Here’s How to Close the Deal in Person

Alexa Bricker

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Making sales calls is challenging for a number of reasons. For some, it can be difficult to train your voice to convey the message you need to get across. You can easily come off as too aggressive or too soft, accidentally ruining your chances of closing. In-person deals are challenging, too, for very different reasons.

If you want to nail your next in-person sales pitch, there are a number of tips to keep in mind.

Make eye contact.

Eye contact conveys confidence, which is the number one trait you need to exude if you want any prospect to take you seriously. You can’t make eye contact over the phone, so an in-person sales pitch is the perfect opportunity to take advantage. Any time you’re making a statement directly to the prospect, you should be looking in their eyes. Shifting your gaze away from them could indicate that you aren’t being truthful, or are at least unsure of yourself.

Keep it concise.

This is one point that’s important in person and on the phone, but sticking to the basics in your pitch is imperative if you want to hold your prospect’s attention and keep them interested in what you have to say. A prospect will likely gather a first impression of you from the first few seconds—make it count.

Focus on the personal.

Don’t be afraid to take a few moments to get to know your prospect. People don’t like to be bombarded with questions right off the bat. If you show that you have a genuine interest in understanding his or her unique needs and concerns, and how your product can help, the prospect will be much more likely to pay attention to what you have to say.

Be prepared to pivot.

It’s almost always easier to pivot away from an awkward change in the conversation or a break in communication over the phone. In person, you need to be more prepared for anything a prospect may throw your way. Plan possible outcomes to every aspect of your pitch and how he or she may react, that way you won’t get caught up or be unable to answer questions.

The next time you have to make a sales pitch in person, keep these strategies in mind. They could make the difference between walking away empty handed, or with a new client.

Written by Alexa Bricker

Creative writer who believes in the power of a well-told story and helpful content.