Today we are entering the artful side of closing, adding more in-depth knowledge through the successful experience that Chris Bijou offers. Before we commence, it is recommended to go through our related posts, “The deal makers handbook” and “How to focus on strongholds to close a million-dollar deal”, with Chris's insightful tips.
Now that you’ve gone through the recommended reads, we’ll initiate this text on the art of closing a deal - a step that needs to be curated to top-notch spheres. Few salespeople have the experience, success, and attitude to achieve it. One of them is Chris Bijou. A 30-year career, producing multi-million dollar deals and pioneering top-tier markets.
When we contacted Chris to pinpoint vital necessities to achieve a deal closure, he indicated that using ethics is one of the artful expertise required. This statement is set under common pillars that drive you into the roads of a master salesperson who is aware of the implementations to use at any given stage. Having the craftsmanship to reach master-ship status depends upon the capacity to assure, via your communications, that you are here to help and co-work rather than dictate.
In this sense, he has formulated specific patterns that should be considered when your focus is on closing a deal. Your artfulness has to radiate toward a mindset that offers the enterprise a better place than it is at present. These are the types of ethical skills you must master to be an artist at closing deals because, as Chris puts it, people see straight through those who are in it for their benefits, “It becomes obvious.”
Entering the practicality of the process, the first thing you have to accept is that the art of selling isn’t pushing the product. No matter how great you feel about the service and product you are presenting, globalizing to just the product will result in negative conclusions; this is even more true when we enter the realm of enterprise selling.
As Chris puts it, “It's about partnering. This means that your reputation must be that people will want to partner with you now and in the future.” The art of closing a sale is a progression, moving from stage to stage, and with each step, there is more trust or less trust. As we mentioned above, people see through others who are in it only for themselves, becoming obvious.
With the above in mind, instead of forcing the product, try to foresee the advantages it can offer to the enterprise. Trace a beneficial path in which you can let your service or product shine without needing to elaborate overly technical or in-depth descriptions. Chris points out another interesting dynamic: executives only remember 11% of their meetings.
In Chris’ words, “This means they might not remember what you said, but there is a good chance they will remember that you are taking them somewhere good. Somewhere better than their company is today.” Reaching this sentiment gives you a greater chance to set the next meeting. On the other hand, if you keep bloating your meetings with the product and its complexities, it will ruin all the hard work.
In conclusion, if you aren't getting a lot of follow-up meetings, your explanation or product is weak and, thus, viewed as untrustworthy. A fragile line between artfulness and pushiness can label you and your company as an untrusted source. Something nobody wants due to the apparent repercussions it will produce.
By reinforcing the indications presented above, it is fundamental to keep a holistic viewpoint while closing. In other words, part of the deal is to continually look at it from the customer and the company’s point of view because almost all salespeople will stay on their side of the table, and they shouldn't.
They should stand up, move to the potential customer's side, and then say, in Chris’ own words, “Why don't we look at this together and see if we can help design something better for the company.”; this moves the salesperson from a semi-adversarial position into a partnership position, which is a physical and mental movement for both parties.
Being Chris, a salesperson who has formed countless executives that are currently working at top-tier companies, see “The deal makers handbook,” he provides us with this technique; around the table:
· Around the table technique - “I used to teach a technique about sitting around the table. It's more than just a style, it's how you approach the sale. As you're talking with the client, it almost always starts with a desk between the two of you. After you understand the needs and wants, then an explanation is going to be given that can bring the two of you closer together.”
Once the closeness arrives, the question becomes, "Together, can we come up with something more compelling and exciting for the company, to move it forward?" If the answer is no, he recommends moving on because it's not worth either of your time or resources. But if the answer is yes, you've come up with it together, strengthening the partnership.
Committing to this path naturally opens the real positioning, which has to be ethical because sustainable sales require that you want to be either person. Therefore, your caring blasts through to your friend, the buyer, because he will have a more successful career by purchasing from you; this is vital towards the next step, which is both of you selling it internally. Leading us again to being viewed as ethical/trustworthy, and if this isn’t achieved, the probability of you helping them make the internal sale vanishes.
Being it so, the best compliment you can ask for is, as Chris says, “when an internal champion gives you free rein to talk and present to anyone. They fully trust that you have their best interest in mind and will present yourself professionally.” This will follow with a second great compliment which is when you can charge a premium, and the client feels fulfilled, not gouged.
As we can observe from the insightful words by Chris Bijou, the art of closing business deals needs to be a process that transmits an ethical road that drivers trust and where morals are followed. Obtaining this degree of integrity provides advantages for getting their money's worth because trust, ethics, and morals are strongly valued.
Resulting in a viewpoint where outcomes are equally better for everyone involved. Although we must not be mistaken in arriving after as an advisor, there has been a lot written on becoming a trusted advisor. But that's not even close to the highest level of sales or closing. Most trusted advisors give a lot and get little in return.
What our goal is, when approaching the art of closing, is the figure of a Trusted Integrated Partner (TIP). Acquiring such status is the highest level because they believe (and rightly so) that you can take them forward with a plan. Performing the art of closing at a top-level can amazingly provide you with all the above in just one meeting.
Acquiring this artfulness within your closing deal strategy should be integrated into the early stages of your go-to-market approach. If you don’t realize this, the time and effort to change will cost dearly. Don’t ignore these facts Chris Bijou has presented.
In the next post, we focus on the fun side of sales and how this can be achieved through a well-established plan and mindset. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to continue learning from one of the best salespeople currently in the market, Chris Bijou.
May your business live long and prosper 🖖!
