Wanted: Good closer!(sales technique and theory) (Brief Article)

• Author: WIESNER, PAT

MANY PEOPLE THINK THERE'S A BIG SECRET TO CLOSING A SALE

EVERYBODY LIKED HARRY. As FAR AS HIS CO-WORKERS and customers were concerned he was a good salesman. He was fun to be around, spent lots of time talking to his clients and would-be clients and was always a positive and cheery contributor at sales meetings. The only problem seemed to be his production. Harry should have been doing better.

Can someone be a good salesman and a bad closer at the same time? Is it possible to have a salesperson who is skilled at almost everything in the sales process merely prime a client for a professional closer? Can someone trained as a "closer" be brought in at the climactic moment to "close the order"? Can someone be a good salesman and a bad closer at the same time?

No! A good salesman is a good closer.

A salesperson who is good at everything and unable to close is probably a nice person who ought to find other work or go back to school to learn the whole process.

Harry's manager decided Harry couldn't close. He told him he had better learn how. But what should Harry do to become a complete salesman? Harry wasn't sure what he was doing wrong.

First some questions and then some suggestions.

CLOSING SELF-TEST.

* Do all your calls start with a goal? The goal can range from getting an order to just getting agreement on some minor issue, just getting acquainted or merely setting an appointment on the phone. But, you can't measure success without a goal.

* Are you good at asking questions? Questions have to be asked to uncover what is in the customer's mind. Questions have to be asked without causing resentment and without sounding as if you are conducting a seminar or an inquisition.

* Are you tough enough to hang in there until you know if you have achieved the goal you set?

Rate yourself from one to 10 on these three items. If you're not happy with your score, here are some suggestions on how to improve.

BECOMING A BETTER CLOSER

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