How To Close a B2B Deal Quickly

Want to close that big B2B deal quickly? Want your sales effort to “sail” through the prospect’s organization?

If so, you’ll need to gain the following six perspectives about the prospect’s firm:

• #1: Their History. Where are they coming from? How did they get here? What do they know about your and your firm? What dealings have taken place in the past?
• #2: Their Frame of Reference. What ideologies and situations might affect their decision-making? Do they have a certain way of viewing your offering? How do they feel about their own firm?
• #3: Their Needs and Desires. Where do they want to go? How do they expect to feel when they get there? How do they think they’re going to get there? What do they think will prevent it?
• #4: Their Likely Objections. What is going to cause them to balk? How fervently do the believe in that objection? How real is it? Might it block the deal, no matter what you say or do?
• #5: Their Capacity to Act. Are you communicating with decision-makers or seat-warmers? If decision-makers, what decision do you want them to make? If not, why are you talking to them?
• #6: Their Decision-making Style. How do they make decisions? Are they all about facts or all about gut feeling? Do they defer and delegate, or do they decide by committee?

Once you understand these six perspectives, you can tailor your subsequent sales effort to match how the customer is likely to buy.

You’ll save time and effort and therefore close far faster that if you blundered along in the dark.

Before You Close, Ask Yourself 6 Questions

• Q1: Have you already helped this customer? If you’ve already helped the customer in some way, that customer will feel obligated to say “yes” when you move to close. Have you, for example, provided a unique industry perspective, or brought your customer a referral for a potential customer?
• Q2: Does this customer think your offering is unique or rare?Customers peculiarly value products that are rare or difficult to get. Have you established that your firm is the only viable source for what the customer actually needs, so that customer will perceive your offering as uniquely valuable?
• Q3: Does this customer consider you an authority? Have you revealed anything about your specific background or experience that might increase the customer’s perception that you’re an authority and that your firm is reputable?
• Q4: Would buying bolster the customer’s self-image?Customers are more likely to buy if buying is consistent with a prior commitment they’ve made in your presence. Have you gotten the customer to define himself or herself as the type of person who truly needs what you’re offering?.
• Q5: Does the customer know peers who’ve bought from you? Customers are more likely to say “yes” when presented with evidence that their peers are also saying “yes.” Have you provided the customer with examples and references that match the profile of that customer?
• Q6: Does the customer like you personally? Customers are more likely to say “yes” if they know and like you. Have you found similarities between yourself and the customer and raised them to the surface? Have you communicated that you truly respect the customer?

Are You Ready to Close?

Sales Tool: Are You Ready to Close?

Here’s a quick way to assess whether you’re ready to close.   Before asking for the business, ask yourself the following six questions (YES or NO).

1. Have you already helped the customer in some way?
2. Does the customer think your offering is unique?
3. Does the customer consider you a trusted authority?
4. Would buying support the customer’s stated self-image?
5. Does the customer know peers who’ve bought from you?
6. Does the customer like you personally?

For each “YES” answer, give yourself 1 point, except for #6, where the “YES” is worth 2 points.

• You scored 6-7. You are ready to close.  Ask for the business.
• You scored 4-5. You’re not done selling yet.  You need to work harder to position yourself and your offering.
• You scored 0-3. If you’re even thinking about closing, you’re being foolish.  Hopefully, you’re at the beginning of the sales cycle.  If you’re at the end of the sales cycle, you probably aren’t going to get the business if you attempt to close.  Best to move on.

The best way to use this tool is to put the questions as a checklist in your notes for each customer.   As you believe you’ve achieved each “YES” answer, put a tick-mark next to the question.  When you have 5 tick marks (and one of them is question #6), you’re ready to close.

For why this tool works see: How to Know When to Close.