CLOSING THE SALE
Closing is one of the most important parts of the sales call, and unfortunately, it is one area that is most often neglected. Many good salespeople feel uncomfortable about closing the sale for a variety of reasons. Most often, what happens is that the close or commitment is forgotten, and people just go their merry old way. The pressures and challenges of a quickly changing business environment are forcing us to take closing a lot more seriously. Closing not only helps us to achieve our immediate short-term goals, but more importantly, it is very crucial to our long-term relationships. Let’s take a look at only some of the more than twenty closing techniques that exist.
Types of Closes
The Choice Close
The choice close is an effective method that offers the doctor a clear-cut option of either one or two choices. For example, “Would four samples be enough or would you need more?” or “Do you want the 10 mg or the 20 mg strength?” The flexibility of the choice close makes it a very effective method. The doctor or customer does not feel as pressured or uncomfortable, because they have more than one option. Depending on the style of your physicians, and how well you know them, the choice close may be your best approach. Always review your doctor profile information to determine the appropriate close.
The Summary Close
The summary close is nothing more than you summarizing the benefits that the physician thought was important. You might say for example, “Doctor, you mentioned a few times that you are very interested in the prompt return of the patient to normal functioning, and a low incidence of side effects… for those reasons would you undertake a trial?”
Another method that you could use would be summarizing the main points. For example: “Product X reduces the frequency of angina, reduces the need for nitroglycerin, increases exercise tolerance, increases patient compliance…doesn’t that make it worth prescribing?”
You can also summarize the pros of your product and the cons of your competitors. For example, “Your patient gets prompt relief, excellent tolerability and only needs to take the medication for a few days, as opposed to taking long-term therapy with (their) product X and running the risk of increased side effects. If we weigh the two, wouldn’t this be worthwhile in your practice.
The Direct Question Close
This is nothing more than a question asking the physician to make a decision. For example, “Doctor, how many samples will you need?” Here’s another, “Should I tell the pharmacy to stock up, in anticipation of your prescriptions?” And another: “Will you prescribe product X for your new arthritic patients?”
The Assumptive Close
With the assumptive close, we will assume that the doctor will prescribe, based on favorable reaction that we have noticed during the presentation. In the assumptive close, we suggest the next step in the selling process. For example, “Doctor, based on what you have told me, I will make sure that the pharmacy has a good supply of the product.” Or you could point out, “The pharmacy already has it in stock for you.”
You also may get a better commitment if you can get the physician to record the patient’s initials on the sample packs, or simply mark a reminder of the trial on the patient record folder.
The Trail Close
This type of close is useful if you are not sure whether the physician is ready to accept your idea. It is a good way to take the doctor’s temperature and find out where he/she is in the buying cycle. If you get a “yes,” you can close; if you get a “no,” you need to continue selling.
Trial closes usually begin with the word “if,” and they often concern a minor point. They help to determine progress toward a genuine commitment. For example, you could ask, “Doctor, if you are in agreement that our product offers the efficacy and safety that your patients require, I’d like to leave you samples for your next five patients.”
Buying Signals
The salesperson’s ability to recognize buying signals is of great importance. When you are aware of these buying signals, you know the right time to close, and thus be more successful in your work. The physicians also fell more comfortable, because they fell more in control of the situation. Closing at the wrong time makes the physician feel unwelcome pressure. And getting a commitment from a physician who has not given the matter real thought is no commitment at all.
What are buying signals and how do we recognize them? Buying signals are indications by word, facial expression or body motion that the physician is thinking about using the product. Buying signals are a sign of the physician’s level of readiness to buy. Often, physicians volunteer these signals, but it is possible to encourage them:
§ By nodding
§ By handling the physician a sample; or
§ By asking for agreement on a minor point
Questions are good indications of physician interest.
For example:
§ “What’s the dose?”
§ “What are the side effects or contraindications?”
§ “How is it supplied?”
§ “What’s the cost?”
§ “What does it look like?”
§ “Do you have any samples?”
§ “Is it in the pharmacy?”
Use of these closing techniques adds value and purpose to our job. If we hesitate to close or close at the wrong time, the sale could be lost. Good luck and good selling!