The Truth about the "Close"

20 Years Business to Business sales experience having worked in and trained by Xerox, IBM, GE have shown me that traditional sales techniques are a thing of the past.

Most sales training is an adaptation of previous courses using different emphasis or Buzz Words or acronyms.

Long Term sales success isnt about Tricks or clever questioning, its not about different Closing techniques.

Selling is a defined process which begins and ends with the meeting the customers needs.
I have found that a sales person who understands the process and is focussed on the customers needs does not need to focus on closing techniques.

One of the most successfull sales people I ever met had a view that if you needed to close you had not done your job correctly and would go back and review where he had gone wrong.
Your customer should be convinced of your product, your company and the value of your overall offering well before any close is needed.

If you try closing before you have acheived this you show a distinct lack of interest in your customers needs.

If you have demonstrated clearly that your product or service fulfills your customers needs you dont need to close.

What is Selling all about?

We all have an opinion about what selling is all about.

However before you decide answer this question.

Is your selling focussed on selling Product A to Customer A

Or is it about Selling your business to Customer A so that this customer wishes to buy Product A B C or any other they have a need for from you.

Another way is

Is your customer buying the product or are they buying into what your company offers?

If its the later you have started a very beneficial relationship.