One Call Close Sales Funnel
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TLDR
Stage 1: Confirm they want the product
Stage 2: Isolate objections to money
Stage 3: Clarify value vs affordability
Stage 4: Identify and solve the gap
Use urgency only at the end
The Funnel Method for One Call Close Sales
Introduction to One Call Close Selling
Do you do in home sales like home improvement sales where it is a one call close? If so you have to know how to funnel the customer down to the yes during the close. This is the meat of what I have learned after doing this for 35 years and being in over 16,000 homes. Funneling is bringing a person from one stage to the next and making sure the door is closed before you move to the next part of the funnel. There are four main stages and doors to close when selling home improvements so please listen to the end to hear all four.
Why a Methodical Approach Matters
A lot of you may have the experience to get there but it is done willy nilly and is not methodical. Learning to do it this way will make you a lot more consistent in making money. Knowing the steps is important because when you are closing it seems like a conversation and if you get off you know where you are to go back. The concept is that you close these four doors along the way and when they are closed you don’t have to go back and close them again.
I get a lot of questions from sales people like “once I isolate the objection to the money do I need to go back and recommit them to the value or doing business with our company?” For example so other than the affordability is this the hvac system or window you want? Yes.. and so you are comfortable with the company and value. Something to that effect. If you learn to be methodical in how you close the doors there is no need to do that because you have already closed the door earlier. Remember there are some doors that when they are already closed if you push in to close them again that now they open 😊
The Four Stages of the Funnel
Stage 1: Commitment to the Product
The first stage of the funnel when closing is that they want it and think it’s worth it. This is done during the sales presentation. If they don’t want it and think it’s worth it then they shouldn’t even be in the closing funnel. To make sure they are in the right stage you usually do some type of pre-close commitment where you are seeing if the customer is sold. It’s a fancy way of asking them if they want the product.
Example Pre-Close Question
This is done after you have done your sales presentation and right before you deliver the price. Usually, the simplest way of doing this is to say “So if this is affordable is this definitely the roof you want to put on your home?’ If you can get a real and firm commitment to that question then you are ready to proceed to the next part of the funnel.
Stage 2: Isolating the Objection to Money
The second thing you need to do to one call close someone is to handle the objection. If you have done your presentation correctly and they want it the only real objection should be the money. People buy when they make two decisions. Do you want it and can you afford it. If the answer to those questions are yes then you buy. If not then you don’t. It’s that simple.
So by definition if your sales presentation made them want it and you verified that by doing the pre-close commitment we just covered by asking them if they wanted it then the only logical objection left would be the money. For example if your product was $100 how many people would want your product. Hopefully you said all of them.
Smoke Screen Objections
The first thing you hear a lot of times after the price are not real objections they are smoke screens like I need to think about it, I never make snap decisions or just give me some time. Those are not real objections and therefore can’t be turned. That’s why you always hear people say that you need to bring it to the money in the close.
Isolating the Objection to Money
You are getting the customer to come to the conclusion or admit of what you all ready know… that’s it’s just the money. When you isolate the objection you are establishing that there is no other reason other than the money that they are not doing it. This is done when you can say “So other than the money is there any other reason you wouldn’t want this hvac system put into your home ?” or “Is the money your only concern then?” When they say yes you have isolated the objection to the money.
So now the funnel has brought them to that they want the product and the only concern is the money.
Stage 3: Value vs. Affordability
The third step of the funnel that a lot of people overlook is what the objection of money really means. It could mean two things. Value or affordability. Value meaning that the customer doesn’t believe that it is worth what you are asking and affordability meaning that they can’t afford what you are asking. These are two different things and have to be handled differently. If they aren’t sure if it’s worth it a payment plan means nothing.
Value Example
If you said the candy bar was too much money at $100 would a 12 month no interest or offering payments of $1.00 a month make a difference? Of course not. It’s because it’s not that they can’t afford it but don’t think it’s worth it. This means you lost them in the sales presentation by not properly building the value. You can try to rebuild the value in the close but the learning experience means you have to work on your sales presentation in building value. If you do it right the money objection should only be the affordability. In other words they think it’s worth it but just not sure if they can afford it.
Affordability Example
Now If they can’t afford it does it make a difference telling them how much they will get back in resale value or how fair your price is? No because it’s not an issue of value but affordability. The easiest way to determine which money issue it is after you have isolated the objection to the money is to say “so when you say it’s the money do you mean more than you think it’s worth or just more than you can afford?’ Hopefully they say it’s just more than I can afford”. Then you make sure the door is closed and move them to the next stage of the funnel. “So other than the affordability is this what you want?” Keep it simple . So they commit they want it. Then they agree the only objection is the money. Then they agree it’s just the affordability.” There is no reason to have to go back and recommit here to anything else because you have isolated and shut each door every step of the way.
Stage 4: Closing the Gap
The fourth door or step of the funnel in closing is to get the gap of where you are and where they need to be. That’s the problem or puzzle you need to solve to them get what they want. For example once you have isolated the objection to affordability then you are working payments. Affordability is always about the payment. To get the gap you would say “ so how much too much is that monthly payment?’ About $200 a month too much. Now you know the gap is $200 a month and what the problem you have to solve. Now I shut that door and bring them further down the funnel by saying “so it’s just $200 a month keeping you from getting this roof?” yes.
Affordability Gap Example
If the issue of the money was value not affordability you use the same technique but now you need to get the gap of the value not payment. “so other than the money is this what you want? Yes. “and when you say it’s the money do you mean more than you think it’s worth or just more than you can afford?” More than I think it’s worth . “How much too much is our price?” Well you are at $15,000 and I can’t see myself paying more than $13000. “so we are about $2000 apart form you getting your new windows then?” yes.. Now you have to close a value gap of $2000 which can you do with energy savings or resale value. Remember if you have to close a value gap the real learning experience and opportunity is in your sales presentation in your price conditioning and other ways you build value so you don’t end up here in the close. Remember if you do your presentation right meaning that they want your product and think it’s worth it the only form of money objection in the close should be affordability not value.
Value Gap Example
So to recap Step 1 So you have committed them to the product. “Is this what you want?”Step 2 Isolated the real objection to just the money. “So other than the money is this what you want?” Step 3 Isolated to what type of money- value or affordability. “So when you say it’s the money do you mean more than you think it’s worth or just more than you can afford?” Step 4 Get the gap. “How much too much is that monthly payment?” About $200 a month too much. Now that’s the gap you have to close.
Recap of the Four Steps
All the close should be is about helping the customer get what what they want. Not brow beating them and pressuring them into something. Once you’ve moved them this far into the funnel the only thing missing is urgency. Ideally you hear” I want it and can afford it now just give me a couple of days.” Now you can do your today discount or whatever you use. This is the best place to do it. Not when you are in the middle of the funnel. The today discount should only be used to create urgency not to drop the price to the level of value your sales presentation created.
Final Thoughts
Now if you find this training helpful and want more on building value check out the post on “It’s too much money” or for more on closing the posts on Home Improvement Sales Closing listed above.
Happy Selling!
