Close: Tuning into the Process

by Danielle Kennedy

Closing is not part of the sales process, it is the process.

Tony Parinello (Tony Parinello and Associates) says,

"Too many salespeople charge forward in the sales process because they want to hurry up and close something. When they hurry ahead, they do not realize that the customer is back at the starting line, nowhere near ready to make the size of decision the salesperson may be asking for.

"Selling is a series of mini-conversations, of taking little baby steps forward with some customers and giant leaps forward with other customers. If we are further ahead than our customers, it is the result of not specifically asking the right questions and listening to exactly what the customer is saying," says Tony.

"Questions like:

• 'I am willing to give you a thorough tour of our plant. At the end of that tour would you be willing to tell me your true feelings about what you saw during that tour?
• 'Will you be prepared to tell me if you see a future between my company and your company at the end of that tour?'"

Joe Gandolfo (Joe Gandolfo & Associates, Ph.D., ChFC, CLU) piggybacks on Tony's advice:

"Selling does not mean presuming. Selling is listening. How do we know what the customer wants? We know because selling is asking. 'How can I help you? What color? What price range?' It's a simple process—just give people what they want. If we sell people what they want, then we are going to get the opportunity to go back and sell them what they need the second time because they thought we were so brilliant to let them buy what they wanted the first time."

Adapted from Seven Figure Selling © 1996 by Danielle Kennedy