Let’s examine the fear the prospect often feels when we attempt to close the sale.
We defined closing as the natural end to a great presentation. Yet, for the average salesperson, closing can be the most tormenting part of the sales process. It can make us reluctant, anxious, and very tense. Also, closing can be the time when the customer experiences the same emotions of reluctance and anxiousness. Remember the process of transferring our enthusiasm to the prospect? We exchange our negative emotions the same way; and these feelings will help block the sale.
When the prospect experiences tension and negative emotions at the moment of closing, this known as “buyer’s remorse in advance.” She can experience this even if you have transferred 100 percent enthusiasm and confident expectations. Whenever your prospect reaches the point where the decision to own must be made, whenever she must decided between yes or no, and she is not 100 percent certain she wants the product, she will experience her greatest fear, the fear is the fear of failure. The prospect’s fear of failure equals the fear of making a mistake. We have all made buying mistakes such as purchasing a product that did not meet our expectations. Or maybe later we felt we paid too much, and so on.
When “buyer’s remorse in advance” it overwhelms the prospect at the moment of closing, she begins to procrastinate and vacillate rather than commit and make the decision to proceed forward. She says statements such as, I need to think it over, I’ll get back with you later, or I need to discuss this with my accountant, attorney or take it before the committee. What the prospect is truly saying to you is I’m experiencing buyer’s remorse and am afraid of making a decision.
The prospect’s fears are often enough to prohibit the sale, but there is also the salesperson’s fear of rejection and hearing the word “No” at the moment of closing. Because of this fear, closing, for the average salesperson, can be the most tormenting part of the sales process.
