Closes are for shysters and charlatans

DaveB, would you say that "the close" is always a single question? -Gary A Boye

Mr Boye -
Not necessarily a distinct and separate step as an event or separate meeting, but a distinct step in the sales process. My experience has told me that if I don't distinctly ask the customer to accept the proposal, to "sign on the dotted line" as it were, the chances of actually converting that prospect into a customer is pretty close to zero.

My experience has also taught me that this can be, but is not mandated to be, a separate meeting or event in the process, but a natural progression in the course of helping the customer choose my solution.

I suppose what this amounts to is this: if we're to be successful more often, with greater consistency and more productive results, we must make a concerted and intentional effort to ask the customer for the business or for the right to move forward in the process to the next logical step. I don't always close an order/deal when I close - sometimes it's on the next step in the sales process, the next meeting. I do this only by earning the right to take that next step, and only if I ask for it.

I hope this helps. Continued success!
Brad Moore -BradfordLMoore

How did we ever get to the term close? Sales is a process. In very basic terms you offer, you illustrate/demonstrate, and you ask for commitment. Snake oil stuff, the magic elixers... great stuff this, and if you want it, step in line.... now somewhere along the way, they learned to have someone move to stand in line first... that "commitment" (could be a partner), motivated others because of the firsts "validation" of the product.

Is the sale the result of a simple question... don't know.. could be, or a simple choice... red/blue... "shall we go ahead?" "What do you want to do?"... I heard/read here... tho that wouldn't be me.. I'd prefer a more positive/action question... "shall we do this...?"

But all of this has come after a series of agreements to fact along the way, and we're not selling elixers and oil... :)

Much Aloha... :cool: -rattus58

Just one last question on your thoughts prompted by what I excerpted above. What you describe seems to fall into the oft repeated axiom, "Ask for the order."

Are you giving that example as an example of "closing." In other words, is asking for the order synonymous with closing, in your opinion?

Thanks for all your clarifications. -Gary A Boye

Is it "facts" then, in your opinion, that salespeople should be seeking agreement with? Or are there agreements that loom larger? -Gary A Boye

Mr Boye - there are agreements to facts and opinions, feelings and instincts, each of which must be dealt with on the way to a close.

Also, as to whether asking for the order is the same as a close, the simple answer is 'yes'; though all closes are not the same as asking for the business. Sometimes we are simply closing on next steps. Additionally, asking for the order is by no means the only way to close a customer. There are many ways to obtain commitment from the prospect on the way to converting them to a customer. I have found, though, that a straightforward request, simply asking for the order, is the most effective close.

Much success,
Brad -BradfordLMoore

Of course its facts, but as Brad Pointed out, its feelings, opinions, wants and desires too. But things have to be true. An opinion is either fact or its just conversation. Feelings have to be real, or its just conversation. The fact is, you feel this way, have this opinion, and want this or that. If that is not fact, what is it?

Fact, reality, whatever you want to call it, we discussed sincerity earlier, if we are not sincere, what is the point of the conversation... right?

We're not debating, we're selling... and God Bless America...

Much Aloha... Tom :cool:

The forgoing opinions of ours represent the sum total of the other resident persona for which I, myself included, are those rendered by me. -rattus58

Would you say then that agreements on facts, feelings, opinions, wants, and desires are equally important to agreements to move forward or take the next step, often defined as commitments, with regard to closing? -Gary A Boye

Define Close.

Aloha... Tom :cool: -rattus58

That should be easy for this discussion. Let's use somebody's definition who you already agreed with--Mr. Moore. He said: "My experience has also taught me that this can be, but is not mandated to be, a separate meeting or event in the process, but a natural progression in the course of helping the customer choose my solution."

So my question remains: Would you say then that agreements on facts, feelings, opinions, wants, and desires are equally important to agreements to move forward or take the next step, often defined as commitments, with regard to closing?

Thanks for taking the time to further this exploration of the topic. -Gary A Boye

Agreements on facts, feelings, opinions, wants, and desires in my opinion are what lead to agreements to move forward with sales commitments.

Much Aloha... Tom :cool: -rattus58

Would you agree that what you stated above could shed some very important light on the topic of closing, particularly for those who have had the mindset that closing is a self contained event that takes place in a sales process? Would you also agree that your statement applies very much to the Conviction element in a sales process? -Gary A Boye

Ok.... don't go getting too far ahead of me. I'm not sure I've been charged yet... ;bg

My take is that you try to make a sale like you'd sight in your guns. If you sight in at 25 yards, 50, 75, and 100 yards, you've zeroed your rifle to hit right on target all along the way so that when you arrive at say 150 yards you're always in the black. Taking your first and only shot out of a cold barrel might wind up on paper, but rarely near the target.

Aloha... Tom :cool: -rattus58

'Closing' is a process. For example, we teach the use of a grid containing nine specific factors that must be present in order for the sale to close, and continually evaluating the sale against those nine factors. When all nine have been met to a sufficient degree then the sale will close. Every successful sales professional does this: continually moving the sale toward consummation.

I think that when you refer to "the close" you are referring to the point in the sales process when both parties recognize that it's time to consummate the transaction.

Some sales close themselves. When the prospect asks, "Do you take credit cards?" The sale has closed. (I guess that too is a single question, isn't it?)

More often however, we need to take an action that 'pushes the sale over the edge', and that action is usually a single statement or question.

I guess that's a long-winded way of saying 'yes', isn't it?

Dave Barnhart
-DaveB

Hi Dave. Do any of the nine address the buyer recognizing and managing all of their own internal systemic issues that need to take place before they'll make a purchasing decision? -Jeff Blackwell

At SalesPractice, it is our intent to offer material that is congruent with that. We are discerning when it comes to bulleted lists because of the overabundance of lists that have been posted on this forum. We have viewed and looked very favorably upon closing progressions that contain less steps than nine, however.

Thank you for clarifying. -Gary A Boye

It's not nine steps. It is nine criteria that must be met. One of them, for example, is "Is our offering a better choice that any other choice available to the buyer, and is this understood by the buyer?".

Throughout the process the sale is measured against these nine factors and attention is given to those that are deficient. -DaveB