Sales Closing Techniques for Yoga by Mikel Bruce

Most yoga professionals either ignore or abhor the sales process and the idea of closing a sale would be even less appealing. Unfortunately, sales and marketing are the foundational functions that keep every business alive and growing and every successful business owner is selling and closing, whether they know it or like it. Selling is much more about educating and telling, then pushing and listening. A truly good sales person, whether they are selling yoga or widgets, is a master at determining their clients/students needs and finding solutions for them. The sooner each business owner realizes the importance of selling and closing and makes a decision to educate themselves on techniques and principals associated with selling and closing, the sooner their business will grow.

Closing is the last step in the sales process; asking your prospective student/client for their business. Although closing is a critical step, many people skip it unintentionally. They assume their prospect will automatically give them their business. Although this does occur occasionally, closing the sale is as important as crossing the finish line at the end of a race.

Many people resist "closing" for fear of rejection. Don't be afraid to close and ask for the business, whenever possible. You will know when your prospects' interest is high, so take advantage of the timing by asking for their business or for asking them if they would like to take a class. Don't be afraid to close because in most cases, if you unsuccessfully attempt to close, you are both informing your prospect of your intent (to offer them your service/product) and you will receive an instant indicator as to where they are at in the sales process.

Frequently, people express interest by asking for details about you and your service. Use this as a guide that their interest is high and a close at this time could be the nudge that puts them over the hump. If they don't commit after your initial close, there is some type of objection standing in the way. Try to determine the objection or concern and, if you can address it, try to close again.

Trial Close:

To close your prospective students, you must determine their level of interest. You can do this by using a "trial close". A trial close is usually a question that gets the prospect thinking about the possibility of using your services. For example, a car salesman may use a trial close with an interested buyer by asking them what color they prefer. If the buyer answers with a color, the salesperson knows the buyer's interest is high. They have obviously imagined themselves owning the car of a particular color. You can use a trial close, as well, to determine your prospective students level of interest. In fact, trial closes builds interest by getting your prospect to think of you as a potential teacher for them. Trial closes are usually posed as questions, such as:

* Have you ever taken a yoga class before? * When do you think you would like to start?

Assumptive close:

Another effective closing technique is an "assumptive close". This is simply a statement that implies that you will do business with your prospect. Like the trial close, the assumptive close gets them to think of you as a service provider. It can also be used throughout the sales process to determine and build interest. Unlike the trial close, the assumptive close is usually posed as a statement, such as:

* When you come to your first class you will need to bring your own sticky mat. * When you sign up for class you can either pay for a single class or you can purchase a series of classes.
The close should be a very conscious part of the sales process and when you enter into a closing opportunity, confirm that you have:

* Familiarized yourself with closing options * Thought out ways to overcome objections * Successfully created enough interest in your service * Have mental and emotional clarity about closing * Have clear pricing objectives * Have prepared a way to accept payment

Alternate choice close:

Another powerful closing technique is called the "alternative choice close". This technique gives your prospective student several options on any particular aspect of your service.

The alternative choice close is usually posed as a question that prompts your prospective student to consider how to do business with you versus whether or not to do business with you. It can be done throughout the sales process. Some examples are:

* Are you considering taking classes during the week or over the weekend? * Would you like to come in for your first class tomorrow or on Thursday?

When using the alternative choice close, try to limit your choices to two options. Once the prospect answers the question by selecting one of the options, have them commit to specifics immediately.

Mikel Bruce with WebFlexor Yoga Websites (www.websitesforyoga.com) recommends adding a form to your website offering some type of free analysis or a free offer. This will often times initiate the sales process by allowing you to develop a contact with the potential student to determine their needs and to educate them as to how you can become a solution for their needs. Don't look at closing and selling as a way of manipulating your prospective students, but as an opportunity for you to show them that your service can improve their health and well-being. It is very important to be successful at closing and selling so that you are not only comfortable with your service, but you feel that there is a great need for your service. Your job is to be more proactive in terms of making others aware that they need your service. As you probably know, there is a great deal of resistance to change amongst those considering taking yoga and selling and closing are the ways of overcoming that resistance.

Additional Closing Tips

* Ask for the business * Ask for the business again * Ask for commitment using the alternate choice close * Create a sense of urgency with temporary discounts and promotions * Keep your energy and enthusiasm high, don't lose steam at the end * Don't oversell, ask for the business and quietly wait for a response * Move into closing seamlessly and without hesitation * Visualize yourself successfully getting the business

Remember to not be afraid to promote your services proactively. Most yoga teachers know that most people need their services, so take it on as a conscious mission to learn more about the sales and closing processes and to implement as many techniques as possible so that you can help more people get onto the path of yoga. It is important to have a web presence in today's market since the vast majority of new students use the Internet to find new teachers and studios. If you are looking to develop a professional web presence and succeed on the web, WebFlexor Yoga specializes in affordable and quality websites for Yoga Teachers and Studios.