For contractors, one of the most anxiety inducing parts of the job is closing the deal. There’s a lot to unpack on this subject. Oftentimes it feels like the deal is on the brink of closing but takes longer than expected. Or, even worse, you do everything right up until the finish line but the client backs out. It can be very discouraging.
With that problem in mind, how do we close the deal?
There’s no exact science when it comes to these things, but there are definitely steps you can take to nudge yourself in the right direction. Best case scenario, you close the deal. Worst case scenario, you walk away knowing you’ve done your job.
But let’s get to it. Today I’ll let you in on some tips most experts use to seal the deal with clients still on the fence. It’s a fine line to walk between confident and pushy, the latter of which can scare the client away in a second, so it’s important how to do it right.
1. Video calls
Meeting in person would be the ideal, but since we’re still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, you can replace this with video calls.
The simple act of talking to the client live pushes the deal forward tremendously. It’s way too easy to never reply to a text message because there are no visible consequences, but a real talk, face-to-face (as much as a video call allows), means a lot.
Besides, it’s a much better place to freely ask questions and trade ideas. You can instantly feel if there’s a connection there, a sense of agreement that will keep the job moving forward.
Learn more on making perfect video calls with your clients.
2. Testimonials and reviews
Nothing sways an unsure client more than testimonials. After finishing a project, always ask your clients to leave a testimonial on your Facebook profile or website, as well as a positive review wherever applicable.
This will help you out massively when dealing with a client that has never worked with you before. In fact, testimonials and reviews have the potential to sway clients before they even engage with you directly, which saves a lot of time.
But if you sense they are still unsure before closing the deal, direct them gently towards your database of previous happy clients. Nothing speaks louder than your honest reputation.
3. Online presence
Your online presence is, more often than not, the first impression most clients will have of your business. Because of that, you can imagine why it’s so important to get it right.
This highlights an important part of closing the deal, which is that a lot of the work is done before the client even talks to you. A lot of the time, they already know if they’re going to go through with it when they contact you, and only an unfortunate or unexpected circumstance would stray them off this path.
Right now, your online presence is your main tool for landing jobs. Clients will Google or Facebook search what they need, you will be among the results, and when they click on your business name they need to be impressed. But how do you impress them?
- Post something new at least once a week. This will ensure your page is always updated and doesn’t seem dead. If your most recent post is from 3 months ago, the page will seem abandoned.
- Reply to messages. Facebook has a very good feature that allows for anyone to engage with you via instant messaging. It will then display on your page if you reply within a few minutes or longer, and obviously, the faster you reply, the more likely people are to engage with you.
- Make sure your contact info is up-to-date. Clients may want to directly call you instead of messaging, so make sure your phone number and work hours are always correct.
Find out more about maintaining your online presence!
4. Pick your battles
Let’s say you get to the finish line but it doesn’t seem like the deal will close. Either you or the client have reasons to hesitate, so what do you do?
Well, maybe you just let it go.
It might seem counterintuitive to not push for the close, but sometimes it’s the best for both sides. Again, there’s no exact science and you’ll surely know better with the experience you accumulate over the years, but the hard truth is that not every client is worth it.
I spoke about this recently and called it The Art of Choosing Clients – it’s worth a read as we go more in-depth on when you should and shouldn’t stick with a client.
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