• [00:01:07] Three core skills in every sales cycle
• [00:01:41] Learning to stay silent
• [00:02:05] Empathy, patience, and the desire to understand
• [00:02:14] Beware the temptation to move too fast
• [00:02:25] The art of creating connection
• [00:02:36] CAB & CSAQ
• [00:03:07] Arguing means testing, validating, and adjusting
• [00:03:16] Show enthusiasm and clarity
• [00:03:26] Draw it out (literally)
• [00:03:43] The closing: beware of wrapping up too early
• [00:03:57] Not too early, but not too late either
• [00:04:14] A four-step logic
• [00:04:47] Adapt to your conversation partner
• [00:05:26] Decisions are no longer made alone
• [00:05:57] With a prescriber or recommender
• [00:06:31] Agreeing on the price
• [00:06:37] The Pearl Harbor example?
• [00:08:10] A price is fair if it’s based on strong conviction
• [00:08:26] Five keys to closing the deal
• [00:09:18] The Colombo effect
• [00:10:02] The power of anticipation
• [00:10:45] Teaser for the next topic
• [00:10:57] Wrap-up

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:13] Hello and welcome to another episode of the "Performance, Harmony & Commercial" podcast, produced by PHCom in the "transforma bxl" studio, with technical support from "The Podcast Factory Org".

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:23] The "Performance, Harmony & Commercial" podcast is aimed at marketing and sales managers as well as company executives with commercial responsibilities.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:32] Every month, we share with you our best practices in finding new customers for companies in the business-to-business sector.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:38] You can find each episode on the PHCom dot be website: P.H.C. O.M, and also on all good podcast platforms.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:48] You can support this podcast and promote its visibility by sharing it with as many people as possible: via a like, a comment, a share.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:55] The answering machine is always open so that you can leave us a message, which we'll be delighted to answer.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:01:00] You can also book an appointment directly with Nadia or Stéphane on PHCom dot be.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:01:06] See you soon.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:01:07] Hello everyone, today we're tackling a fundamental theme: closing. And to close the deal, you have to be convincing. And to convince, you need to know. Three skills, three key stages in any sales cycle worthy of the name.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:01:21] Three phases. If they're badly orchestrated, you'll miss out on golden opportunities. Timing, posture, content, everything counts, so let's unroll this red thread together, this commercial version of the customer journey.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:01:41] As we've already said, getting to know someone means much more than obtaining a contact sheet or identifying a need. It means discovering the prospect's world, his language, his constraints and his challenges. It's not a question of talking, but of learning to keep quiet.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:01:54] And yes, one mouth for two ears, which means listening twice as much as talking. Speech is silver, but silence is gold. And to listen, we have a magic tool: active listening with the right questions.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:02:05] And then there are the essential human qualities: empathy, patience and a desire to learn. Put yourself in the other person's shoes, understand what they're not saying.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:02:14] But beware of the temptation to go too fast. I've seen too many salespeople who ask two questions, pick out a keyword and come up with their pitch like Lucky Luke. No, no, no, it takes time, it's built.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:02:25] Then comes the act of convincing, and here it's not enough to simply roll out a list of features. Convincing is the art of linking what you have with what the other person is experiencing.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:02:36] Exact. At this stage, the models we've already talked about are actually the "CAB" eh? A good place to start: Features, Benefits, Advantages. A step further, the CSAQ, C.S.A.Q. Characteristically, we have a data point. Meaning, we have an advantage. Question, are you sure this is the right benefit for you?

Camille de Meeûs: [00:02:54] Let's take an example. Our company is on a human scale, so what? What does this mean? This means you're in direct contact with one of the decision-makers. And we end with "This is important to you, isn't it?"

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:03:07] And if the answer is yes: banco! If not, we throw another pole. So arguing means testing, validating and adjusting.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:03:16] Above all, it's also about enthusiasm and clarity. All the good points have been made? Great, but have they been understood, accepted and validated? And that's our real challenge.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:03:26] Good technique for making yourself understood: make a drawing, useful for the visual, put in the steps, adapted, personalized for the customer, and then you've got something.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:03:37] And that's where we show our authority, because we're the experts and we bring a solution to the company.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:03:43] And now, the climax, the conclusion. Rhoooo how many times have I heard salespeople want to close too early, like "Hello, we're installing photovoltaic panels. We can even do it without you having to pay anything. Can I come and see you?"

Camille de Meeûs: [00:03:57] Yes, and conversely, if you keep talking and arguing, well, it's too late, the momentum's gone, the train's left the station. And on the phone, when it's too late, we get the famous "Well, just send me a document, that'll be enough". And then it's clearly over, the prospect takes the lead and we're in defensive mode.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:04:14] To conclude properly, you have to respect a logic, yes. A four-point logic, and I invite you to keep it in mind. First point: recap key words, 30 seconds, summarize everything you've understood. Second point: propose a clear, motivating, "OK, what I'm proposing is..." follow-up. Three small points. Third point: ask the question, closed for example "Is it ok for you?" or open "What do you think?" but always assume. And fourth: take over the lead, explain the next steps and provide guidance.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:04:47] It sounds simple, but why don't we get 100% sales or 100% appointments when we talk to the right person?

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:04:54] But because we didn't adapt to that right person, we didn't listen, we weren't creative, we weren't sure of ourselves. For example: we rarely, if ever, think of differentiating our proposal according to the profile of the person we're talking to. He's an asset, and we're going to build with him. He's an asset but closed, so we know the idea will have to come from him. You've got an open liability, you've got to take it by the hand, and that's when you can string together the "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes" questions. On the other hand, it's a closed asset, and we know very well that we're going to have to reassure it.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:05:23] In short, the same sentence doesn't sound the same to everyone.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:05:26] In fact, we now also have to conclude contracts with people who are not the final decision-makers. In today's companies, as everyone knows, decisions are no longer made alone.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:05:38] Cough. And the logic has to remain the same, we have to be able to take it to the next stage, and to do that we have to reach an agreement with two people, depending on the person. I'm thinking of an example: he's a sponsor, and it's a question of giving him the weapons to convince his boss, i.e. a clear document, an unstoppable logic, a message he can take back. And that's the deal we need to strike with him.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:05:57] The same logic applies to prescribers, who are a different kind of contact, aren't they? Let's cooperate! Come on, let's go to a meeting together and train him to carry the message internally. And for that, well, as we said, he has to agree. And it's once again this type of agreement that we're looking for, this agreement with him. In the meantime, don't forget to write down the key words that will summarize the project, and to validate the impact it will have on the stakeholders, which will help him... And it'll help you too.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:06:31] In the end, that's what concluding is all about, coming to an agreement together. And can we also agree on the price?

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:06:37] Obviously, let's talk money. Do you know the story of the Pearl Harbor mechanic?

Camille de Meeûs: [00:06:42] Um, no, it doesn't ring a bell. Vas-y raconte!

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:06:44] Ok, war 40-45, attack on Pearl Harbor, all the ships are sunk, there's one that's still standing but it has to be repaired because the engine won't start. As a result, the captain called in all his mechanics, but we couldn't get it started. Okay, so the U.S. Navy sends in its best experts, but it's impossible to get the scroggin' engine started. Ah, but he's heard of a little mechanic, who works on the island, who knows his stuff very, very, very well "Ok, we'll give him a call". He says, "Yeah, okay, that's fine. He looks down, picks up his big monkey wrench, you know the big monkey wrenches that are at least 50 centimetres long.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:07:21] They make a lot of noise

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:07:22] Sometimes even more. Bang! (Very loudly), excuse me. Well, they're typing in the right place, the "Poum, poum, poum, it's restarting" engine. Ah ok the commander all happy: "Well ok, you send me the bill, eh?". Then he gets the bill, $1,500, wow, $1,500 at the time is still a lot. "Ok, but I'm a little annoyed this little mechanic because this is too expensive. Break down the bill for me please, Mm?", okay. What appears on the invoice? Travel $15, labor $15, knowledge or typing $1,470. That's it, it's all there in the conclusion and in the price, it's assurance and serenity. Your price is the right price, provided you're convinced it's the right price. And the problem is not how much it costs, but how much it's worth.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:08:10] Okay, so it's all in the mindset. The price is right if it's based on a strong conviction.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:08:15] And that's what we need to get across in our proposals: we're not selling a product, we're selling a transformation, something that will solve a problem, something that will fulfill desires, the famous needs.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:08:26] So, to recap, to conclude you have to be ready to conclude. Can we sum up what's clearly important? There are five keys, and I'll give you the first. One: availability to listen.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:08:40] The second key is to pay attention to the signals: "Okay, now's the time, now's the right time".

Camille de Meeûs: [00:08:46] You also need confidence, self-confidence on the one hand. On the one hand, I'm sure of my proposal, and on the other, I trust the other. The dira " Oui."

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:08:54] Fourth key: assertiveness, without aggressiveness, to demonstrate your expertise.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:09:00] And finally, the fifth key is creativity: to be able to adapt or find the right formula.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:09:06] And there you have it: it's all a question of knowing how to stand back and not be afraid of concluding, or in a hurry.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:09:12] Concluding means saying "We're going to work together". It's not the end of the cycle, but the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:09:18] Let's finish with the ultimate closing trick: the Colombo effect... you know it?

Camille de Meeûs: [00:09:21] Yes, the TV series, when I wasn't born yet, but what's that got to do with anything?

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:09:24] There was something good about that Inspector Colombo, you know, with his raincoat and his old Volvo. But the main thing is that he always had a way of asking questions, very specific questions, and in fact he would grill his alleged culprit and finally come to the conclusion "No, it can't be him". So he apologized, "Excuse me, I've bothered you, I'm going to leave, aren't I? At that point, well, the presumed culprit is completely relieved, what does he do? He lowers his guard, he lowers his defenses. And so it's the right moment for Colombo to ask the ultimate question, the one that will completely destabilize him, and finally identify that he's the real culprit.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:10:01] What's the link?

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:10:02] Listen, enjoy the Colombo effect. You agree with the person you're talking to, great, he's relieved, so you can start planning the next step. You may not have signed the contract yet, but you've already got a first agreement. Relieved? Perfect, then propose something else, something extra, that will move your relationship forward, that will encourage her to think about something that could buy extra with you.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:10:27] In fact, you prepare for your next appointment, I admit, it's clever, you see the expert because you know what's going to happen, you're going to anticipate.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:10:34] It's like chess: you prepare your moves. Remember that you can't force a sale, you have to build it "step by step", but at the end, you also have to be able to say "Ok, let's go".

Camille de Meeûs: [00:10:45] Ok, well I'm going to get ahead of myself here, and I'll take you a step further: the next episode will be about negotiating the price. And this, believe me, is a real art. We'll talk about the ten techniques for presenting your prize.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:10:57] Merci madame Harmonie.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:10:58] Thank you, Mr Performance.