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How Always Be Closing in Sales Focuses Your Energies in the Wrong Direction

Guest post by: Leanne Hoagland-Smith

Article Overview: Always Be Closing is still a popular sales training concept. Yet, the word close potentially focuses your energies in the wrong direction. Curious, read on.

How Always Be Closing in Sales Focuses Your Energies in the Wrong Direction

First, I am not a great movie fan unless it is science fiction. Recently, I came across a clip on You Tube – Glengarry Glen Ross. This 1992 independent film was about a "closer" who was brought in to increase sales through his rather forceful sales training methodology of Always Be Closing. Note: Language and fair warning. The language in the film may be offensive to some.

What I found particularly of interest is this concept of Always Be Closing is still very much alive even 20 years later. Since I am a big believer in the words you think and speak will impact your results, I truly dislike the word close within the sales process. This word works against both the seller and the buyer because close means to shut off. Why would anyone sales professional worth their weight in gold want to shut off a potential customer or prospect?

Upon additional reflection, I have come to realize something else. Some sales training experts or sales coaches believe this word of close focuses on the potential customer or existing client. Others believe this must have sales training skill directs attention to you the seller. Both beliefs are in error. This word is all about the competition.

Yes, you read that right. The word close is all about your competitors!

When you use the word close, your efforts are not geared to the that prospect, but are directed straight to your known and unknown competitors. You want to close them off from connecting with your prospects so that you can isolate your potential customers and therefore make the sale.

If you are meeting with a sales lead that has met the five qualifying sales criteria and are working him or her through your sales process, then why are you so worried about your competitors? Those sales professionals who have built solid relationships with their potential customers and have invested the time in understanding both wants and needs along with market place trends do not need to focus their energies on anyone else especially the competitors. Sales Training Coaching Tip: Do not ignore your competitors, but redirect the majority of your focus to how you can provide continued value. Your subconscious thoughts of always be closing are broadcasted and may turn off that potential customer.

Acronyms like ABC are a good mnemonic device. So instead of thinking "Closing," maybe there other behaviors may work even better for you:

• Communicating – How are you communicating your value especially if you are engaged in education based marketing?
• (in) Character – What messages are your behaviors sending?
• Checking – How often do you check for agreement to avoid obstacles?
• Coaxing – How can you coax more information from your potential client through your probing questions (think fact finding questions)?
• Confirming – When and where do you confirm the information you received is accurate?
• Congruent – How are your behaviors (actions) and words congruent?

An always be closing mindset may leave you pocket poor because you will be that pushy salesperson very few people like.

Marcel Proust once wrote: The true voyage in discovery is not seeking new landscapes, but seeing with new eyes. When you change how you look at things, the things you look at will change. Consider changing how you look at securing the sale and you may find your ability to increase sales has dramatically improved.

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  Let Go of What You Cannot Control to Increase Sales & Reduce Stress
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  Closing Sales Skills --- Improve Your Sales Techniques
  Smart Women and the Six Feminine Energies(TM)
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  Top 20 Requirements - How Salespeople Can Be Better at Closing
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  A \"Closing Sript\" Is A Sales Myth
  CLOSING THE SALE - IT'S HIGHLY OVERRATED
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  It Doesn't Matter How Many Leads You Have! If You Don't... ~ 20K+ A MONTH SECRET
  Why Your Sales Cycle is So Long (Hint: It’s Not About Your Solution)

Article Tags: ABC, always be closing, increase sales, sales coaches, sales lead, sales skills, sales training



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