How To Close A Sales Deal On The Phone

May 26, 2021

In this article, we’ll share the exact blueprint on how to close a sales deal on the phone; without being salesy, and yet still remaining in control.

Some people still use old school always be closing methods, and others a completely different and more consultative approach.

By learning how to close a sales deal on the phone by using our method, you’ll close more sales consistently, without being pushy or breaking rapport.

How To Close A Sales Deal On The Phone – The Right & Wrong Way

Although there is so much information out there regarding how to close a sale deal on the phone – there is in fact a right, and also very wrong way.

Due to movies and popular culture – it’s almost been romanticized that the one call closer who uses high pressure tactics, spreading misinformation to get a sale, is the right way to go about it.

The truth is; it isn’t very effective, it’s short term thinking, and rarely wins you trust at all.

Instead – the right way is to use an open, consultative approach.

By doing so, you position yourself as a trusted advisor, and someone they’d have the pleasure of doing business with.

Read on to learn how to close a sale deal on the phone using our low pressure, consultative method.

What You Need To Know Prior To Learning How To Close A Sales Deal On The Phone

Prior to learning how to close a sale deal on the phone, there are two areas you need to focus on to ensure that you’re efficient with your time, and secondly – that you can create a positive experience for your potential client.

Pre-Work Tip #1 – Do Some Homework

Prior to attempting to closing a sales deal on the phone, you should always do some homework and learn about your potential client.

There are a few things we usually do, and also recommend that you do so too.

First of all, we always look for them on LinkedIn.

Find out what their current role is, how long they’ve been in their role, and what their experience is.

You can also see what other people have ‘endorsed’ them for which will give you an idea of their potential strengths.

If you can’t find them on LinkedIn, we recommend looking for them on social media such as Facebook and Instagram.

We also recommend doing a Google Search on them too, and seeing what you can find interest wise, as well as anything else that may be useful.

Just to be clear – we aren’t advocating to become a stalker of any kind!

We just want to ensure you get a rough idea prior to the phone call, so that you can seamlessly build rapport and get a good idea about the type of person you’re speaking with.

Pre-Work Tip #2 – Plan before Your Attempt To Close On The Phone

If you want to learn how to close a sale deal on the phone and be highly effective at it, you first need to plan how it will go, and what kind of information you’ll be seeking with sales probing questions.

As Benjamin Franklin once famously said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”.

It is important to ensure you’re aware of how the call will go, so you’re not winging it and positioning yourself as someone unprofessional.

To help you plan your sales conversation, we’ve outlined a step by step process we recommend you use, so you can consistently close more clients, and serve more people.

How To Close A Sales Deal On The Phone – A Step By Step Guide

The most important ingredient you need when learning how to close a sale deal on the phone, as well as your overall sales game – is the inclusion of a sales process.

A sales process, also known as a sales structure; is the step by step system you use to guide your potential client on a journey, and help you close more sales.

Although there are various types of sales methodologies out there; we recommend using one which helps guide the potential client to sell themselves.

This way – it’s easier to sell your product or service, versus using some old-school and outdated system that recommends you do the hard sell.

Below are some key steps and tips you’ll need when learning how to close a sale deal on the phone.

Related article: The Sales Process – A Step By Step Guide

Step 1 – Build Rapport

The first step to learning how to close a sale deal on the phone, is building rapport with your potential clients.

People buy from people they like and trust – and people that are also like them.

Start by building some quick rapport; some topics you may want to quickly talk about to build familiarity, may be intelligence you found in your prior homework phase.

Step 2 – Pre-Frame The Conversation

The next step to learning how to close a sale deal on the phone, is using something called a pre-frame.

Any sales conversation; is fit into something we call a frame.

A frame is how you will frame the overall conversation; which if you play your cards right, will be framed that they need your product or service – and should buy.

Prior to the frame – we recommend doing something called a pre-frame.

Also known as an intent statement; a pre-frame’s job is to do the following things:

Find out if all decision makers are present
Let them know that you’ll be asking a lot of deep diving questions
That’s if they don’t feel that you’re the right fit – that it’s completely OK, and to let you know

To learn how to do this in more detail, read the linked article below.

Further reading: Positioning In Sales – How To Sell Effectively

Step 3 – Set Call Expectations

Once you’ve set your pre-frame, the next step to learning how to close a sale deal on the phone is to let them know how the sales conversation will generally go.

This is absolutely critical to succeed at closing new clients.

This comprises of you letting them know how long it will take, as well as the types of questions you’ll be asking and why.

By why – I don’t mean you telling them that you’re investigating whether or not they’re qualified, but instead; letting them know you want to ensure you can in fact help them, and that you’ll only offer your product or service if you feel you truly can.

This will separate you from a lot of other people out there who position themselves to make a quick dollar.

On the topic – it is always important to leave your presenting to the end, and only present if you know you can in fact serve your potential client.

Step 4 – Qualify

A lot of Sales Professionals make the mistake of speaking with people who they shouldn’t be speaking with in the first place.

If you want to know how to close a sale deal on the phone, you need to speak to people who are qualified to speak to you in the first place.

As per our article here, we’ve written a list of sales probing questions to help you qualify your potential clients:

Prior to moving forward, is there anyone else who may need to be involved?
Out of curiosity; how much budget do you have put aside to fix this?
What timeline did you look at having these issues resolved?
What do you think our next steps should be?

Another popular sales qualifying acronym is something called the BANT method.

This simple acronym breaks down a formula you can use, to qualify easily.

Further reading: Qualifying Sales Leads – A Step By Step Guide

Step 5 – Finding Pain

The third and very important step when learning how to close a sale deal on the phone, is finding out why they’re looking at making a purchasing decision in the first place.

People don’t buy things – they buy what it will mean when they own it.

Generally – this means they currently are in a situation they’re not happy with and are aspiring to make a purchasing decision to get to where they want or need to be.

People buy to escape pain and move towards pleasure.

To learn how to uncover pain during you sales conversations, read the related article below.

Further reading: Pain Points & Sales – Your Ultimate Guide

Step 6 – Demonstrate How You’ll Solve Their Pain

Once you have found their pain and learnt the meaning behind what it means to have those pain points; you need to demonstrate that you can solve their problems with your product or services.

There is an effective way at doing this, which handles objections and much more.

As this is quite a concise topic, we’ve dedicated an article to teach you how you can do this too.

Step 7 – Ask For The Sale

The next step to learning how to close a sale deal on the phone may seem like common sense – however you’d be surprised how many Sales Professionals fail to ask for the actual sale and try to close.

Many don’t do it because they’re nervous about getting a no – and that they don’t know what to do after they feel rejected by the potential client.

If you’re feeling this way, it means you’re not using a step by step, sure-fire way to consistently close clients.

And yes – this is costing you income.

Ask for the sale confidently, but prior to doing so; ensure you follow the step by step structure outlined in this article.

By following our sales process, you’ll have a better and more consistent chance of closing more sales and serving more people.

Related article: 5 x Closing Questions To Win More Sales

How To Close A Sales Deal Over The Phone – Final Thoughts

The secret to learning how to close a sale deal on the phone consistently, is by following a proven step by step sales process, or blueprint.

The biggest issue with Sales Professionals and Business Owners when it comes to sales, is that they don’t follow a consistent system.

When you follow a proven consistent system – you’ll close sales consistently.

Like anything in life – when you follow proven systems, you get consistent results.

When your process is inconsistent, you’ll get inconsistent results – and in this case, inconsistent sales.

Want To Learn The In Depth Blueprint On How To Close Sales Deals Over The Phone?

If you want to learn the exact step by step blueprint to closing sales deals over the phone, then you should learn more about our affordable and self-paced online sales training program; The 5% Sales Blueprint.

You won’t need to spend hundreds or thousands, and you’ll learn exactly what you need to close sales, consistently.

To learn more, click on the link directly below.

Our Online Sales Training Course – The 5% Sales Blueprint