A Comprehensive Guide to Becoming a Remote Closer

Selling is one of the most important business skills. For most businesses to flourish, you need a competent team of salespeople to help ensure the products and services reach their end users. Not to say other departments are not important, but one of the fundamental functions of a business is selling.

Nowadays, with the emergence of the digital era, the transmission of information is quicker than ever before. It has also led to the rise of many businesses and other ways to make money online. It has revolutionized the way many jobs are done, and this includes sales.

What Is A Remote Closer?

It refers to a salesperson who specializes in completing deals and transactions remotely, oftentimes from an office setting they have at home. If we analyze the term by splitting it, we can see that the meaning is a bit self-explanatory.

Closer refers to a person closing a sale, deal, or any transaction, while remote, as we know, means distant, so combining them both, we can understand that it means someone who works on closing deals from a distant location. They may also be required to finalize certain contracts.

The biggest advantage of this job is that you can do it from the comfort of your home. The post-COVID phase has seen these types of roles grow greatly. It is no longer seen as a last resort but now as a first option.

A common misconception regarding the role is that it is confused with the role of a setter. Setters mainly generate leads and arrange meetings with potential clients. They are more focused on building relationships with clients and gaining their trust. Simply put, setters operate in the earlier stages of the sales funnel, while closers are more in the advanced stages.

Remote Closer Job Description

Remote closing is an art, just like any other form of selling. It requires certain traits and mindsets to attain success. Also, there may be some hard and soft skills needed that are different from conventional selling since this role is usually carried out through digital channels or phone calls.

Create Leads

They must find potential clients using various methods and convert them into leads by research, referrals, networking, etc. This requires good analytical abilities, persistence, and creativity. There is also an important concept called the ‘Sales Funnel’ which comes into play. They should also try to be ethical in creating leads and avoid giving misleading information.

They must be able to filter out clients who are likely not suited to the product or service, as this may lead to issues later on down the road. Having a good understanding of the right words to use in business conversations and knowing how to connect well with clients is of immense benefit in this profession.

Adept At Communication

The job, by nature, requires a lot of interaction with different kinds of people, so a sales professional must be personable and have good communication skills. This includes both written and spoken forms of communication.

They also have to create and type out sales presentations or interact with clients through email. Both of these will require written communication. They may also have to interact through phone calls or virtual video calls, which would require good speaking abilities.

Another important thing about communication is that it is not just about giving out information but also about absorbing and interpreting it. Here, listening comes in handy. Being an active listener is important because it helps you better understand the needs of your clients. This can help you better strategize on how the product or service should be pitched to leads.

It is important to build relationships with clients too, as this can lead to repeat sales. For any business to survive long-term, a base of loyal customers is important, and here, relationship building and follow-up come in handy.

Technical Knowledge

A good salesperson always thoroughly understands the product or service the company is selling. Only by understanding it well can they believe in it. Once they truly believe in what they are trying to sell, only then will they be able to achieve the best results. Knowing the mission and vision of the organization also helps.

“Don’t sell anything you wouldn’t buy yourself.” - Charlie Munger

Negotiation Abilities

Salespeople, in general, tend to be master negotiators. They know how to deal with objections well and can handle issues appropriately. They must also have good empathy and understand the client's needs to determine mutually beneficial solutions. They must also possess good emotional intelligence to be able to do this.

Other Skills

They must also be adaptable, as every customer will not be the same, and there will be unexpected hurdles from time to time that they must react to. They may also be required to provide basic customer service, maintain sales records, and often have to be a part of larger teams and collaborate with others.

Remote Closer Salary

Average annual salary in the United States - $82,620 per year (Source: Salary.com)

They are offered salaries based on various factors, like the services they offer, location, experience level, etc., and tend to be paid better compared to those who perform in-person sales roles.

One thing to note is that if you are switching industries as a remote closer, you may not get a higher salary or even the same salary, for that matter. This applies pretty much to any profession out there. The industry you work in is also important.

How To Become A Remote Closer?

Many people have the misconception that the position can only be held by experienced personnel, which is not always true. Several entry-level options can be explored by freshers who are interested in this post. Here, we examine the process of making it in remote closing in the current job market.

Educational Requirements

The good news is that you only have a few formal education requirements to become a remote closer. This applies to any salesperson, for that matter. However, being at least a high school graduate helps.

Write A Good Resume And Cover Letter

You’ll have to apply to companies you are interested in with entry-level vacancies for the role. At first, it will be hard due to a lack of experience. This can cause a lot of firms to turn you down. Hence, it is important to be persistent at the start of the journey. Consider looking at job portals that specialize in remote jobs. This may save you time as well.

Knowing how to write an effective resume is an important skill to have when applying for any job. It can help you get to the job interview stage. It is no different when it comes to remote closing. Also, writing a good resume or cover letter is a testament to your good written communication. This can help if you have to interact with clients through email.

Have A Good Job Interview

It is important to remember that just writing a good cover letter or any document is not enough. You need to clear the job interview then. The interview is a great opportunity to showcase your abilities in person. Having it on paper is one thing, but demonstrating it in person greatly improves the odds of being hired. In the interview, it is important to be formal and focused.

Find A Niche And Stick To It

In remote closing, finding an industry that suits you and sticking to it long-term is the right blueprint. Specializing in one field or fields that are related to each other can lead to faster and greater growth in your career.

Continue Learning And Growing

Even after you enter the job market, do not forget to continue improving your skills and learning new things. On-the-job learning is very important as well. Workers can attend seminars and professional development workshops to help expand their intellectual horizons and networks.

Best Tips To Close Remote Sales

This is arguably one of the most critical points in the sales funnel. This is where the client makes the final purchase decision. Knowing the right things to say at this stage makes all the difference. Closing techniques should only be used after you’ve explained the benefits of the product or service to them. Here are some of them to help you out:

Limited-Time Offers

These are typically offers where a buyer can get the goods at a better price if they choose to purchase them within a certain timeframe. For example, an offer saying that you can buy the product at a 10% discount if you purchase it before the 20th of this month. This creates a sense of urgency within the user and makes them want to act soon.

Scarcity Mindset

These include offers claiming the product is limited in supply. For example, an offer stating that a product is limited in stock and may run out soon. It may take time for it to be in stock again. This again creates urgency in the user and can make them want to act immediately.

Assumption Method

This includes passing statements that assume the sale is a done deal. They can say things like, “What payment method do you prefer?” or “When do you want your delivery scheduled?” It is also important not to have an aggressive tone here.

Provide Alternatives

In this method, they offer choices to the client to make them feel that they are in control and may use statements like, “Are you planning on buying product X or Y?”. Avoid sounding pushy while doing this.

What Is The Future of Remote Closing?

Remote work in general, along with freelancing and working from home, has grown massively since the coronavirus phase. They were initially seen as interim solutions to deal with the pandemic but are now in use even after it. Many workers even prefer it over going to an office. Some even have options to work on flexible schedules.

Also, with the rise of the digital era, alternative ways of working, like remote work, are only bound to rise. Hence, it is a job path offering great growth scope. The profession is likely to evolve further as the years go by. It offers a decent amount of job security and can be considered a viable career path.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)