WHAT DOES IT TAKE
TO SEAL THE DEAL?
I am such an old-fashioned kinda sales guy that, if you’ve
been around me long enough in a business setting, I might even say to you (with
a smile) upon parting --
“Close Early … Close Often … Close Late.”
 |
| Alpha-dog Blake (played by Alec Baldwin) sent to "motivate" the salesforce in the 1992 film of David Mamet's 1984 play Glengarry Glen Ross |
That’s
my version of the classic --
ABC – Always Be Closing.
And
while “Close early…” and ABC have a dated bit of a
Willy-Lowman-like air in these days of “consultative selling,” they’re sales fundamentals
that I maintain still have great validity.
It's this simple: Even in this more open and communicative
era, asking for the sale moves things
along and actually helps both buyer and seller.
So
imagine my surprise when, after a recent protracted lunch meeting where I
expected to lock up a long-pending deal, I came away empty.
Why? In retrospect I
realize that things got too casual and personal and friendly and I couldn’t
bring myself to close.
That’s costly. At least in time, if
not in dollars as well. So I engaged in a little self-review that I will now
share.
What does it take to close?
Here are some traits shared
by good closers.
Use them to evaluate how good you are at each.
Consider how, if need be, you will shore up weak spots to boost your
profit-producing power. And share them, including any useful insights you can
provide, with anyone who represents your interests.
- Courage. You can’t beat around the bush and expect to succeed. Selling is not for the faint of heart. When the time comes to close you must have the courage to do so.
- Tact. If you keep talking without even attempting to close you risk “buying back” the product or service you’re advocating for. Similarly, once you’ve asked for the order, quiet down (at least until you learn you haven’t yet earned it and can continue “selling.”)
-
Timing. There’s really no “right” point in the sales
process to close. The timing varies with the customer, the business climate,
and many other factors. There may be an ideal time to close but it can slip by
unless you keep probing with –
- Persistence. Some think of these as “trial” closes. The idea is scatter two or three at various points in the presentation. If one works, you’ve just closed. If it doesn’t, you keep going. I prefer a more situationally aware approach (but that’s the detail of the “Close early … Close Often …” story). Point is: Even when probing closes don’t work, they help you identify and overcome objections.
- Poise. You can’t let anyone know they ruffle you, even if they do. You have to react quickly, but smoothly, to what they say. You have to make split-second decisions; think on your feet and cope gracefully when confronted with challenges.
- Confidence. Lack of it is palpable and kills deals. If you don’t think you’re going to get the sale, you won’t.
- Good listening skills. Selling -- especially “consultative” selling -- requires you to let the customer do a lot of talking. Well-honed active listening creates the opportunity for you to find out their needs so, in response, you can convey how your product or service uniquely fits those needs.
- Product knowledge. You must be thoroughly versed and vested in your product or service; what it is capable of doing and how it stacks up in the market. If you don’t know all the ins and outs and can’t explain them clearly, your competitors will, but not In a way that will win you business.
Etc., etc. Of course these
aren’t the only characteristics embodied in a successful closer. Others
include: Promptness, a neat appearance, an inoffensive demeanor, good
organizational skills, and putting the customer’s needs first. But when you put
all these traits together and embrace them until they become a seamless part of
your professional persona, you (and I) will be a world-class closer.
TGIM Takeaway: Many people fail at
selling simply because they cannot bring themselves to close. If the sale does
not close itself, they’re lost. And most sales don’t close themselves because
prospects don’t make a decision unless you ask them to.
So can I get your OK
on this?
Great! Please press hard. There are three copies.
Now let's get some coffee.
Geoff
Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing
8
Depot Square
Englewood,
NJ 07631
201-569-5373
P.S. “Half my lifetime I have earned my living by
selling words, and I hope thoughts.” British Prime Minister, orator and
author Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965) said that.
P.P.S. Let’s close one more
deal today, please. Click through below and reserve your seat (seats?) for the
upcoming "Live" Business Breakthrough II – THIS THURSDAY – April
26th.
This powerful business-building
event is a must-attend for so many
reasons (several hundred will be all the like-minded folks you’ll meet.)
You can check out all of the details,
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Savings here: http://bestsalesyearever.com/.
BONUS
OPPORTUNITY: There are also sponsorship
options available that will provide you with high-quality exposure
before, during and after the event.
To schedule a call to discuss
sponsorship, e-mail: Eric@EmpowermentGroup.com.
I look
forward to seeing you there.
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