Just because you can sell, doesn’t mean you can close. Selling is useless if you can’t close. The money is not made in the sell; it’s made in the close. Being a sales person is one thing. Being a sales closer is another. Closers have a unique ability to see things to the end. When the objections start to rise, salespeople flinch. Not closers; they stay in the sell until it’s closed.
Here’s One of the Most Common Mistakes Made in the Sales Industry:
Business owner, Bob is out to eat at a nice restaurant. Bob has a waiter named Kyle. Kyle is attentive, witty, funny and has a great personality. Bob says, “You know Kyle, you’d do well in sales,” and offers him a job. Wanting to get away from $2.12/hour, Kyle accepts the job. After a month or two, Bob starts to scratch his head as to why Kyle can’t close.
This happens all the time. The thing is, waiters, waitresses and service industry people don’t sell. They take orders. They simply ask you what YOU want, and then they go get it for you. When’s the last time you went to a restaurant and ordered something, then were upsold to something completely different? Never, that’s when. Order takers aren’t closers.
Just because you have a good attitude, look nice and can talk a little doesn’t mean you can close shit. Closing is not about looks, talking, or attitude. It’s about being fearless of rejections. Sales closers are not afraid to hear the word “no.” The guys and girls who can close deals do so with thick skin and an agenda to handle their business.
There’s a Big Difference Between Sales People and Sales Closers
Anyone can work in sales. Job openings pop up every day in the sales industry. Check Glassdoor.com, Craigslist and any other listing site for plenty of sales openings. Every one of these job listings asks for sales people. I’ve never seen a job post searching for sales closers.
All it takes to work in sales is a good attitude and a willingness to work commission-only. Being a closer takes lots of patience, practice and persistence. Closers stay in the sale until it’s done. In this world of ADD and unfinished projects, closers don’t move on until the job they are doing is done. Closers finish what they start.
Salespeople tend to give up on the first or second objection. They worry the prospect may not like them and may start to judge them for being aggressive. Closers know what they sell is in the best interest of the prospect and they will stop at nothing to push the prospect to make a decision for their own good.
Closers are not afraid to hear “no” and then keep pushing the prospect closer to “Yes!” Closers can remove emotion from the equation and stay in the sell until it’s done. Their follow-up is relentless, and their work ethic unreal. Closers keep companies afloat and in the black.
Salespeople are Afraid to Have Hard Conversations and Will Want to Bond with the Prospect More Than Close Them
I’d rather be paid than liked. That’s the attitude of a closer. Salespeople don’t think that way. They’d rather be liked than paid. It’s one thing to provide good service; it’s another to get paid for providing good service. If you’re going to close sales, you’re going to have to make prospects uncomfortable. Salespeople aren’t cut out for that part of the job.
I’ve sold cars, houses and mortgages. In each of those positions, I’ve seen 10 times as many salespeople as closers. Each month on the leaderboard, you can spot the closer. He’s the guy in the number one spot. It’s equally as easy to spot salespeople. They are the ones talking to prospects, selling prospects, but not closing shit.
Let me be straight with you. I’m not knocking salespeople. Our industry is based around them. They warm up the prospects for us closers to come in and lock them down. There’s a need for both types in our industry, but only one of them makes the big bucks.
If you’re a closer, next time someone asks you “What do you do for a living?” instead of saying, “I’m in sales,” say “I’m a sales closer.” It sets you apart from the rest. Simply having the confidence to present yourself in such a way means you’re bold enough to hold the title.
Salespeople can also convert into closers. With enough desire, experience and drive, a salesperson can morph into a closer. Most of us closers started out as salespeople. We worked our way into becoming the sales beasts you see before you. With each turn, we took mental notes from our wins and losses. Eventually, we armed ourselves with enough information to break through to the closer side of sales.
Closing is a skill that’s necessary for salespeople to learn. The problem is most salespeople think they are closers, but much like the Maury Povich show, results of their paycheck reveal they are not the closer. Take a minute and reflect on your sales style, then ask yourself, “Am I a sales closer or a sales person?” If you’re not sure, look at your paycheck.
If you’d like to convert from salesperson to sales closer, I’ve got the help you need. Closers are committed to learning and improving. If you’re going to improve, you’re going to need help and experience. Every closer out there took the time to consume information to make them better. Whether that information came from books, mentors, or even sales managers, they had help.
If you’re ready to invest in your personal success and you’d like to find out about the programs we have developed especially for you, simply head over to www.HardcoreCloser.com/tribe and we’ll have a sales conversation about your future.
