Ninety-Nine Sure Fire Ways To Close A Sale

Just kidding, I don’t really know ninety-nine ways to close a sale. I couldn’t even remember ninety-nine ways to close a sale. I was hoping to capture your attention with that absurd statement. I’ve done some research and discovered an author that know 50 ways to close a sale and one who teaches 7 ways to close a sale and one who explained 25 ways to close a sale. I’ve been selling for thirty-three years, not counting peddling eggs when I was seven years old and hawking home-made root beer when I was twelve. There are several principles and skills that are used by salespeople to close a sale, but to my knowledge, there is only one sure way to close a sale.

My statement, “only one sure way to close a sale” doesn’t mean that sales won’t be closed in different ways or for other reasons. What I am saying is that more sales will be closed more consistently using the method I’m going to explain, than any other way. Keep in mind that selling is not an event, but rather a process, so there are several principles and skills that are applied in the process of successfully closing a sale.

Several years ago, I worked with a man who claimed he was born with the secret talent necessary for closing more sales. He claimed the secret was the “gift of gab.” If he had evaluated the reason for his sales success he would have realized that he was only selling to people with whom he had a relationship. He sold in the Southern States to his “good ole boy network.” John was successful to the extent that he built relationships, not because he was born with the gift of gab.

My good friend Bill was an excellent salesperson. His secret was his photographic memory. Bill could remember every comment and statement made by the prospect and earned their respect based on knowing what they had said. He never forgot a name and a face, even if years had passed from the time he first met someone. Bill’s brilliance was not the reason for his sales success, but the principle of remembering names and events contributed to his “better than average” performance.

Another associate of mine, Bill Jazalitis, was recognized by his peers, customers and prospects, as the most technically astute sales person in the industry. Bill had forgotten more technical knowledge than I had ever learned. He believed that his sales success was totally attributed to his technical knowledge. Truth be known, Bill lost as many sales due to his knowledge as he ever closed. Knowledge is a vital element in closing sales, but without applying other supporting principles, it will never make a top salesperson.

Jeff was one of the hardest working sales people I have ever met. He never worked fewer than ten hours per day. Every day he gave his total effort to selling. He would generate more quotes than anyone else in the company. He rarely missed an opportunity to bid. He would work and bid and while he was waiting for replies to his bids, he would bid some more. Finding, bidding, waiting, finding, bidding, waiting was his daily grind. Hats off to Jeff, one of the hardest working salespeople anywhere. He had been taught that working hard brought sales. Working hard will bring sales, hard work is a correct principle, but working hard and smart will double your sales.

What then is the one sure way to close a sale? Let me give you an outline by listing several principles that need to be applied during the sales process and then you can determine how best to apply them. All of these principles are important so don’t shortcut the process. The order of the principles listed is also critical, so keep them in order. This process assumes that you will (a) work hard at sales and that you will (b) follow-up consistently. Here are the basic principles, that when followed, will constitute the one sure method of closing the sale. Closing a sale is a process:

1. Prospect every day.
2. Build rapport and sell yourself.
3. Assess the prospects needs (really listen).
4. Present your product as a solution to their need (be honest and specific).
5. Ask for and resolve their concerns (all of them).
6. Ask for the sale.

Remember:

(a) people buy from people they believe, like and trust

(b) people typically only buy when they have a need

(c) people don’t buy if they have unresolved concerns

(d) Never assume, always ask for the sale!

Persistent Follow-Up Prevails When It Comes To Sales

In a recent study done on the number of sales calls it takes to close a sale, the following statistics were reported:

2% of sales were closed on the first sales call.

3% of sales were closed on the second sales call.

4% of sales were closed on the third sales call.

10% of sales were closed on the fourth sales call.

81% of sales were closed on the fifth sales call.

Can you imagine the sales you will close that were left behind by the competition? Conversely, don't be caught planting the seeds of sales and leaving the harvest to your competition. The largest block of time invested in the sales process is setting up the appointment and then making the presentation. The follow-up, or the "courting" process takes the least amount of time and is also the most important. Courting is the process of harvesting the time invested in setting up and presenting our products and services to the prospect. The reward is most often found in the final effort. After all, haven't we always been told that the "pot of gold" is found at the end of the rainbow?

The number one reason sales people don’t succeed as they should, is the lack of follow-up. Selling is a process, and a major part of the process is conducting the appropriate follow-up. Following up is the proactive process of resolving the prospect’s concerns. People don’t make purchases if they have unresolved concerns. The process of following up allows you to ask the questions necessary to discover their concerns and then provides the opportunity to resolve those concerns.

People buy from people they believe, like and trust. If you don’t spend time with the prospect, how will they ever learn to believe, like and trust you? Time needs to be spent cultivating the relationship necessary to earn the sale. If I compared selling to dating and courting in a marriage relationship, how many people fall in love and decide to get married on the first date? Not too many! Most relationships are formed over time, allowing the opportunity to know each other, trust and like each other. Selling is no different than courting. It is not how long people have known each other, but the frequency of their interactions that moves the relationship forward. When was the last time you had a meaningful exchange with your prospects?

In the courting process, it is always beneficial to take gifts. When you follow-up with your prospects, always take them something of value. What you take is up to you, but here are a few generic ideas:

1. Take them something that will help resolve their concerns.
2. Take something that that will help them see the value in your offering.
3. Take them something that will endorse your product or service.
4. Take them something that will support your claims.
5. Take them something that will validate your company.
6. Take them something that will show the value of your product pertaining to their specific needs.

Cultivate the relationship with your prospects and you WILL increase your sales.

Consistent and Deliberate Activity Generates Sales

In Aesop’s beloved parable, The Hare and the Tortoise we are taught a valuable lesson that applies directly to sales. Let’s read the parable and then discuss its relevance to sales:

The Hare was once boasting of his speed before the other animals. "I have never yet been beaten," said he, "when I put forth my full speed. I challenge any one here to race with me."

The Tortoise said quietly, "I accept your challenge."

"That is a good joke," said the Hare; "I could dance round you all the way."

"Keep your boasting till you've beaten," answered the Tortoise. "Shall we race?"

So a course was fixed and a start was made. The Hare darted almost out of sight at once, but soon stopped and, to show his contempt for the Tortoise, lay down to have a nap. The Tortoise, sure and steady, plodded on and plodded on, and when the Hare awoke from his nap, he saw the Tortoise just near the winning post and could not run up in time to save the race. Then said the Tortoise:

"Sure and steady wins the race."

All of Aesop’s fables conclude with a moral, or in other words, the lesson to be learned. In this fable, the moral is “sure and steady wins the race.” Sure and steady is another way of expressing consistency. It can also be interpreted to mean follow-through or follow-up, or continue to the end. Sure and steady means persistence. Sure and steady might also refer to being prepared and following a plan of action. Aesop’s moral of sure and steady might also be interpreted as following a plan to reach a goal. Consistent effort might be another interpretation for the phrase, “sure and steady wins the race”. In the world of sales, it is not what you know that really matters; it is what you do that counts. Sure and steady suggests you are moving forward along a deliberate path designed to bring success.

Each month I ask my clients to take a few minutes and write about the success they are experiencing in their sales activities. They will typically write about a sales principle or skill that they have applied, which has helped them realize a certain degree of success. The purpose of this activity is to remind them of those things that have contributed to helping them find success and then to continue doing those successful things. A few months ago one of my clients, Jon Meldrum from Meldrum Scale Company wrote the following:

This month started out a little dry as far as sales were concerned. I had a ton of prospects in my pipeline, but nothing was moving forward. I sat back and tried to think of ways that I could close sales and continue to grow my pipeline. I came up with a few things that I could do to help close my sale. I spoke with Tim in my weekly meetings and he pointed out that I needed to be out more, seeing the customers. I tried to plan better so I could get out of the office and see more of my customers. The results of my efforts allowed me to close more sales and add new customers to my pipeline through referrals. I was able to reach my monthly goal that I had set. It almost appeared that I would fall way short at the first of the month.

I now understand the importance of the things we are taught as salesman through the Business Performance Group. I am trying to apply all that I am taught into my sales activities. I am not generating the best month ever numbers, but I am consistent in the numbers that I am ending each month with. This has helped me focus on what my customers need and not be so worried about getting the high numbers. I have heard that slow and steady wins the race. Well as far as I can tell it is the same with sales. You will have your ups and downs, but the more consistent you are, the better success you will have. I have come a long way from where I started. I still have a long way to go, but if I continue to apply all the things I am taught, I know I will be successful in my sales activities.

Using the analogy of the Hare and the Tortoise, although speed is a desired skill for winning a race, the winner is determined by who crosses the finish line first. In sales, there are many who have excellent skills, the skills necessary to be top performers. Those salespeople who start out doing all the right things, but over time become complacent and because of complacency, reach the finish line behind those, who even though their skills were not as well honed and brightly polished, never-the-less, pursued a course of consistent effort with their eyes sharply focused on the goal and ultimately out-performed all the others. At the end of the sales day, it is not how fast we perform our activities that count but rather, how well and completely we performed. Salespeople must be actively and consistently engaged in applying the correct principles and skills to achieve the success they so desperately want to achieve.

I would encourage all salespeople to fill their days with consistent, deliberate, well-planned and perfectly executed activities. Doing more has no value unless the things we do are correct. As in Aesop’s fable, the Hare and the Tortoise, so it is in sales – SURE AND STEADY WINS THE RACE.

Passion Sells, Indifference Smells

Several years ago I found myself having one of those father-to-son talks, hoping to instill some insight and maybe some wisdom in that teenage, know-it-all head of his. There were things he wasn’t doing that needed to be done, and after wishing & hoping myself to death, I finally approached him directly. “What is keeping you from doing the things you know need to be done?” I asked. Without any hesitation at all he replied, “I do all the things I like to do and don’t bother with the rest!” For just a moment I thought he might on the track to becoming a typical average salesperson. Then I came to my senses and expressed a bit of frustration. There are things we may not want to do, but no matter how much we don’t want to do them, they still must be done. There are also things we have passion for, and regardless of the difficulty, we pursue the task until it is completed.

Average salespeople go through the motions and just do those things they like to do and those things that are easy to make the sale. The most successful of all sales people have passion that radiates through their being. I’m talking about passion for their products, company, prospects, discovering needs, problem solving, closing the sale, passion for people, passion for learning all they can about their prospects business, passion for living and passion for all that life has to offer. Passion is powerful medicine for any problem that confronts a prospect. Passion can overcome the lack of many sales skills, but I don’t know of anything that can replace passion. Passion might be considered the “secret sauce” of salesmanship. Passion is not something that can be taught or learned, it is acquired. People in all different trades and occupations can have passion; it is not just limited to sales.

Let me list ten essential keys to understanding if you have passion for selling and hopefully the application of these ideas will help you acquire the passion that is so essential in becoming the best salesperson possible.

1. You believe in the products you sell. You know for yourself that they offer the value and quality you are proud to represent.
2. You feel comfortable about the reputation and performance of your employer and know they care as much about the customer as you do, and that they will support you in serving and meeting the needs of each customer.
3. You must love dealing with and interacting with people. You don’t have to be an extrovert, but you must enjoy people and communicating with them.
4. You should have a bit of the “Lieutenant Columbo” curiosity that is necessary to discover the needs of your prospects. The unquenchable desire to discover the pain of a prospect is an essential element of passion.
5. You need to find joy in providing the solution to someone’s problem. Through experience and practice, knowing that you have the answer that will relieve the prospects pain, is one of the most gratifying aspects of sales, and a key indicator of passion.
6. Jumping out of bed early in the morning and looking forward to the challenges of the day is indicative of passion. When you find yourself thinking, talking, reading, dreaming, and anticipating sales activities, you have passion.
7. When no amount of money could wrestle you away from your current employer, you have the necessary passion to represent him well.
8. When you find yourself learning all you can from books, magazines, Internet, and personal conversations about the products and services you represent, you have passion.
9. Leaning all you can about your industry and the companies involved in your industry is a sign of passion.
10. Feeling confident and secure in your ability to earn an excellent income is the result of finding passion in selling.

Passion sells and indifference smells, this is the telling difference between salespeople. If you don’t have the passion, you will never be as successful as those who do. If you sell with indifference, the prospect will sense your attitude and if possible, chose to buy from the salesperson that passionately demonstrates the ten characteristics listed above. Acquire the passion and watch your sales increase!