All sales are actually completed in stages, and these stages must be cautiously approached so that you are sure to make that final sale.
If you understand these stages then an agreement is virtually guaranteed; the important thing is to see all of the "closes" that may happen just to get to the final sale stage.
In this article, we'll break down what in common opinion are the nine different stages of selling so you can earn more leads and close more small business sales.
• Lead stage.
You think a person or a company may need your services through some source.
You take the initiative and approach the person to see if there really is something that you can do for them; this approach includes advertising and direct communication.
• Prospect stage.
This happens after you confirm the lead. After assessing the interest of the lead and finding that yes, they do have need for the service or product that your small company provides, they become a prospect.
You agree to have a good discussion on what the prospect's needs are, and that moves you into stage three.
• Specifics stage.
This is your first meeting with the prospect, during which you find out what their specific needs are and they find out the specifics on how you provide it.
This is normally done on a one on one level; if the individual or company you are pitching to has the final word then it is on to stage five; if not, then it's stage four.
• The more specifics stage.
Larger companies will have several individuals you will need to pitch to before a sale is confirmed.
Again, you will want to listen carefully to what it is these individuals want and how they want it brought about.
The close of this stage involves creating a very specific proposal that demonstrates how your small business meets the prospect's needs.
• Proposal stage.
At this stage, you present your solution to the prospect's query. If