Closes are for shysters and charlatans

What agreement Joe?

Simply put, an agreement reflected in apparent attitude, or words, to move forward because of a mutual interest in each other, or in an issue. When that agreement deepens, the opportunity to do business increases.

I know I said "simply put", but it is complex.

Some people will understand. The majority will not. That's just the way it is. It helps me a great deal that most--not all-- of my competition is in the majority.

Is there a training program for this or is that something that came with experience?

My two cents: JC, I think agreements are very powerful in selling, I agree with you on that. But I don't think that "an agreement reflected in apparent attitude" is an agreement at all.

I see salespeople all the time who waste time with prospects who had an "apparent attitude" to buy. For instance, I do training in industries that sell in the home (such as home improvements, for instance), and many of these calls require two calls: an initial call, then time for the salesperson to create the design or a proposal on his/her own, then a second call to present the design or proposal and close the deal. Maybe my opinion on this is biased by the type of sales industries I serve.

I train salespeople to ask the following question near the end of the first appointment, but after a follow-up appointment has been scheduled:

"When we get together next week to go over your design, if you love what I've done for you, and if the price is acceptable to you, is there any reason you would not move forward with the project when we meet next week?"

If they answer "yes", that's a pretty solid agreement. Not that prospects don't break it, of course, but it's much more solid than an "apparent attitude" to purchase.

[If they answer "no", then the salesperson has an opportunity and obligation to probe further to figure out what's going on].

Skip Anderson

__________________
Selling to Consumers
B2C Sales Training

"NO!" and the salesman says; "Oh, why not?"

As intuitive as we become in our careers as sales people, we are never going to be mind readers. That is what questions are for.

Again, Skip, very well stated. You are the personification of professionalism!

Thank you for the kind words, GC.

Interestingly, I don't see anyone talking about closing throughout the sales cycle - versus - "asking for the order".

Closing is asking for the order but how do SRs:
1. get the next meeting?
2. obtain concurrance on applicable features/benefits?
3. gain agreement on pricing, terms, etc.?
4. move the selling process along?

Closing is not simply a question asked, the answer to which is filled out on an order blank (example). Astute closers are working their magic throughout the cycle and may have closed 10 or 12 times thru the adventure.

Good luck & Good selling!
Pat

I seriously doubt anyone on the forum will disagree with your post OUTSource Sales.

"Any question asked the answer to which confirms the order" is the concluding one of those 10 or 12 affirmations.

Anyway, the thread started about a quote in a book that I am sure you will agree is quote odd (to say the least).

As mentioned in another thread, I don't spend my time reading so-called "business books". This quote is simply another justification: everyone is an expert with the singular interest of selling more books.

The gray-hair's out there feel that these authors can put anything into print. The downfall: the rookies who see the quotes, absorb the content. For an illustration of implied the wasted cycles, look at the length of this thread!

That said, it's a healthy forum which I encourage whole heartedly.

The author seems to imply that those who close, do so with much customer angst created. I'd defy the so-called expert to spend a day in my patch! Clearly, he/she doesn't know what they're talking about - OR - the quote is intended to sensational-ize and thereby grab attention to the author.

I'd be more interested in hearing about the non-closers out there since the implication is that they NEVER ask for the order:
1. how does the customer know where they are in the cycle (if the benefits of the offering don't jump out of the SRs briefcase)?
2. how does the SR extend the selling cycle?
3. what happens at the end of the (won or lost) sales cycle?

Without ANY desire to read the book, I wonder if the original poster has any insight to offer wrt what follows the quote? Perhaps the next sentence was "...only kidding, closing is a tried and true approach in the real world of salesmanship..."!

Good luck & Good selling!
Pat

Wonderboy, "there's no magic" involved. If you present successfully and the order shakes-out at the end, congratulations!

However, it seems a little assumptive to believe that ALL of your prospects walk thru to an order. When that happens, how do you get the business? Or, do you walk away at that point?

The ability to present successfully is predicated on having closed throughout the process to that point. How do you arrange meetings without a closing question (... is Monday or Tuesday better for you)? In order to get all of the detail required to do a meaningful presentation which responds to the expressed needs, you must be closing throughout.

I wouldn't try to bring you over to the "dark-side" but I'd strongly suggest some 2-man calls with someone who is an adept closer might be an eye-opener for you.

In my Xerox days, there were a couple of guys on the floor who worked well with me. In one instance, we'd gone to Leesburg together for basic training (PSS1 at the time) and he was agressive ex-professional lacrosse player. We'd push each other to make that extra call and in those calls we'd really get everything on-the-table. This approach ALWAYS yielded results because one of us wouldn't take 'no'. It was truly "entertaining" at times!

We presented only when a proof source was required and presentation was the best approach. AND, when we did present, we ALWAYS prefaced the presentation with a close (eg. "... if we can meet those objectives during the presentation, do we have a basis for doing business ...").

Good luck & Good selling!
Pat