Holy Smokes, Check Out These Closes!

Here is a list of closes, now I post this and I know some ideological battle will break out of this. My note to closing is that it is an extension of the buying process. It has its time within the sales cycle. Even different industries have different closes. The type of close used will vary between length of sales cycle, type of industry, size of sale and complexity (requiring contact with the salesman/company after the deal is accomplished).

A good salesman will be able to ask good questions to a prospect that will help them correctly figure out if a problem does in fact exist, focus on the implications of the problem, find if there is an explicit need to fill, present solution, and ask if it makes sense for them to move forward.

When asked in a manner that denotes an attitude of care, concern, professionalism, and respect, asking if it makes sense to move forward is only natural. A prospect that raises an objection has at heart some concern that wasn't address or addressed enough, whether it was really the initial objection in the first place or a smoke screen for what is behind it.

Some salesmen will say they don't close, but they let the customer buy, which is a clever way of helping the prospect admit to an explicit need, (which is a need expressed by the prospect of a solution to their problem that has implications uncovered during the research stage of the sales cycle), which they then present the solution which fills all the needs.

It is true, letting people buy is easier than trying to close people, but there's nothing wrong with testing the water, or closing along the way, whether you section off the presentation with a "hinge", or do "check-ins" to assess understanding, interest, and to take the next step in the sales cycle.

I put these closes here so that you can peer behind the intelligence that has created these closes from another era, some recent as well. Some may seem ok, which many could be as long as you have uncovered explicit needs. Without explicit needs, there is a problem that has not enough consequence or weight to produce any pain or desire to change that pain.
Enjoy!

Closing techniques
One of the most important stages of selling is closing the deal, which is the actions taken by the sales person to gain agreement to the sale. There are many closing techniques in sales, which are prescribed actions that sales people take to persuade the customer to make the necessary commitment. Here are some of these:
This is a big list, but the real list of closing techniques is almost endless. You can go to each need, for example, and invent several closes around satisfying or threatening them. Here are closing tips to help you further.
'Sell on the tangibles, close on the intangibles' is good general advice. Note how many of these methods follow this rule.
Don't forget the caveat in all of this. If people feel tricked or otherwise betrayed, they will not only not buy from you now, they may well never buy from you ever again or even turn all their friends against you. In particular beware of using unsubtle techniques with professional buyers, who can usually see them coming from miles away.
 
Thanks for posting this, interesting read. I have been in sales all my life and appreciate reading these.

I think people get to hung up on the word "close" mostly people who think that you have to hard sale to close.

People that say "I just let the customer buy" are closing they just do not realize it, or they work at the check out counter.
 
Holy smokes, where have you been in last 40 years? Mostly all old school. (Probably posted by a younger generation makes them palatable?) Professionals have used variations of these since I started sales in 1962 and likely longer since I learned them from those who preceded me in the business. Diplomatically done there is very little that is hard closing, only asssisting the buying decision by offering calm reason to objeciton. Closing begins at the door., by constantly being aware of what may be a buyers signal. When interviews are conducted correctly the prospect will suggest what is needed to "close" the deal. Closing usually is as or more important than presentation, IMO.
 
I started at Pontiac and that stuff was par for the course. Absolutely hated it - which is why I made the move to Beemer. It taught me the difference between selling things people don't want and things people are looking for.
 
Well at least it was an informative post. I enjoyed it. Will be pretty good reading material nor newbies and could be refresher material for some of the old schoolers if they weren't so hard headed.
THANKS FOR SHARING!

I have tons of books on that but it's nice to find it all in one place online. I'll share this with my team.
 
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