| Closing sales no longer requires sales closing | | | | sales reps use cold calling as a sales prospecting |
| techniques. Do any of the following sound familiar? | | | | method, even though today's executives are |
| 1. The attitude close | | | | unresponsive to cold calls. |
| 2. The alternate choice close | | | | As an anecdotal example, I was in discussions to |
| 3. The voice inflection close | | | | sign up for a radio advertising deal for my |
| 4. The fear of loss close | | | | company. I really liked the advertising sales rep |
| 5. The alternate of choice close | | | | that I was dealing with at the radio station. We |
| These are all examples of different sales closes | | | | had a face-to-face meeting where she explained |
| made popular by Sales Guru Zig Ziglar in his best | | | | to me the benefits of radio advertising and also |
| selling sales books in the 1980's. Do you use any | | | | the characteristics of the station's listeners. I |
| of these? If so, don't you realize how immature | | | | thought she was doing a great job and was very |
| you are? | | | | helpful. Then came the 'alternate choice close." |
| Zig Ziglar was a master sales professional in his | | | | She asked, "Will you be paying by check or credit |
| time. But his techniques are outdated. We are | | | | card?" What she was trying to do was ask me a |
| now in a new century. The leading sales people in | | | | question that had only two possible answers and, |
| the 1980's are the CEOs, presidents, executives, | | | | by answering the question, I, by default, would be |
| and decision makers that you are now trying to | | | | accepting the advertising deal. She didn't need to |
| sell to. They have read Ziglar's books and know | | | | do this. I make my own decisions and don't need |
| and understand the sales strategies that he | | | | her to manipulate my thinking process; it's insulting. |
| taught. Sales closes are meant to manipulate and | | | | The deal did not happen. |
| outsmart the person that you are trying to sell to. | | | | Forget about sales closing techniques. Sell |
| Use one of these closes on an executive today | | | | something that you believe in. Sell the features |
| and you risk losing the sale; these closes are | | | | and benefits. Be yourself. Don't try to read or |
| insulting and executives know when they are | | | | outsmart the people that you sell to. People will |
| being manipulated. The problem is that today's | | | | respect you for your knowledge in your product, |
| sales managers have read the same books that | | | | for having integrity, for being honest, and for |
| were bestsellers in the 1980's and they are unable | | | | being yourself. It is these types of people that |
| to adapt to new market conditions. In addition to | | | | get the sales, that get great testimonials, and that |
| closing techniques they still demand that their | | | | get further business referrals. |