TSOS Tip #9 Closing FINAL

Probably the most well known and infamous demonstration of “closing” was from GlenGary Glenn Ross. “Coffee is for closers” – and “ABC: Always Be Closing”. This is the high pressure approach and highly entertaining … but corp buyers are not likely to respond.

One of my colleagues familiar with my sales approach described it as “like churning butter. Slowing continuously churning until good things are the result.

I defined my closing style as like a “soft close” kitchen drawer: get it to a certain point and it just automatically closes.

If you have the info on their process from knowing the tasks they needed accomplished, and it met the desired date then the close is close (near). My approach was to put forth a soft close: “From what I see here in the proposed solution and based on your requirements I think this works. What do you think?” it draws the prospect out – without “asking for the order” – usually this is a very blunt and it puts the prospect on the defense.

In addition to the information that leads to an inevitable close, I used “trial closes” during the process – and since a trail close is a soft close but meaningful because it gives you a read on the project – once again, without asking for the order. My favorite was to ask if it was time to submit legal documents for review so that they were ready and not something to wait until the last minute. Or, is it time to submit a draft proposal for review.

There is also the “presumptive close”: typically a high pressure tactic that can be offputting: “You want that in black or white?” or “Would Monday or Tuesday be the best day to deliver?”

If you ask all the questions upfront then closing is “automatic”.

One final thought: Never enter a deal you aren’t prepared to close – as in siging up “bad” deals that might fail or return.

–30–6