| In my opinion, the most overrated topic in sales | | | | needs you have discovered, |
| training is the subject of closing. In year's past, it | | | | - Asking trial closing questions and answering |
| seems the object of most sales training courses | | | | objections, then |
| was to fill the heads of participants with as many | | | | - Asking for the business. |
| closing techniques as possible. The logic was | | | | By first building rapport with a prospective |
| simple, if the "Ben Franklin" close didn't work, you | | | | customer or client, a sales or service industry |
| could rummage around in your head for the the | | | | professional can create the trust that our |
| "secondary question" technique, the "order-blank" | | | | research shows is vital to consistently obtaining |
| method or the "forced choice" close to tie off | | | | sales success. Through using an attention getting |
| your sale. Selling in the old school of training was | | | | provocative question and then taking away your |
| basically learning 54 or 84 ways to close. | | | | offer, you can open your prospect's mind to |
| Today, most successful sales professionals know | | | | answering your questions and later accept the |
| that if you use a consultative sales process, one | | | | suggestions that you make in your sales |
| with a series of selling steps like those listed | | | | presentation. By asking open-ended, probing |
| below, the close (asking for the business) will | | | | questions, you can learn about hidden needs and |
| literally take care of itself. Closing is an integral | | | | problems that can be solved by your products |
| part of the following; a solid sales process--not a | | | | and/or services. Through effectively |
| specific stand alone technique: | | | | demonstrating your products and/or services, |
| - Building rapport and trust; | | | | answering objections and asking trial closing |
| - Obtaining your prospect's attention; | | | | questions, you then set the stage for closing the |
| - Probing for problems, opportunities, needs and | | | | sale. All that is left in this process is to ask for the |
| values; | | | | business. |
| - Demonstrating products based on the specific | | | | |