Here is a sales technique that everyone should be using throughout their sales process (part 1 of 2)

Today, I'll share how I use trial closes in my sales process to prompt the next step and get a positive response from the other person.

Trial closes are like checkpoints to see how excited the other person is about doing business with you. They help you figure out if you can progress to the next step or maybe say, "I'm sorry, I’m not sure this is the best fit."

I love using these trial closes as they help you avoid "maybes", reduce objections and maximise the chances of closing the sale.

Unfortunately, many people don’t use these because they believe closing a deal is one big event that happens at a single point in time. In reality, however, closing deals is a bunch of small commitments scattered throughout the sales process.

Don't worry if this sounds complex. Over the next two editions of The Conscious Closer, I'll walk you through how I successfully close out both the 1st and 2nd calls, starting today with the 1st call. The discovery call.

Let's dive in!

1. Summarise:

After the questioning/discovery session, it's time to recap what you've learned.

Doing this ensures you both are on the same page and shows that you understand their situation.

Here's how I put it:

2. Safety net:

After the summary, I use a safety net to see if I've missed anything. Here's what I say:

This step is super important, as there might be significant points that you've missed, potentially affecting their decision to buy.

More often than not, however, they’ll either add minor details or say, "Nope, that's a pretty accurate summary of where we are at."

3. Trial close #1:

Now, for the big ask of the call! The key purpose of my discovery calls is to get a "yes" for an audit.

Think of it as them handing you the keys to their ad kingdom. Here's how I ask:

If you did a good job with your questioning, they'll usually say "yes" here.

If they resist, they aren't ready to progress to the next p

Ask them why, and then explain that auditing their account is a prerequisite for doing business together.

If they still say no, you can either keep probing or politely say that you don’t think it’s a good fit and go your separate ways.

4. Getting access:

Assuming they're up for the audit, I'll say:

Don't accept "I'll give you access after the call." Something will come up, and they won't do it. Then you have to chase the access - wasting time and causing the deal to stall.

5. Book 2nd call:

You want to secure the 2nd call for 2-3 working days time, so that you can keep momentum and strike while the iron is hot.

If someone isn't prepared to book a call, you aren't likely to win their business.

6. Trial close #2:

This is a big one, but often people shy away from it, thinking it's too salesy. Despite not advocating overly salesy behaviour, we are in sales and this question is gold. It gives you a solid indication of how keen they are before you end the 1st call.

Here's what I say:

I love this question as it separates the serious buyers from the tyre kickers.

#7 Next steps:

Now we're on the home stretch. Tell them what the next steps are and ask them:

If they say yes, you can end the call and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

To wrap up:

Use trial closes to gain small commitments that gauge your prospect's interest. By incorporating these questions throughout the sales process, you'll know if you're on the right track or if something needs to happen before you progress to the next phase.

Failing to do this puts immense pressure on the final close (if you get that far), significantly reducing the chances of the big "yes" at the end.

I hope you found this helpful. In the next edition, I'll go through what I say on the 2nd call to secure the commitments I need to get the sale. ✌️