I was reading Jill Konrath’s blog on closing skills. Thought I’d add my 5c to it. There’s actually nothing I don’t agree with in it.

Here’s my spin: In professional sales, you are a catalyst for change. Your role is to create an atmosphere with the prospect where truth can occur. If you’re reading this, it’s likely you’re in a relationship sale (vs. a one time sale). The absolute worst thing you can do is ‘get needy’ near the end of the sales process by focusing on closing the deal.

If your prospect–for one nanosecond–feels that neediness (or desperation) then their sixth sense kicks in and they begin to wonder, ‘what is this person’s intent?’

That isn’t a good sign. In most sales training, there is a fair amount of learning around closing skills. We are opposed to that. If you’re doing everything in the sales process well, upfront, then the close should be a natural part of the decision cycle. Not something that requires a move of some kind.

Here are three closing tips:
1. Get better at finding the problem. Sales is focused on problem  solving. When you are poorly trained at finding the problem, then closing skills won’t help you.

2. Have a sales process. The close should be nothing more than the next likely thing to happen as you’re guiding your prospect through the process. No magic moves needed. Most sales people have no process.

3. Ask the prospect when they want to begin solving this problem. You should be asking the prospect what he wants to do next in order to get his problem solved. Your wishes should not enter the picture. (Now, remember, I suggested in #1 and #2 that you should get better at finding the pain the prospect has–then the close is when the prospect asks you, “how quickly can you fix this for me?” Isn’t that better?

In Same Game New Rules, I talk about the process of selling and how vital it is if you’re going to acheive any sustainable sales success. I also say that the prospect needs to be selling you–and therefore, closing you.  That comes along with having a Problem Orientation to your sales philosophy.

Do it the right way and closing skills cease to be an issue. If your sales training program stresses ‘closing skills’ as an important part of the process, then they’re stressing the wrong thing.