You’ve moved your prospect through the sales process and now it’s time for that final meeting – time to go for the close. There is no silver bullet for closing success, but the right preparation and approach can help you improve your closing ratio. Whether training green brokers or just starting yourself, these tips can help bring new accounts in the door.

Create a targeted presentation

Your final presentation needs to showcase your services, but focus strongly on the prospect. It is your last chance to win him or her over, so it is vital that you present solutions that address the prospect’s pain points and unique business needs. No two presentations should be the same. When developing your presentation, keep the following in mind:

• If you haven’t before, demo the technology services you offer – remembering to focus on the bottom-line benefit for the prospect.
• Consider providing a sample stewardship report or other summary of the support you will provide year-round.
• Whether you’re creating a strategic plan, a proposal or a presentation, make sure you include concrete examples of how you will target your prospect’s pain points. Always focus on the benefit and value you can provide, not the service itself.

Present client-focused solutions

As you give your presentation, remain focused on the prospect – his or her business needs, pain points and how your services fit those needs. It may seem obvious, but it’s vital: Be friendly, considerate and call the prospect by name. Relationship building is fundamental.

Throughout the presentation, engage the prospect. Invite questions and probe to see if there is something you haven’t covered – and then listen to the answer! This allows you to better tailor the discussion to their business and furthers the rapport you’ve developed.

Let your prospect know exactly what he or she can expect from you throughout the year and ease any concerns he or she may have about the transition.

Ask for the business

In a perfect world, your prospect loves your presentation and immediately offers you their business. But we all know this is not generally the case, so you need to ask for the business! Many brokers fail to do so and then wonder why they struggle to close.

If you don’t ask for the business because you’re afraid of being told “no,” you need to recalibrate your thinking. Not every lead, meeting or presentation will result in new business – you know that. Accept that. Being rejected is inevitable, but not asking for the business can cause you to lose out on clients you could have won.

A comprehensive approach

Though this is your last chance to impress your prospect, remember that winning business depends on the entire sales process, not just this one meeting. If you demonstrate value and establish rapport through the sales process, you’ve set yourself up for success in your final presentation.

For further guidance through each step of the sales process, reference the Broker’s Assistant tool in Broker Briefcase®. And from opening doors to closing deals, check Broker Briefcase for presentations, proposals, strategic plans and other brokerage marketing tools to help you grow your book.