Check For Buy In

After you have presented your product and proved a sales message, it's time you check for buy-in.

What it simply means is you check whether prospects are ready to move to the next selling step.

You check on:

• How does the prospect feel?
• Is he or she ready to move to the next stage?

And finding the answer to those questions is what this article is all about. By the end of the item you can:

• a) List verbal and non-verbal clues to receptivity
• b) State how to use questions appropriately
• c) Use verbal reinforcement to strengthen positive attitudes
• d) Use trial closes when a positive response is indicated

Checking For Buy-In

Checking for buy-in requires you to pay attention to the prospects - their body language and responses. As equally important, you need to pay attention to your own body language, your use of questions, and verbal encouragement.

In summary, you're able to:

• 1) Assess verbal and nonverbal clues
• 2) Probe for more info
• 3) Move prospects towards commitment

1. Assessing verbal and non-verbal clues

You can observe the impact of your presentation through your prospects' body language and how they respond. Most of the time, many sales representatives rely too much on what is being said.

But you already know by now that there are more than meet the eyes.

You know that the message is delivered/spoken, and what is not verbalized often communicates more. It's essential to pay attention to these clues because the appropriate response from you will determine your call consequences.

1.i Verbal clues

Statements, questions, tonality, speed of speech

1.ii Non-verbal clues

Facial expression, postures, gestures

2. Probe for information

It is easy to ask questions. The tricky part is asking questions to steer the conversation to find out about a subject without being too straight forward.

Generally, there are two types of questions:

• Open-ended
• Close-ended

2.i. Open-ended questions

They are often called 'exploring' question. 
They open to a wide range of answers. 
They could be a "how", "why", "what", "when", "where".

2.ii. Close-ended questions 

They narrow down the answers.
They could be a "Yes" or "No" answer. 
These are targeting questions, use to confirm assumptions or guide prospects to specific points.

3. Move towards commitment

Once you get the signs of how receptive your prospects to your presentation, the moment has come to be more direct and move them towards commitment.

You can employ two skills here:

1) Use verbal reinforcement to strengthen receptive attitudes
2) To go ahead and ask how committed they are, indirectly, through trial close

3.i. Verbal Reinforcement

You can make a move to bring prospects closer to the commitment by responding to their comments. This is verbal reinforcement.

The idea is to support and strengthen positive attitudes towards the products and encourage acceptance. Once a positive comment is reinforced, you can increase prospect enthusiasm by presenting essential benefits. It's more like working 'with' the prospect to build receptivity and commitment.

3.ii. Trial close

Trial close can be used to test the water. It can indicate the level of interest of the prospect:

Are they ready to commit?

Usually, a trial close is as simple as asking for an opinion.

For example:

"How do you feel about Prod X so far Mr. Prospect?"
"Does that answer your question about total cost involve?"