The "alternative" close is probably one that you may all have heard about. The idea you want to have during a closing is never to ask a question where the only answers can be a yes or a no. Alternative closing questions eliminate that possibility.
"Would you like delivery on Friday or Monday?"
"Would that be MasterCard or Visa?"
"Would you prefer the Sales Module or the Order Entry module?"
If they answer with either of the choices, it's a closed sale. Start writing the order.
Another level of the alternative close is to ask something about a minor detail. If your prospect answers the minor question, it's a good indication that they are ready on the major question.
"Would you prefer UPS or Federal Express?"
"Do you want red stripes or just blue?"
"Do want the whitewalls on the outside or the inside?"
As always, be careful when you start using these questions. Timing is everything. You have to have a sense that the prospect may be ready. The main thing is that you actually have to ask for the sale. It's strange but true. A lot of salespeople are very annoying because they don't know how to ask for the order.
A salesperson for an Internet provider called me the other day and talked my ear off. He kept on telling me feature after feature, and he asked me some pretty good leading questions. He just would not get to the point. It was very annoying. Eventually I stopped him and started asking him questions. I just wanted to slap myself. He had lost all control of the conversation. Needless to say, I did not buy anything.
It's really nice when a real professional salesperson senses where you are, realizes you are very busy, gets to the point without being pushy, recognizes my needs, recognizes when I am ready to make a purchase, and knows when to ask that closing question.
If you don't remember any other closes besides this one, try to get this one down, make it sound natural. Learn to ask both major and minor alternative closing questions. The minor questions can be incremental to the major as you get better at it. The main thing is to figure out the best time to ASK FOR THE SALE and then don't delay. You could lose the sale altogether when you had it in your hands just like the guy that called me trying to sell me internet service.
James 'Doc' Stone is a recognized expert and teacher of SEO and traffic generation techniques and he has the success to prove it. He's worked behind the scenes for years helping others develop some of the largest marketing sites on the internet. He does free online webinars weekly. Add yourself to my mailing list to be notified of free live webinars and when the book comes out. Web Authority, Tackle it, Master it, Reap the Profits. Find out more about me at http://www.jamesstoneseo.com/about/
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