How to Close a Sale: Closing Techniques from Service Industry Experts
Even if you don’t consider yourself a salesperson, and don’t have a dedicated sales team, closing sales is essential for growing your service business. After all, it’s how you book more jobs and increase your profits.
But like the home services you offer, closing deals takes skill and strategy to execute successfully. Which is why we gathered up the best tips and advice from service business experts in this guide.
Read on to learn how to close a sale using tried and true techniques you can add to your own sales process.
Win more work with these sales closing techniques:
1. Earn your prospect’s trust
Laying the groundwork for a long and fruitful client relationship begins with earning a potential customer’s trust. And it starts by showing up on time from day one.
When you make an appointment to visit a job site or tell a prospect you’re going to get in touch on a specific day or time to discuss their project, keep your word.
“The best sales technique is to call people when we say we will, and show up when we say we’re going to show up,” says Matt Logan, master arborist and owner of Logan Tree Experts. “We get prospects saying ‘thank you so much for calling me back!’ That’s literally the least we can do.”
Use scheduling software, appointment reminders, or set an alarm on your phone—whatever it takes to ensure you’re on time, every time.
Earning a prospect’s trust is the first step in building a strong relationship with them and increasing customer satisfaction. And by proving that you’re reliable and consistent, you have a better chance at closing the deal.
Especially if you continue to follow through by providing a detailed quote after your site visit or sales call.
We get prospects saying ‘thank you so much for calling me back!’ That’s literally the least we can do.
Establish a genuine connection
When you’re creating an estimate or quote for a prospective customer, don’t just give them a number and walk away. Instead, use it as an opportunity to talk to them about their project.
For example, as part of your closing strategy, ask them questions that help you to understand:
- What their needs are
- Why the project is important to them
- What problem you are helping to solve
Dominic Rubino of the Profit Toolbelt Podcast uses open-ended questions in his sales conversation like this:
“…tell me why do you want to change this bathroom? It works fine. I can assume why they want to change it, but until I ask them, I don’t know. And what I’m going to get from that is the magic.”
He continues, “…if I dig deep enough, I’m going to find out their mother-in-law’s about to move in. She needs special handicap access […]. Now we’ve got a deal. Now I am curious and I care and I’m the contractor they’re going to choose.”
For example, let’s say a client wants to build a new fence because they’re adopting a dog. Their current yard is unfenced and they want to make sure it’s pet-friendly and esthetically pleasing before their new pet arrives.
Using the information you get from the client, consider what solutions you can offer to address their concerns.
Like running through the different fencing materials, heights, and sizes that would work best for their needs, budget, and the type of dog they’re adopting.
Building connections with prospective customers is a sales closing technique that shows them you aren’t just in it for the paycheck, you’re dedicated to helping solve their problem.
When you remember their name, ask them questions, and take an interest in their project, prospects are more likely to feel comfortable moving forward with you instead of someone else.
3. Overcome objections using an assumptive close
An assumptive close is when you assume the customer is ready to move forward with your services instead of leaving the decision in their hands.
Think “When can we start?” versus “Let us know when you’re ready to book.”
Assumptive closing isn’t for the faint of heart. It requires confidence and assertive communication. But it’s an effective technique for getting ahead of sales objections.
Here’s how Josh Cronin from Window Cleaning Resource uses an assumptive closing process to seal the sales deal.
“You have to remember that the more questions asked means the more potential for a no. Here is an example:
Hi, do you need a window cleaner? (NO)
Can I give you an estimate? (NO)
Here’s the estimate, can I do your windows? (NO)
Now if you walk up, take a count of the windows, write the quick estimate, walk in, introduce yourself, and say, ‘We are in the area doing estimates and I had a chance to take a quick count of your windows and here is what it will be.’
You have just skipped 3 chances for a ‘no’. The fewer steps you go through the fewer chances for a no.”
This takes the pressure off the customer, giving them an easier way to commit to your services without the anxiety of having to make a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision.
It boosts your chances of closing a sale by helping indecisive prospects make a choice and encouraging those who are already leaning towards ‘yes’ to move forward.
LISTEN:How to turn ‘no’ into ‘yes’ with these pro sales scripts
4. Create professional estimates
Detailed, itemized quotes are essential in closing deals. Not only do they boost your business’s professionalism and legitimacy, but they also provide important information to potential customers.
Using job quoting software like Jobber, you can create quotes that include:
- Your logo and business information
- A description of each product or service and its pricing
- Optional add-ons, service packages, and upsells
- Disclaimers and payment terms
- Images and notes
Creating professional quotes and estimates is an effective sales strategy because it builds trust and transparency.
With Jobber’s quoting software, your customers can select the options that best meet their needs, automatically updating their total so they can see how it will impact their budget.
5. Send follow-ups
When you don’t hear from a customer after sending a quote, it doesn’t mean the sale’s gone cold. Chances are, they missed your quote or forgot to respond.
Sending a simple follow-up is a sales strategy you can use to revive a deal, reminding the customer that you’re waiting for a response to your quote. And it can be as simple as making a call or sending an email.
With Jobber, you can automate quote follow-ups, nudging your potential customer to approve your estimate without having to lift a finger.
“Jobber shows us if a quote hasn’t been converted, so we can email or call that client,” says Matt Logan of Logan Tree Experts. “Often they’ll say ‘hey thanks, I was out of town’ or ‘I forgot to get back to you, go ahead.’”
READ MORE:Quote follow-up email templates
I hate doing follow-ups for quotes because it makes me feel awkward.
But, it actually increases how many people accept your quotes if you follow up with them.
7. Create a sense of urgency
An effective sales technique for getting hesitant prospects to commit to a service is to create a sense of urgency. This is also known as an urgency close. You can do this by asking them questions like:
- How much will it cost you to wait six months to address this issue?
- Would your situation improve by addressing this problem sooner rather than later?
- Will this problem get worse if you wait?
Instead of dwelling on a potential sales objection, these questions encourage a potential customer to think about what will happen if they don’t move forward with the work.
For example, if they don’t invest in weed control now, their lawn will only progressively get worse throughout the season.
You can also offer them a limited-time discount to tip the scales and encourage them to make a purchasing decision if they’re on the fence.
Creating a sense of urgency closes deals by flipping the customer’s focus from any potential negatives associated with getting the work done now to what could happen if they don’t.
8. Offer other pricing options
If your prospect objects because they have a tight budget, offering flexible pricing options can turn them into a paying client. Try these closing sales techniques for a successful close:
- Offer a small discount
- Give them good, better, best pricing options to choose from
- Add value through price bundling
- Provide payment plans or financing
It also helps to offer a variety of payment options, because some customers may only be able to pay with a credit card as opposed to cash.
Building an effective sales strategy
While closing a deal is the end goal of your sales process, a lot of work needs to happen before you reach that point. Remember to focus on individual customer needs, customizing your sales pitch, and focusing on the solution before you ask a client if they want to move forward.
When you build strong relationships, make good impressions, and demonstrate your professionalism with detailed quotes, you have a better chance of closing a successful sale.
Originally published in April 2019. Last updated on October 8, 2024.
6. Use social proof
Social proof, like reviews and before and after images, show prospects that customers just like them have had a great experience working with you in the past. Sometimes that’s all they need to convince them you’re the right service provider for the job.
You can also share success stories with prospective clients by telling them about similar jobs you have experience with. Explain the challenges other customers faced, how you addressed their needs, and the results they benefited from after working with you.
For example, if a potential landscaping client is uncertain about the type of grass you recommend, show them before and after images of other clients in their area who it’s worked for.
These real examples will go a long way in closing sales deals by showing the prospect that you’re familiar with their needs and understand how to approach them.