After You Ask for the Sale, Do You Shut Up?

Closing the Sale Forum

	#61 -
marky	Skip The longest silent close I've had was about 5 minutes. Well it seemed that long, in reality it was probably about 40 seconds. I was selling a training programme, asked for the business and no-one spoke. I got the work, but I really don't like those long silences. __________________ Mark Brown

	#62 -
PiJiL	Would anyone be opposed to the notion that the emotion you feel during the silence is a reflection of where you are in relation to your product/belief or experience?

#63 -

salesfist

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip Anderson

Most salespeople have heard the rule about closing a sale: after you ask a closing question, you shut up and be quiet until the prospect answers or raises an objection, or whatever. The fact is, this technique works.

If you have followed this advice...

What's the longest period of time that you've been silent after you asked for an order while you were waiting for the prospect to respond?

Yes, shut up.

In my field of business if you speak first, you lose.

However, not every sale is the same, so sometimes you need to break this rule...

#64 -

teknacool

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip Anderson

In many of my sales closes, the time I wait for an answer has varied and I have noticed that that time is determined by what I have mentioned earlier on.

However the fun I have had over the years because of this technique has been really great, because it works and as you all know when we ask that question emotions take over both in ourselves as sales professionals and for our just about to become our next new client. How we behave after the question varies depending on who we are talking to.

For example one product I was selling required that in the early part of the presentation I would say to my prospect "My Prospect at the end of my presentation I am going to ask you to give me a yes or a no, the reason being should you go ahead with the program I will lock others in your category out for 12 months which means you will have 12 months of capturing the market before we open it up for others in your category as you will be the exclusive "client" in this area.

After the presentation I would ask the question ... "Mr Prospect would you like to be the exclusive butcher in this area?"

Now other products I have closed sales on do not have the luxury of exclusivity and yet the "he who speaks next loses" never fails.

In all honesty I have no idea how long I wait because my mindset is such that it will not be me who speaks first ... and I don't know how many times we have been interupted by a phone or someone coming in and "crashing the party" but on these occasions I still say nothing, and I guess out of habit, continue with the wait.

I guess for me sales is about having a lot of fun and I call this closing technique when I have taught my staff .... this is called the your turn my turn section. I have closed and think to myself ... I have just had my turn and then my mindset is ... Mr Prospect its your turn now!

Do I win on all occasions? No!

I must say this is a very thought provoking thread.

Thanks for starting it!

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