help keep the conversation open. Ask more questions and learn more about what they want, while focusing on what they need to say ‘yes’.
This steps must become an inherent part of your routine while dealing with business transactions, and will help you stay prepared. Once you master this, the success of your business will definitely climb.
Step 4: Bonus — Further Reads
- The Perfect Close: The Secret To Closing Sales — The Best Selling Practices & Techniques For Closing The Deal
- 99 Negotiating Strategies: Tips, Tactics & Techniques Used by Wall Street’s Toughest Dealmakers
- When Buyers Say No: Essential Strategies for Keeping a Sale Moving Forward
- Sales Yoga: A Transformational Practice For Opening Doors and Closing Deals
- One Second Selling for Sales People
- There’s No Such Thing as Closing the Deal: A Brief(case) Guide to Successful Sales
- Steal the Show: From Speeches to Job Interviews to Deal-Closing Pitches, How to Guarantee a Standing Ovation for All the Performances in Your Life
- The Art of Closing Any Deal: How to Be a “Master Closer” in Everything You Do
- Secrets of Closing the Sale
- The Science of Selling: Proven Strategies to Make Your Pitch, Influence Decisions, and Close the Deal
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