The difference between persistence and pressure is technique.

J. Douglas Edwards was a Master in sales. You may not have heard of him, because he’s one of those ‘old time’ sales trainers from a long time ago who mastered and taught the principles of selling. He started below the bottom and then learned how to sell his way past the top. He’s one of the greatest salespeople ever and he and a few others helped refine the techniques used by professionals in sales everywhere today.

Mr. Edwards points out that real sales pros have one quality that most salespeople are missing ... and that’s guts.

A lot of salespeople are real nice and their customers love talking to them, they just don’t sell much. And a lot of salespeople have a tremendous amount of product knowledge that they share, and they don’t sell much, either.

Mr. Edwards said most salespeople just don’t have the guts to ask for the order. He said they’re so afraid of hearing a “No” they won’t let themselves ask for a “Yes.” Plus, most salespeople who do try to close, don’t follow the Basics, don’t build enough value and don’t know how to close the sale or overcome the objections they’re sure to get. You’ll hear, “No” six times before you’ll hear, “Yes, we’ll take it!”

Why do people say “No” if they really want to say “Yes?”

The short answer is ... two reasons:

1. Reflex. Same reason we all say, “Just looking” when a salesperson at a department store says, “Can I help you?”; it’s just reflex. And that’s even more true in closing if you ask a yes or no question. The customer’s automatic reflex answer is generally “No.”

2. Fear. Sales psychologists hooked people up to EKG machines to gauge how they responded in a real selling situation. They were given real life presentations on expensive products they wanted to buy. If they were asked a yes or no closing question, their reactions were just short of having a mini heart attack – and then they said “No,” even though they wanted to buy the product.

When they were asked other closing questions that didn’t require a yes or no response, no problem, and no mini heart attack.

A typical example

“If we can work it out the way you want to buy it, can we send you home in a new car today?”

This question will get you a ‘No’ almost every time.

Instead, try:

“Bob, sounds like we found the perfect car – can I get you a hot cup of coffee or something cold to drink while I take care of the paperwork?”

This will close it on the spot or move you closer to a sale each time. The customer will either pick something hot or cold to drink or they’ll say they aren’t ready. Even that’s OK, as long as you know how to handle objections, because that response easily leads you into “Why?” and straight to another closing question.

Don’t make closing tough and don’t take it so hard when you hear “No.” They aren’t saying, “No, I don’t like you.” When you hear “No,” assume they just said... “Based on what you’ve told me so far, I can’t say ‘yes’ yet, tell me more and ask me again a little later.”

Try this...

Carry six pennies in one pocket. Each time you ask for the order, casually move one penny to your other pocket. This reminds you to ask for the order at least six times, and when you do, you’ll make more sales.

Learn a dozen closes, ask more often and you’ll sell more!