Fulfillment begins the closing phase of the selling cycle. You either "close the sale or close the file." The two steps of closing are Fulfillment and Post-Sell.

During the closing phase you will:

• Show and tell the prospect, in a manner consistent with the prospect's decision process, how your product or service will solve their needs (i.e., heal their pains) for the amount of money and/or other investments the prospect is willing to make.
• Receive a buying decision-"yes" or "no."
• Lock up the sale-prevent back-outs..
• Start the referral process.
• The Fulfillment Step is the moment of truth. Your solutions to the prospect's pains are presented. The effectiveness of your presentation depends on how well you covered the previous three steps: Pain, Budget, and Decision. If the steps have been completely covered, the salesperson knows the prospect's needs and wants, has determined the prospect's budget, knows what to present, how and to whom, and has a commitment for a decision from the prospect. In essence, the salesperson has the terms of a contract defined, and the presentation is simply the fulfillment of the contract.

Presentation Tips

1. How much do you show your prospect during the presentation? 

The prospect gets to see everything there is to see that relates to the pain you are trying to solve. This is a show-and-tell session, so be careful not to dazzle your prospect with your reversing, strip-lining, and other Sandler techniques. It is also not the time to oversell. Be clear, concise, caring, and patient.

2. Don't paint seagulls in your prospect's picture. 

During the presentation, if you have some bells and whistles you think may help your cause, use the Dummy-Up technique.

3. Whenever possible, let the prospect touch the product. 

Touching helps your prospect experience ownership. If you have a complicated product, make sure you let your prospect operate the product. People are not going to tell you when they are uncomfortable. They will say "no" instead. Review the OK/Not-OK Theory.

4. If the prospect interrupts, STOP presenting. Listen. 

For example, auditory people will want to talk through their understanding of what you are explaining. So, let them talk because they are the ones buying

5. You don't have to finish a presentation.

If you sense the prospect has bought your product or service, try the Sandler Thermometer Close.

6. Work off the prospect's responses. Don't get creative.

If the prospect says, "That looks great, can it divide also?", your response is, "Good question. There must be a reason why you're asking me about dividing, isn't there?" Chapter Twelve: The Fulfillment Step

7. Present in the prospect's most preferred mode of communication.

Remember the lesson on Bonding & Rapport? Match visual, auditory, and kinesthetic strategies to your prospect.

8. And finally, don't be afraid to abort! 

If your presentation starts to go down the wrong track, for whatever reason, it's OK to abort. You can always go back in another time.