CHAPTER 13

• Be A Winner
  W i n n e r s	L o s e r s
  Part of the Solution	Part of the problem
  "It may be difficult but it's possible"	"It may be possible but its too difficult"
  Finds an answer for every problem	Finds a problem with every answer
  "Let me do it for you"	"That's not my job"
  "There's a green near every sand trap"	"There are two or three sand traps near every green
  Always has a plan	Always has an excuse
  "I'll get it right next time."	"It wasn't my fault."
  "If it is to be, it's up to me."	"I can't help it."
  Translate dreams into reality.	Losers translate reality into dreams.
  Empower.	Losers control
  "Let's find out."	"Nobody knows."

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• What is a Close?
  Closing	The process of helping people make a decision that will benefit them. You help them make that decision by asking them to buy. A question or action designed to elicit a buying decision
  Attempt to Close the Sale When	The Prospect is Ready. The prospect is in the "conviction stage" of the mental buying process.
  Computers and Closing	Can make closing quicker Can quickly calculate complex prices Can fax or e-mail multiple parties

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• Perspectives on Closing
  Closing should be natural and easy It should be planned like the rest of the process Closing is integrated throughout the presentation. It is not a separate event Each point of agreement is a minor close. Failure to close comes from an inadequate performance in other areas
  Abraham Lincoln's Record
  1832	Defeated in the race for the legislature
  1833	Failed in business
  1834	Elected to legislature
  1835	Sweetheart died
  1836	Suffered a nervous breakdown
  1838	Defeated for speaker in the legislature
  1843	Defeated for nomination to Congress
  1846	Elected to Congress
  1848	Lost renomination
  1849	Rejected for job as land officer
  1854	Defeated for Senate
  1856	Defeated for nomination for vice-president
  1858	Defeated for Senate
  1860	Elected sixteenth president of the United States

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• Function of the Close
  The Need For a Close	The Moment of Decision is difficult for most people		Buying means change Not buying leaves problems unsolved
  	The seller feels stress also The seller must ease the buyers pain The art of closing sales is not the process of persuading people to make decisions, but the art of making decisions with which people agree
  Reassure and Close	Encourage them but respect their decisions If they agree on the benefits then you are responsible to guide them to the close Your buyers will be relieved and grateful for your efforts to close
  The Salesperson's Attitude	Believe in what you sell Assume commitment - Confidence is contagious Understand that rejection is not personal
  	Your attitude will communicate		Your sincerity Your interest in the buyer Your belief in your product and company Your overall success
  Persistence	Don't accept no for an answer unless it is in everyone's interest You have earned the right to close Abraham Lincoln's track record shows persistence in the face of failure
  	Don't Stop at the First "NO."	48%	Quit after the 1st contact
  		73%	Quit after the 2nd contact
  		85%	Quit after the 3rd contact
  		90%	Quit after the 4th contact
  		10%	Get 80% of the business
  Dealing with Rejection	Count your successes. The number of failures doesn't count Failure to close a sale does not make you inferior Look at closing averages
  	Six Useful Tactics	Remind yourself that self worth is different from performance Positive self talk Don't assume that you are the problem Do more prospecting. Work a fresh lead. Expect rejection but don't create it
  		The buyer may have rational reasons for not buying that they do not tell you
  Barriers to Closing	Negative first impression still lingers in prospect's mind. Demonstration was not handled smoothly. Sales resistance was not overcome. Attempting to close too early or too late.
  The Closing Curve	10% will never buy 10% will be easy 80% can be closed
  Display Self-confidence at the Close.	You believe in your product and your company You have identified a genuine need You naturally feel self-confident at the time of the close. "The prospect is persuaded more by the depth of your conviction than the height of your logic" (Cavett Robert). Ask for the sale in a confident way, not in a halfhearted manner.

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• Recognizing Buying Signals
  The CHEF Technique
  C	Cheek or Chin	Stroking cheek or chin means satisfaction Leaning forward and nodding
  H	Hands	Open and Relaxed. Plams Upward Rubbing Hands means assumed ownership
  E	Eye Contact	Constant contact is good Dilated eyes mean relaxation Rolling or squinting means confusion or ire
  F	Friendliness	Smiling Relaxed Casual conversation

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• Some verbal and non verbal buying signals
  Resistance	objections mean interest
  Verbal Signals	How much is it? How soon can I get it? Sounds good. What's the next step?
  Gestures	Nodding head Leaning forward Rubbing chin Tugging ear Reexamines product, sample or paperwork Relaxes and become friendly.
  Other	Stopping just short of buying Asking about price means they are sold on benefits Reinforcing or agreeing with your ideas Asks another person's opinion.

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• Types of Closes
  The Trial Close	asks for an opinion not a decision
  Assumptive Closes Assume that you asked for the order That the prospect said "Yes" Proceed to the next step
  Minor-Point Close	Asks the prospect to make a low-risk decision on a minor, usually low-cost element of a single product such as delivery dates, optimal features, etc...
  Physical-Action Close	Fill out the order Wrap it up
  Alternative-Choice Close	An old favorite; it provides a choice between something and something, never between nothing and nothing. Example: "Which do you prefer?" or "Would you prefer A or B?"
  Order-Blank Close	ask questions and write answers on the contract.
  Continuous Yes	keep asking questions that are designed to be answered yes.
  Similar Situation	Explain another customer's situation and lead into the close.
  Direct Closes ask for the business
  Direct Appeal Close	Has the advantage of clarity and simplicity. Ask for the order in a straightforward manner. Most direct closing approach and appeals to many buyers, especially decisive people. Should not come too early. Highly effective when salesperson has earned the customer's respect.	We can have it delivered by the end of the month if we can get a signed contract into the implementation department by Thursday. Should I forward a contract so you can get started? Would you like to try it for a quarter? It’ll take a few weeks to process and ship the order so if you’re interested in moving forward, we should start the paperwork now. Let’s get this off your plate and start the paperwork. What do you think? Let’s start the process so you can get onto your other priorities. Sound good? Would you like to move forward? Are you ready to get started? Can we go ahead? We can start the process today with a credit card if you’d like. We can deliver it to you by the close of business tomorrow if you’d like.
  Summary of Benefits Close	Summarize the product's benefits in a positive manner so that the prospect agrees with what you are saying Then ask for the order. You can easily adapt Feature / benefit statements for your "summary" close.
  Impending-Event or Standing Room Only Close	indicate that if they do not act now they may not be able to buy in the future. It should only be used in complete honesty.
  Special Concession Close	Offers the buyer something extra for acting immediately, such as a special price reduction a more liberal credit plan an added feature Make sure the buyer places a value on the consession before offering. Don’t say that you will do it. Ask instead if the special concession would be sufficient to close the sale. Only confirm the concession if the buyer agrees. Only concede of the buyer has specifically told you that there are no other objectionss Use with care because some buyers are skeptical of concessions.
  Call-Back Close	Have a reason to come back Review everything when you come back
  Trial-Order Close	Puppy dog
  Balance-Sheet or T - Account Closes	Often called the Ben Franklin close Based on the process people go through when they make a decision Weigh the cons against the pros. The same as debits and credits, act or not act, etc.. Modified T-Account or Balance Sheet Close -- only list the reasons to buy. Some salespeople do not remind the prospect of any of the reasons not to buy as they attempt to close the sale
  Probability Close	Ask prospects what the probability of doing business at a later time is. This permits prospects to focus in on and discover their own hidden objections.
  Negotiating the single problem close.	One single objection stands in the way of a close. Most often surfaces when a trial close is used. Never lose patience with prospect Clarify the customer's position regarding the objection. Help customer weigh advantages of product by reviewing product's superior points
  Limited Choice Close	Provides prospects with choice as a way of qualifying. Allow customer to examine several different models and try to assess degree of interest in each one. Cease showing new products when it appears that the prospect has been given ample selection. Remove products that the prospect does not seem genuinely interested in. Place unwanted products aside and concentrate on products the prospect seems to be definitely interested in.
  "Your price is too high!"
  Confirm that price is the only problem?	"Is there anything else beside price that is holding you back?" "If the price were better then could we do business right now?"
  The prospect should make an offer	"What did you have in mind?" "What can your budget spare?"
  Confirm the offer. No matter what it is. Do not commit yourself.	"If I can get you that price then can we do business immediately?"
  If the prospect responds
  No	"Then there must be something else. Can I ask what it is? Then handle that objection. Price may never come up again.
  Yes	Recognize that you prospect is committed. You may or may not be able to negotiate. You can chose Calculate the price difference and reduce Haggle Don't give in untill the contract is filled out and ready to sign
  I want to think it over I want to sleep on it.
  Agree and complement	"I can understand that." "I'd do the same thing myself?"
  Start packing up	"I am sure that you'll have some questions for me as you think it over, won't you?"
  One last question.	"Just so that I'm prepared. What are some of the specific things that you'll be thinking about?
  Two options now	Soft	Hard
  	Be quiet and let them talk. Handle any response as an objection.	Start asking yes/no questions Is it my company? Is it the color? Is it ..... Go through all the benefits Make the prospect realize that they are just stalling

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• Research shows six common closing mistakes

  Talks too much. Doesn't ask enough questions. Over-controls the call; asks too many closed-end questions. Doesn't respond to customer needs with benefits. Doesn't recognize needs, gives benefits prematurely. Doesn't recognize or handle negative attitudes effectively. Makes weak closing statements, doesn't recognize when or how to close.

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• After the Close

  Confirm the sale when the buyer says yes: Be sure all details related to the purchase agreement are completed Check everything with buyer Ask for signature if necessary. Reassure customer and confirm Pointing out that s/he has made the correct decision Describe the satisfaction that will come with ownership of product or service Thank customer for the order. A follow-up thank-you letter is often appropriate. Ask for referrals. Provide after-sale service. Leave Gracefully Don't talk past the close

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• When You Dont Make The Sale
  Recognize hopeless selling situations Avoid doing or saying anything that will jeopardize the relationship established
  Act Professional Act Adult	Do not take the buyer's denial personally It was a business decision that the buyer made given the circumstances. The proper handling of a no-sale situation actually helps build a sound business relationship with your customers. Ask why you lost out - learn from your successes and no-sales. In some situations, it is proper to reopen the presentation.
  Prepare prospect for shopping the competition	Do everything possible to help customer make an intelligent comparison. Review strong points of product, giving special emphasis to areas in which product has superior advantage over competition.
  Never treat the lost sale as a defeat. Do not use selling methods that are unethical and/or illegal.

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• Analyze Lost Sales
  A lost sale can be a learning experience. Take a good, objective look at presentation and try to identify weaknesses Consider how to avoid this problem in the future. Salvage as much as possible from the experience Don't give up too soon. Callbacks are very common, especially in the field of industrial selling.
  Discuss the lost sale with	Your sales manager Your fellow salespeople Other people who understand the selling and buying process.
  Prepare for a possible return call by recording information.	Personal information - family, hobbies, and so forth. Company information - if selling to an individual buyer, company information is quite valuable. Purchase priorities - every prospect has unique purchase priorities.