Patience helps close sales

There are many steps in closing a sale. Rick Davis, president of Building Leaders Inc. and author of the book, Strategic Sales in the Building Industry , shares tips for conquering the small victories that lead to a close.

Tip #1 : Get the first meeting. Without an initial face-to-face meeting, nothing gets accomplished. Consider this a small success.

Tip #2 : Don't push for the instant sale . Take time to listen to the customer's needs. Match your product or service to solve the customer's challenges, rather than pushing a meaningless solution.

Tip #3: Establish reasons for the second meeting. You need time to consider the customer's needs before making a final proposal. Be sure to schedule the next meeting while you are with the customer. If you wait, it may be difficult to get commitment to another meeting.

Tip #4 : Always keep the focus on your client. During the second meeting, offer a definitive plan for how you can make the customer's job easier.

Tip #5 : Follow-up . Use a variety of ways to contact a customer during the decision making process. A personal follow up such as a written thank you note, sending a relevant article to the customer, or sending a package of helpful materials will show that you care about getting the organization's business.

Building Leaders Inc. are specialists in sales and sales management education for the building materials industry. Rick Davis' book Strategic Sales in the Building Industry is available on builderbooks.com.

CA