You could look into some sales training classes, or online courses. Zig Ziglar books have been our there for a long time and may be outdated, but the info still works. Zenger-Miller may still be a good resource, too. I worked for a company that sent us to their Customer Service/Conflict Resolution course and it makes a difference.

Please remember not to confuse "sales tactics" with just closing business. It not a bad thing to ask for the sale - BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE SALES PROCESS!

What is a bad thing is to say is "If I throw in the undercoat, you wanna write it up today?" (for the third time) But, we don't say that, because we don't sell used cars. Everyone has their own approach and style (whether they know it or not). I like to use the silent close, the credit card close, the scheduling close, the deposit close, just to name a few. Generally, most people give me the buying signals (or I read them), then I grab a check.

I would never read one Joe Girard book and use 10 closing techniques out of it. However, I would read a Girard book, Good to Great, 7 Habits..., Raving Fans, and Who Moved My Cheese - and take 1 or 2 great ideas from each. It's kinda like the Matrix, you gotta free your mind.

What I think is one of the best ways to get the sale:


Ask only those questions that will be answered with a yes.

It's good to get them into the habit of answering with Yes, but that doesn't yield much info, otherwise. Even a simple stereo system needs different answers.

Wow... this thread really took off.  Off topic too (somewhat my fault) but good information exchange.



Ernie, the point I was trying to make isn't that the 2.75% Square fee is too much or somehow different based on volume, but that taking credit cards makes much more sense for lots of smaller transactions.

I do $150k some months, but it's usually only 4-6 invoices so paying the credit card fee seems really steep (almost $1k for each invoice).  That's a lot of lost revenue for very little value added.  It doesn't take much time to invoice, collect and deposit 4-6 checks.

If I did $150k a month and that was comprised of 75 $2000 invoices, you bet I'd take credit cards.  Trying to collect from 75 customers and then manage the deposits would be worth the $4,125 credit card fees not to have to hassle with the collections.

We don't take credits and have no desire too. I really don't want to do business with folks that cant afford to pay for it anyways! not my style.

I can confidently say we have never lost any sales by NOT taking credit cards. I have ZERO desire to take credit cards. No reason, whatsoever.

Just quit!!! go smoke meat in your smoker for a living. Customers suck anyways!

:)-

I think your reasoning is flawed. "Well-To-Do" customers don't choose to pay with a credit card because they lack the funds...

I write 0 checks each month. Utilities are paid online from the bank. Everything else is credit card. As a consumer a credit card offers me numerous benefits. I have a nice cash-back card, which is getting me a bit over 2% back on transactions... if there's a discount for check... I'll pay by check... but that doesn't seem to ever occur. I also get to use the bank's money for 30 days... which means more of my money stays invested, making me money. I also don't need to carry around a checkbook, and then don't need to give my driver license number, thumbprint, and DNA sample to whoever takes the check. For a buyer... a credit card offers me benefits, and is easier for me as well. Why wouldn't I use a credit card?

In case you're wondering, my credit card is paid off on time, in full. each month, to a zero balance.

So your thinking about those who use a credit card, not being able to pay... is just plain flawed.

bcf is obviously correct, but i still dont accept them. we have never lost a system, ever. i also agree with ranger, even though most of my clients obviously use cards, (even bill gates uses a card) it obviously requires decent wealth to write checks for 40, 50, 60k multiple times throughout a project.

I accept credit cards but don't like the financial liability it puts on me.
Mistakes happen, clients get pissed, relations can sour and with CC I'm on the hook for possible charge backs for up to 6 months.

No way I would take $10,000, $20K or more on a credit card from single client.

As for the CC payers being stable income or whatever, that's not my problem and none of my business.
If they want to put $5,000 TV on CC while on food stamps, who the hell am I to tell them not to do it? No, this never happened to me, I'm just sayin

Who said they can't afford to pay, just because they use a credit card? Are you even aware that some cards offer rewards for purchases? If I was paying for an expensive system/package and my card offered a 2% reward, I'd damn sure use that, rather than a check. Some people have stopped using checks completely- when I opened my business account, I didn't even bother to get checks because it's easier to use the card. I've never heard of a checking account that offers frequent flyer miles.

+1. Getting checks and running to the bank does soak some time for even my low volume business, but I see no reason whatsoever to give 2-3% of what I earn to a third party. That's gas money, mortgage money, honey money....

To me, good sales technique rests on two basic fundamentals:

1) Confidence in your own knowledge, ability and intent
2) Absence of shame about what you need to charge to sell the product and perform the work at a reasonable profit

We don't typically take credit cards and usually ask for a check. But, if a customer insists on using CC, we add the percentage fee on top of the bill. If it's more convenient for the customer to use a CC, then it's more convenient for us to charge for that percentage fee. Why should we lose out on the profit?

Me too. I add 5%.
3.5% is actual fee, 1.5% is my risk factor that at some point something is going to go wrong and I'll get screwed.

No, its not flawed. I never said ALL people that pay with credit cards cant pay cash or afford it. Someone made a point about how it can get them sales they otherwise would not have gotten. THATS the biz I don't want, where it HAS to be on card because they couldn't afford it otherwise. My point is I have NEVER lost a penny in sales from NOT taking credit cards. And that's factual.

Taking credit cards is not what gets me biz, grows my biz, or gets me referrals. That's factual.

I doubt the day will ever some where is this "OH! You DONT take credit cards? Well, ABC company does so I am going with them instead."