In a previous blog post, we discussed how to use soft closing questions. There are also times when you will want to be more direct and hard close a sales prospect.
Here are some examples of hard closing questions and some explanations for each closing question.
Are you ready to move forward to the next step in the process?
This is the simple and direct question that closes the prospect on whether they are ready to move forward. No need for much explanation here.
What would you need to be able to make a commitment to move forward?
There are some closing questions that you can ask that might not get the prospect to move forward but will help you to determine what you need to do in order to close the prospect. If the prospect answers these questions honestly and correctly, you should have a key list of what you need to do (or provide) in order to get the prospect to move forward.
What is great about this question is after you are able to meet the list of what they need, then it is very easy to directly ask them to move forward and to expect them to move forward. It is not to say that the deal is automatic, but if the prospect still does not move forward after you give them what they have asked for, you can then know that there are some real concerns with the prospect and how qualified they are.
If you had everything that you want, are you prepared to move forward?
This is one of the good follow-up sales closing questions to the previous closing questions. This is a good way to confirm that if you provide everything that they are asking for, and this could be price, it could be functionality, that they will then agree to move forward.
When are you going to make your final decision?
This is a good closing question that helps you to identify where the sales prospect is in their buying process and to identify what type of timeline they are working on.
SalesScripter will help you by providing some examples of closing questions.
