Using the Assumptive Close With Short Sales Cycles
Jeb Blount offers suggestions for closing the sale when you are pressed for time.
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Using the Assumptive Close With Short Sales Cycles
We received this question from Katie:
A couple of months ago I was hired at a major retail store as a cashier – a position that requires sales of protection plans, branded payments, and point cards. I was doing moderately considering that I was new, but today I had my first *major* rush that gave me a taste of what I’d have to deal with come holiday season, and my sales percentage plummeted. Do you have any tips for selling within extremely short time frames? Also, what are your best tips for sales people who find themselves uncomfortable with the idea of sales but want to do their best anyway?
Katie, this is an excellent question. As a retail salesperson the commissions, spiffs, and bonuses you received by up selling high profit products like warranties, credit cards, and affinity programs can have a significant impact on the meager hourly wage most retail outlets pay. You’ve also pointed out how different the sales process is when you have time vs. when you are in a rush.
Because my background is primarily in large, complex B2B sales I’m not often confronted with your problem. Except when on the phone setting appointments where I have a few seconds to get a prospect to agree to sit down with me for an appointment. Though not the same thing both of these actions share the fact that there is little time, the prospect was caught off guard, and deliver and technique will often be the difference between success and failure.
So let’s take a closer look at your situation. You are at the cash register checking out customers. There are eight customers in line. They all look like they are in a hurry and out of patience. Your next customer in line places a laptop on the checkout counter and has his credit card ready. You ring up the laptop and now you are at the moment of truth – it is time to ask if he wants to get the warranty.
Your mind races. You worry that he is going to say no or that you might stumble over your words. Making you even more nervous are the onlookers – all of the customers in line are watching you and will know if you screw it up. Just then you look up and see your manager heading your way. You flash back to the last conversation you had with her earlier. She pointed out that your close rate has plummeted and you are not meeting your objectives. Your heart is pounding and you want to just forget about customer and skip the question, but you know with your manager looking on you have got to ask.
This is a scenario that most B2B salespeople never find themselves in. It is nerve racking and for people like you, who don’t have a lot of experience selling professionally it will be one of the hardest tests you will ever face. But it is possible to get through this with flying colors and to increase your closing ratio even during a holiday rush.
First, it is important to realize that your closing ratio will always be higher when you have the time to engage your customer and present the benefits of the product you are selling. However, with a couple of simple techniques you can greatly improve the probability of closing when time is short.
The most famous retail up sell technique is the “Do you want fries with that?” methodology. This tactic takes advantage of statistics – basically it is a numbers game. The more people you ask to buy more the greater the probability that some will. And it takes almost no effort to ask “Do you what fries with that?” so the cost is minimal.
You could do the same thing. If you ask every customer, “Do you want a warranty with that?” some will say yes. You will make sales and it will be almost effortless. The problem is, statistically speaking, though you increase your probability of selling a warranty over not asking at all, you also sub-optimize your close rate and income because this question is passive. In other words it will work but your close ratio will stink.
A better way to go about asking is to use an assumptive approach. With this method your attitude, body language, tone of voice, and words simply assume that every customer will buy. For example with the customer buying the laptop, after ringing up the computer, with your fingers still on the cash register or bar scanner, you say, “You’re going to want the protection plan with this new laptop, aren’t you?” While saying “aren’t you” just make eye contact and nod your head yes as if choosing this option is something everyone does and is perfectly normal.
The assumptive tactic takes more practice than the passive “do you want” method but you will be very surprised at how much better it works. My suggestion is you write out an assumptive closing statement for each of the products you up sell and practice them again and again until you sound completely natural. Sounding natural and relaxed is the key to making the assumptive close work. Otherwise you will sound contrived and fake which will turn off the buyer.
To make the assumptive close really work there is one more thing you will want to master – the follow up statement. After you say, “You’re going to want the protection plan with this new lap top, aren’t you?” some customers will just nod yes and you’ll ring them up.
Some will say no and to that make a worried look and say, “Are you sure? This could save you a huge headache if something goes wrong.” Then be quiet. If they say yes ring them up, if they say no move on to the next customer.
Others will respond with a question like, “How much does it cost?” or “What does it cover?” or some other common question. You will want to remain assumptive and matter of factly answer their question like this, “The protection plan will cover the replacement or repair of you new laptop if anything should go wrong. With an investment like you are making I highly recommend it. In fact, almost all of your customers like you get the protection plan. Should I ring it up for you?”
If your customer says yes respond “Good call.” However, if he says no say, “Are you sure? This could save you a huge headache if something goes wrong.” Then be quiet. If he still says no move on to the next customer.
Katie, nothing is perfect but I believe you will find that the assumptive close will increase your sales while at the same time helping you feel much more comfortable in your role as a salesperson.
This is Jeb Blount, the Sales Guy. If you have a sales question please send it to
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Cashier image courtesy of Shutterstock