How to close a B2B sales call

This is the final blog in a series on how to run a B2B cold call. In the previous blogs, we’ve outlined how to introduce yourself on a B2B cold call, how to run the discovery segment of the call and also how to build rapport over the phone (our 10-step process). In this blog, we’re going to focus on the final step in your call: how to close.

Closing is often seen as being the toughest part of any sales call, but it shouldn’t be. When you think about any sales transaction, there are three main components: the introduction, the presentation (in a B2B cold call,  we call this the discovery process) and the close. To get the outcome you are looking for, you can’t start with a good introduction, give a poor presentation and simply focus on your closing technique.  

Equally, if you haven’t taken the time to build rapport with the prospect, your approach won’t work; which means you won’t get the meeting or the sale. Every part of the call is equally important.  Blow your introduction or your presentation and you’ve lost the prospect, no matter how good your closing techniques are. That’s because you can only close a prospect who is engaged in what you’re saying and interested in what you are selling.

So, whilst this blog is about closing, it is important to remember that a successful close follows a good introduction and a well-executed presentation/discovery process.  If you do these well, you will have:

• Built rapport
• Demonstrated that you are a professional salesperson
• Discovered whether your prospect has a need for your product/service
• Demonstrated that you are an expert in your field, but that you also understand your prospect’s situation and problems (their needs)
• Explained how your product/service can help them address some of these issues

When you’ve done all of the above well, closing the call is both simple and straightforward.  Gone is the need for a pushy close, where you feel you are trying to corral the prospect into a meeting. Instead, you are inviting prospects you know have an interest and a defined need for your services to join you in taking the next step.  And what’s more, they will be looking forward to doing this with you.

But it’s not just about closing…

It’s about taking the “right” next step.  There is often more than one possible next step for a prospect. For example, the next step may depend on the size of the sales opportunity.  After all, you want your well-paid sales team spending their time on the most worthwhile sales opportunities, so you might assign smaller opportunities to a different salesperson or team, and the next step for smaller opportunities might be a phone call rather than a face to face meeting.

Remember also that not everyone you speak to is going to be ready to meet with you now, so you wouldn’t try to close these prospects by scheduling a meeting with them – it’s not the right time yet.  Let’s say a prospect is under contract for the next 2 years:  there’s little point asking them to have a meeting with you next week. That prospect is still a good opportunity for you, albeit a longer-term one.  Handled correctly, these prospects can be nurtured into a solid pipeline for you, ensuring good sales opportunities well into the future.

We use the close to do two things:

• Qualify the sales opportunity – to make sure it is a good opportunity for our client’s sales team
• Agree and secure the right next step

To do this we structure the closing section of the call by re-stating the prospect’s needs, qualifying the sales opportunity they represent, and finally using the appropriate close to secure the next step.

Why do we re-state their needs?  Because it demonstrates that we have listened to and understood their situation and their challenges. It reassures them that we’ve recognized their pain points and reminds the prospect of exactly why they should take the next step.

Here is an example:

“Well [NAME], based on what you’ve told me it sounds like you’re looking to [RESTATE THEIR NEEDS] and this is exactly what we can help you to achieve.  I’d like to gather some information about your current situation to make sure we are a good fit for you, so can you tell me…. [ASK QUALIFYING QUESTIONS].

 Okay, it sounds like it would make sense, if you have a bit of time next week, to have a phone call/Zoom call/meeting with [SALESPERSON], who is one of our experts in this area.  He/she will be able to get a really clear picture of where you’re at and will be able to show you exactly how we can help you.  When would be a good time for you next week?  Do you have time on …day or … day?”

If, during the qualification questions, you find that the prospect is not an immediate opportunity, you would substitute the second closing paragraph with something like this:

“Okay, it sounds like now is not the right time to talk to you in detail about this, so what I’d like to do is to send you some information about our product/service and then to stay in touch with you and re-engage with you at the right time for you.  Would that be okay?  Great, can I have your email address so we can keep you up to date and I’ll make a note to call you in …. to see if we can get together then?”

This is a simple way to get the prospect to take the next step with you. It will work provided you have executed a solid introduction and kept the prospect engaged during the discovery section of the call, before the close. Obviously, the prospect must have a genuine need for what you offer.

In summary, closing a sales call doesn’t have to be arduous, it should be the natural next step for the prospect and one that they see as clearly as you do.

In this series of blogs, we’ve aimed to provide you with an insight into how to practically conduct a B2B sales call. Within this, we’ve discussed avoiding the common mistakes and taken you through the journey from introducing yourself, to keeping your prospect engaged throughout the discovery and on to closing appropriately and taking the conversation forward.

If you’d like to know more about how using an experienced outsourced sales resource could help you have better sales conversations and win you more business, please get in touch by calling 1300 396 888 or drop us an email to enquiries@forrestcontact.com.au.