The Top 10 Sales Closes of All-time

The assumption close: "So how are you wanting to pay for this?" then list the payment plans.

This is scary! I'm agreeing with you! If we all knew what these closes were, I'd say super. As of right now, they are just words.

You knows that out here on the islands, that emerald lilypad situated as the most remote archipelago in the Pacific, there are activity that go on in the rainforests visible only by the orange/white glow of streaming fingers of lava that race towards the relentless occilations of the sea as it cascades upon the newformed cliffs thus starting its timeless erosion even as the magma cools, that through proper offering to the Goddess Pele or her young mischievious suitor, Kamapua'a, can bring about even the most illodgical of manifestation.....

My thoughts exactly.

Cowman, what do you believe "closing" IS? It would be perhaps more useful to get your perspective as one who lists himself as a novice, as opposed to those who fall into the other two categories, i.e., Advanced or Practiced Novice.

If, for instance, you view closing as something that would be out of synch with the topic in general, that discovery might prove to be a defining moment in your career.

As an Advanced, with a very high conversion rate, I see little value in most of the aforementioned bulleted lists of "top" closes. Tell us your perspective. As a relative beginner you have an advantage.

__________________
www.acecoldiron.com

Might be interesting to test that example with two popularly accepted platitudes of selling.

First, "closing", as an "event" if one believes it is, is almost always conceived as effective if we reduce a major decision to a minor one. Putting the decision of choice of "payment plan" on the prospect's shoulders as an "assumptive close" isn't necessarily a minor decision and could stall the proceedings.

Second--to ask the question "So how do you want to pay for this?" and continue talking by stating a list of options dilutes the question and really is no close at all--it's simply providing information which should have been done beforehand.

The key to using these closing techniques (if you are going to use them) is twofold. First--understand them--then do them right.

Huh? Gee, I dunno!

My limited experience in closing is that I don't have a certain way.

As for me, although the the assumptive close is what was taught, it's not my favorite. It's almost an insult to the customer because he/she knows beyond a doubt what is going on. I very much dislike it and feel very uncomfortable using it.

If I look in a book I like the Ben Franklin close best. It allows reinforcement of the benefits and puts it in front of the customer for questions or further talking.

In practice, I tell the customer what I have, answer questions, and ask for the sale. I do so in the most honest and straight forward way that I can. In a nutshell, we both know I am a salesman but I still try to come off as being a person who shows the product and then the customer decides whether or not to buy.

So far, so good!

It's not that I disagree with any of this as I'm not qualified to comment, but I think I'd like to offer an alternative approach to consider.

First I'd like to proffer the suggestion that questioning your client prodigiously is appropriate to the endeavor of solving needs, offering new services, or presenting new ideas.

Relentless questioning of an appropriate nature will uncover a sale if one is in fact there. Some Sage said something to the effect that you can tell him something and not be able to sell him something, paraphrased as "telling aint selling". Dale Carnegie preached the mantra that no-one wants to listen to you, but that an accomplished listener is a great conversationalist. Bettger was told by a friend that he talked too much. Bettger stopped talking, started asking questions and then listened and sold more.

Action selling preaches proper questioning... "ask the best questions". Asking questions that seek to find out what the client does for a living, who his competition is, how does he get along now without your product, what and how he uses your competions product, if that is the case, and maybe how do others use your or your competitions products.

Ultimately what is it your company or you can do for your client... and it all comes from questioning... who, what, when, where, how and "what else"... has been pounded into me too.

I'm convinced that when you find out what someone does, you can find out what they need and if you can provide either a solution, a remedy, or a new idea.

Aloha...

Tell us what that last sentence means.

It means: so far, so good!