Closing is Sweet Success

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by Tom Hopkins

In the selling profession, closing is the winning score, the bottom line, the name of the game, the cutting edge, the point of it all. We all know lots of techniques for prospecting, meeting new people, building referrals, qualifying, presenting, overcoming objections, etc.

But if you can't close, you're like a football team that can't sustain a drive long enough to score. It does you no good to play your whole game in your own territory and never get across the other team's goal line.

If you don't love the closing process now, start falling in love, because this is where the money is.

True professional are closing most of the time. They are constantly trying test closes, and they can kick into their final closing sequence anytime they smell success. Many salespeople get so wrapped up in their selling sequence that if the prospect decides to invest before they're through, they won't let them have it. Some people get sold quickly, so if you keep talking instead of getting the final agreement, you might un-sell them just as fast. More talk triggers more objections. When the prospect is ready, stop talking and start filling out those forms.

Next, I'm going to give you the eight most important words in the art of closing. These are the most powerful words spoken on the complex, demanding, and well-paid art of closing. If you're just skimming this article and haven't marked anything yet, get your highlighter now. Here they are:

Whenever you ask a closing question, shut up!

The important words are shut up. That is why the late J. Douglas Edwards used to shout this at his seminar audiences.

The first time I heard these words, I was sitting in the front row of his seminar and was already jumpy from the excitement when Doug shouted "SHUT UP!" I dove for cover. That memory is carved into my mind, along with those words. These words are the most important single element in turning my disastrous sales experience at that time into the record-breaking success it soon became.

Ask your closing question, then keep quiet! It sounds simple, doesn't it? Believe me, it isn't. I had a real challenge in this area and I didn't have a clue as to what I was doing wrong until I heard J. Douglas Edwards say those words.

The first time I tried to ask a closing question and then keep quiet, I was prepared for the prospect's reaction. I expected them to keep silent. What I hadn't prepared for was the intensity of my own reaction: The silence felt like wet sand being piled on my chest. My stomach was churning, I had to bite the inside of my lip, and I was acutely aware of every nerve ending in my body. Finally, the future client did decide that they would invest—and I never again dreaded that awful silence after asking a closing question.

Why is it so important to keep quiet? Say your future client hesitates for a few moments, wondering when they should take delivery. You become uncomfortable and assume that they are questioning the investment so you blurt out that you'll give them another 20% off the total investment, when that wasn't even the issue.

The average salesperson can't wait more than 10 seconds after asking a closing question. If "Mrs. Jones" hasn't answered by then, they'll say something like, "Well, we can talk about that later," and go on talking, unaware that they have just destroyed the closing situation. And it's probably not just the one close that is destroyed. "Mrs. Jones" can certainly keep quiet for a few moments—almost all undecided buyers can. If you're true champion material, you can sit there quietly all afternoon, if you have to. It takes concentration, but it rarely lasts longer than 30-40 seconds.

Having the skill, courage, and concentration to sit still and be silent for at least half a minute is the single, most vital skill there is in selling. Practice this until you get a feel for how long 30 seconds is. Then it won't be so nerve-wracking when big money is riding on how calm and quiet you remain in a real closing situation.