Not Closing? Here's 3 Reasons Why. Salespeople who can't close are basically human brochures.
By Grant Cardone Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
If you're a salesperson, are you spending too much time selling and too little closing? Selling and closing are completely different arts, and you need to master both for success.
You sell the features of a product to get your customer emotionally involved. The close requires your persistence and logic to get your customer to make a decision. Almost every business in America is filled with salespeople who never commit to the art of closing.
This might seem harsh, but the close is what separates those who have from those who do not. Closing directs people to take action and make an exchange of money for your product or service. It's the final step in the pursuit of your goal. Closing isn't just something that salespeople do -- it applies to every person! Nothing truly happens until you get the support, energy and resources of others.
Related: Closing the Deal: 6 Savvy Entrepreneurs Share Their Secrets
Here are three simple reasons you may not be closing:
1. You don't communicate well.
It's important that you rehearse so you clearly communicate your offer. Don't mumble! Speak clearly and confidently to communicate your offer with optimism, pride and credibility. People won't trust a person who cannot communicate clearly and confidently.
Practice your delivery. Do not just assume you are coming across clearly. I practiced using recorders and video for years, then played them back to ensure my communication was coming across the way I intended.
Related: The 3 Most Important Skills in Sales
2. You aren't looking them in the eye.
It's vital that you learn to maintain eye contact with your prospect. Avoid wandering eyes. Don't look around them or over their shoulders, look directly into their eyes. This discipline is instilled only through practice. You can perfect it by recording yourself.
Most of the people on this planet avoid eye contact. To prove it, walk into a coffee shop and say hi, or walk down the street and ask someone a question, then watch them look away. To be believed by your prospect, it is vital that you make eye contact.
Related: The Way We Respond to Being Stared at May Reveal How Much Power We Think We Have
3. You aren't sitting.
There is a saying that goes: present the product, service or idea on your feet, but always negotiate the terms from your seat.
Negotiating and closing are best done while seated. You will rarely close someone while you're standing up. This policy is frequently violated and missed, even by seasoned sales professionals.
Even if your prospect stands up, remain seated to convey that you are not done, you are not reacting and that you are confident of the agreement. Standing up from your seat would suggest that something has changed, allowing your prospect to exit and end the negotiations.
There are many more reasons you may not be closing, but these three are simple to catch and easy to fix. Make sure you start with these and then get my Closer's Survival Guide for many more tips on how to get your closing rates up.
