Obtaining Commitment

• How much emphasis should be placed on closing the sale?• Why is obtaining the commitment important?• When is the best time to obtain commitment?• Which methods of securing commitment are appropriate for

developing partnerships?• How should pricing be presented?• What should a salesperson do when the prospect says yes? When

the prospect says no?• What causes difficulties in obtaining commitment, and how can

these issues be overcome?

Some questions answered in this chapter are:

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CHAPTER 12

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• Buyers want to buy, not be sold.

• Reliance on closing techniques may reduce the chance of making a sale.

• No commitment, no sale.

• Relationship commitment vs. single sale.

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Obtaining Commitment Today

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

• Part of the process– Salespeople actually gain commitment

repeatedly– Important in moving the account through the

relationship process• The importance of securing commitment

– Tells the salesperson what to do next– Defines the status of the client– Time to make a sale– Customer realization of benefits– Company good will and profit– Financial rewards for the salesperson

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Obtaining Commitment Today (continued)

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Financial Terms and Conditions

• Discounts– Quantity discounts

• Credit terms– Cash discounts for early

payment

• Shipping costs– Free on board (FOB)– FOB destination– FOB shipping– FOB installed

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• Presenting price– Usually discussed at the end– Price is carefully set after studying:

• The competitor’s offerings• The value delivered by the product or

service• The cost of providing the product or service

– Present with confidence– Not the focus of the presentation

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Financial Terms and Conditions (continued)

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

When to Attempt to Obtain Commitment

• Buyer comments– Buyer questions– Requirements– Benefit statements– Responses to trial

closes

• Nonverbal cues– Facial expressions– Actions

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Requirements are conditions that have to be met before a purchase can take place.

• Maintain a positive attitude

• Let the customer set the pace

• Be assertive, not aggressive

• Sell the right item in the right amounts

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How to Successfully Obtain Commitment

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• Look

• Lean

• Lower

• Ask

• Shut up

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How to Successfully Obtain Commitment

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12-9

How Aggressive, Submissive, and Assertive Salespeople Handle Sales Activities

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Effective Methods

• The salesperson’s purpose is to sell the right product in the right amounts.

• The seller should sell in a fashion consistent with the way the buyer prefers to buy.

• Buyers need a choice.

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• Direct request– Simply ask for it

• Benefit summary– Reminds the buyer of the agreed-on benefits of

the proposal

• Balance sheet method– List pros and cons

• Probing method– Initially uses another method– Uses a series of probing questions– Consider cultural differences

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Effective Methods (continued)

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• Alternative choice– Limit choices

• Other methods– Many methods tend to be ineffective with

sophisticated customers– The buyer must trust the salesperson,

the company, and the product

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Effective Methods (continued)

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

• Minor-point close

• Continuous yes close

• Assumptive close

• Standing-room only close

• Benefit-in-reverse close

• Emotional close

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Some Traditional Closing Methods

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• No surprises– Go over all important information

• Confirm the customer’s choice– Assure customers they have made an

intelligent choice

• Get the signature– Make the actual signing an easy, routine

procedure– Fill out the order blank accurately and promptly– Be careful not to exhibit any excess eagerness

or excitement at signing time

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If Commitment is Obtained

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• Show appreciation– Thank-you letter– Small gift– Genuine but not effusive

• Cultivate for future calls– How the salesperson treats the customer is the

biggest determinant of future sales

• Review the actions to be taken– Avoid misunderstandings– Be sure the buyer gets what they were promised

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If Commitment is Obtained (continued)

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• Some reasons for lost opportunities– Wrong attitudes– Poor presentation– Poor habits and skills

• Discovering the cause– Critical so that salespeople can proceed

intelligently to eliminate the barriers

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If Commitment is Not Obtained

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If Commitment is Not Obtained (continued)

– Suggestions for dealing with rejection• Maintain the proper

perspective• Recommend other sources• Good manners are important

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• Most sales take several calls to complete

• Leave with a clear plan for all parties– Review what you will do next– What the customer will do next– When you will meet again

• Follow-up promptly with a thank-you and reminder note

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Bringing the Interview to a Close

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• Commitment cannot be obtained by some magical or miraculous technique if the salesperson has failed to prepare the prospect to make this decision throughout the presentation.

• Commitments should result in a win-win situation for all parties.

• Pricing is an important element of any sale and is usually presented at the time of closing.

• There is no one “right” time to obtain commitment.

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Summary

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

• To successfully obtain commitment, the salesperson needs to:– Maintain a positive attitude– Allow the customer to set the pace– Be assertive rather than aggressive– Sell the right item in the right amounts

• No one method of obtaining commitment works best for all buyers.

• If commitment was obtained, the salesperson should immediately assure the buyer that the choice was judicious.

• If commitment was not obtained, the salesperson should analyze the reasons.

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Summary (continued)

McGraw-Hill/Irwin