Spanish Translation Blog

Tips of how to close a Sale

Being an Account Manager involves sending numerous detailed quotes on a daily basis. Sometimes, prospects are just shopping around and are comparing prices and, on other occasions, they are requesting quotes to get a budget approved for a future translation project. The success rate in being able to close a sale depends not only on the price per word or on the overall translation cost, but also on determining the exact needs of the prospect / client. Sometimes, Quality is the main driver, which means the best and most qualified resources are necessary in order to execute the translation. When Cost is the main driver, sometimes a step can be left out, such as Proofreading, in order to reduce costs. When Time is the main driver, the main concern to the prospect / client is that they receive the translation back on the requested time line.

Once all the necessary information has been gathered from your prospect / client, a detailed and exact quote is put together fulfilling all of the requested needs. It is important to make sure the prospect / client has received the quote once sent, so a follow-up call either on the same day or on the following day is essential. That Follow-Up Call or E-mail can make the difference on whether the sale will close or not. This is where the Account Manager needs to make sure the quote is satisfactory to the prospect / client based upon the above-mentioned drivers. In addition, the AM needs to find out if the prospect / client has a set budget for this translation project and if he is also receiving quotes from other translation agencies. This is a crucial point in the Sales process, as the Account Manager will be able to react and adjust the quote if possible. Sometimes a Sample Translation can make all the difference, and the Account Manager can rely on the Company´s qualified resources. Often, Quality is the main driver, and the best way to demonstrate Quality is by providing a Sample Translation of around 200 – 300 words.

All of these above mentioned ways to close a Sale are part of the Customer Service an Account Manager should provide in order to be successful. Good luck in Selling.