You may find it easier to close deals face-to-face, but improving your phone sales techniques can help you close more deals — and close them quicker. You can still have meaningful conversations with buyers, but without traveling to their office. Plus, you can make calls from anywhere, allowing you to maximize your time.

While you may feel unsure about closing sales via phone, Dan Tyre, the sales director at HubSpot, says there’s nothing to fear. He has put together a closing call sequence that can help you drive it home every time. We share his step-by-step guide in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

Start with introductions. If multiple people are on the call, take a few minutes for everyone to say their name, title and what they hope to achieve on the call. Tyre says a little light-hearted conversation is fine, but just make sure it doesn’t detract from your purpose of closing the deal. He suggests keeping the commonalities and rapport-building to about two minutes. If you have busy executives on the line, taking up too much of their time can hurt your ability to close the sale.

Be direct. Make sure everyone is on the same page by saying something like, “The goal of today’s call is to get you started working with us. Where do we stand?” Tyre says this may appear bold, but it’s important to be upfront and transparent. If the prospect has a few questions, you can address them. And if the prospect isn’t quite ready to move forward, you can adjust your strategy.

Steer the conversation. If the prospect is ready to proceed, you can explain how the closing process works and get the contract signed. If the prospect isn’t ready to buy, you can take time to answer their questions and share your value proposition.

Establish an onboarding timeline. When your prospects are ready to move forward on your call, explain the next steps. This may include how they will buy your products and how onboarding works.

Address any last-minute objections. If the prospect gets cold feet, take time to listen to their concerns so you can determine how to counter their objection. Tyre says price objections are common on closing calls, so be prepared. In fact, Tyre recommends welcoming objections and making time for them on your calls. You could say something like, “You seem a little hesitant about XYZ. Can I answer any questions?”

Begin the onboarding process. Ideally, your prospect will be ready to sign the contract and get started by the end of your call. Be crystal clear by restating what you discussed on the call, Tyre says. You should say, “So, we’re in agreement here. I’ll send you a contact and expect to have it back by [agreed-on date].”

Anyone can become a pro at closing sales over the phone. Follow the steps above to start having more productive conversations that inspire prospects to sign the contract.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Dan Tyre is sales director at HubSpot.