My Best One Call Close Secret
Prefer to Watch: Here's the the Video
You’ll Learn:
Build value before showing price
Clarify and isolate real objections
Lower guard to get honest feedback
Close for the future, not now
Add urgency only after solving the issue
The Secret to a Professional One-Call Close
What Is a One-Call Close?
If you make a living doing in-home sales, like selling home improvements, a lot of you sell on a one-call close. Meaning you make the sale the first time you see them. In my 35 years in this business, all of the 16,000 homes I have sold in were a one-call close environment.
Why One-Call Closes Get a Bad Rap
A one-call close is something that is an art and still done a lot today. A lot of people don’t like it, meaning either the salesperson (then you are in the wrong job) or the customer, because it conjures thoughts of the old-time siding salesperson or stereotyped used car salesperson – i.e., meaning just annoying high pressure with no integrity. It’s what the amateurs, or what I call the neanderthal type of salespeople, do when they try to one-call close. However, if it’s done right, it can be professional, have integrity, and be a pleasant experience for the customer.
Ps. In case you didn’t know, the neanderthals are extinct. 😊
I call it a secret because I really haven’t heard anyone talk about this, but I can assure you it works and has helped make me and people I’ve trained a lot of money.
The Setup for a Professional Close
For a one-call close to work and be done professionally, it has to be set up correctly. There are two places you can sell someone. You can sell them before the price or after the price. If you sell them before the price, it means you created the desire, separated your offer from everyone else, built the value, and made the customer want your product.
Two Places to Sell: Before or After the Price
When you do it this way, then the close is just a matter of helping the customer get what they want. This is how it should be done, and if they want it, then you are in a position to one-call-close and need to know how. The other way of selling is where you really don’t know how to sell and/or build value, and think selling is just one big warmup. Then, when you’re in the closing, you have to high-pressure them into buying because you haven’t really sold them.
What a Poor Close Looks Like
This is the type of one-call close that people hate, and because you haven’t sold them correctly, involves things like “and if you buy tonight, we can take 50% off?!” That’s not what this video is about. So the key or set up before you can make a one-call close as a professional is that the customer wants the product and thinks it’s worth it. If they don’t want it or think it’s worth it, then as a professional salesperson, you don’t even have the right to ask them to buy, let alone get them to do it right then.
How the Close Actually Works
When Does the Close Start?
So, assuming you sold them before the price, and you are right after you deliver the price, and in the close. The close usually starts with you showing them the price, explaining cash and financing options, having them pick one, and in most cases, then assuming the order.
Clarify and Isolate
For example, you deliver the price, explain how the cash and payment options work, and say, “So if you hired us, would you pay cash or finance?” If the customer says finance it, then you assume the order by saying, “Well, the next step would be to fill out the credit app, and we can get the paperwork started.” Something to that effect, but now the close starts. To simplify this, the close starts at the point the customer can say, “I need to think about it,” “I always get three estimates,” or “Do you have a card, and we will get back to you.”
Handling Objections Professionally
In most cases, understand that very rarely does a customer say yes when you first ask them to buy in a one-call close. They usually start with some type of smoke screen of “I need to think about it” or try to shut it down quickly, “Do you have a card?” and then the real closing starts. The first thing you have to do in any close is to isolate or get the real objection, which is usually the money if you have done your sales presentation correctly. Remember, if after your sales presentation you have made them want what you are selling, what other possible excuse could there be other than the money? For example, if your product was $20.00, how many of them would buy? If you didn’t say all of them, then you are not losing it in the close, but in the sales presentation.
Clarify and Isolate
When you are closing, the first thing you have to do is clarify or identify the objection. You have to clarify it first to turn it. “Do you have a card?” is not something you can turn. Then, after you identify the objection, you have to isolate it. Meaning that there are no other issues besides that. Otherwise, if you don’t isolate the objection, they say it’s this (like it’s too much money), then when you handle that, they say “oh and it’s this too” then you handle that and they say “oh what about this”. It can go on forever, which is why you have to isolate the objection by saying, “So other than the money, do you have any other concerns?” No. Now it’s isolated.
Why Customers Don’t Tell You the Truth
One of the biggest problems in clarifying and isolating the objection is that a lot of times, the customers are hesitant to give you the real objection or tell you what’s really going on because they’re scared of you pressuring them if you tell them what it really is. That’s why the hardest people to sell are the ones who don’t say anything and just shut it down. “I have to think about.” Oh, so do you have any questions? “No, I just need a card so I know who to call.” The easiest ones to close are the ones who open up and say things like “you know, Ron, I really do like these windows, but it’s just a lot of money, and I don’t know if I can afford it. If there was a way to make it more affordable I would do it “ So here is the secret. Even if it is a one-call close, don’t close for now, but close for the future.
Let me explain: Let’s start with the brutal shutdown. “Do you have a card, and I’ll get back to you.” Most salespeople still try to close, and it sounds pressuring. Well, what do you have to think about? What would we have to do to earn your business today? That’s the amateur salesperson I was talking about. Now listen to what it sounds like if you close for the future: “Do you have a card?” No problem. Here it is. Do you mind if I ask you a question so I can make sure I leave you with the right information? “Sure.” What is your biggest concern that you will be thinking about? Is it the window or is it the price? Or whatever your favorite way is to bring the money.
The Secret: Close for the Future
Why “Closing for the Future” Works
Don’t close for doing it now …. close for doing it in the future. By close, I mean figure out what the real issue is, then solve the problem. Which way would the customer open up to you more if you said “what do we have to do to earn your business today?” or “ no problem I don’t want you to do it now just would like to know your biggest concern so I can leave you the information then you can think about it and call me when you are ready?” When the problem is solved, then you can create urgency; however, your company has you do it. A today discount, sale price, etc. Closing for now brings up the guard, and closing for the future lowers the guard.
This is huge. This concept turned me from an order taker to a closer.
Even if they are hardcore fighting you, this is how it works:
So, if you ever hired us, would you pay cash or finance? “Ohh, I'd probably finance it.” Well, the next step then is we'd have you fill out a credit app, and we'll get you approved, and you can get your new bathroom in about 3 months. “Ohh, I'm not gonna do anything right now. In fact, do you have a card? I need to think about it, and I'll call you back in about a week.” OK, here's the card. Do you mind if I ask you a question, though, so I know what information to leave you?
“Sure, but I'm not gonna do anything right now. I told you that I need to think about this.” Ohh that's fine… Tell me if this is OK. “Sure,” I want the best chance of earning your business. Does that make sense? “Yes.” And the only time I'm gonna come back is if you decide to place an order, right? “Yes,” So what I'm trying to do is figure out what your biggest concerns are right now. So that way, I can leave the information, you can think about it, and then call me whenever you're ready. “Ohh, OK.” So what are your biggest concerns right now? “Well. I really like the bathroom. At this point, I guess it's just the price. It's a lot of money.” OK. So, other than the money, though, do you definitely want the bathroom? “Yes.” So, can I show you options on the payment so that you have enough to think about? Sure…then work through what you need to solve the problem, which in this case is to make it affordable to them.
Create Urgency After Solving the Problem
Then, when you have solved the problem, either they will do it or it will be solved, but just missing urgency, “ok, that sounds good. I can handle that payment, and everything else is great. Just give me a day like I mentioned.” “A day? Well, if it’s that quick, you might be interested in this.” Now, do your today's discount if you have one. “By closing for the future, you lowered the guard so you could handle the objection and solve the problem. If you had tried to close for today from the start, you would have never gotten that far. I hope this helps, and if you need to, listen to this a couple of times, as it is deadly. In a good way.
Final Thoughts
If you want to know more about bringing it to the money in the close, check out the post on Closing Training: How and Why to Bring It To the Money, or these posts on closing.
Happy Selling!
