Söderpalm - 30 ways to Close the Deal: how to find, create, close and make deals happen

30 WAYS TO CLOSE THE DEAL

Other titles by Max Sderpalm:

30 stt att gra affr

S blir du en stjrnsljare

Det r i backarna man rycker

Inspirationskalendern 2009

Inspirationskalendern 2010

Sljchefens speedbok

365 dagar av mjligheter

All published in 20082009 by Soderpalm Publishing

Max Sderpalm

30 ways to Close the Deal

how to find, create, close
and make deals happen

ISBN 978-91-87093-12-8

30 ways to Close the Deal

Max Sderpalm, Soderpalm Publishing 2009

www.soderpalm.com

Editor: Marguerite Beaulieu

Translation: Comactiva Translations, Sweden

Cover and insert: Lillemor Bulukin, Appellera

Illustrations: Istockphoto.com

Contents

Foreword

Do you also find that theres something magical about closing a deal in a customer call or visit?

Youve devoted a lot of hard work to get this far, to the point of make or break. And now you sit there.

You have finally got your message through, and it seems the customer gets it. And now comes the crunch.

You have asked your question. You sit and wait. The customer is silent. Time stands still. A thousand thoughts are going through your head.

Have you been clear enough? Have you resolved all the objections? Is the price right? Have you knocked out the competition? Will you manage to be quiet and let the customer speak first?

Suddenly the customer shifts position, clears his throat and says:

Lets do it.

You could sense it, could feel it in your stomach. You brought it home.

Your biggest deal ever.

Gothenburg, December 2009

Max Sderpalm

30 ways to Close the Deal

Once I started reading it, I couldnt put it down. Useful tips that we can immediately deploy in our sales work. Educational, well formulated and easy to understand. A boost for any salesperson who reads it!

RICHARD TUROCZI

Sales Director New Business

Careerbuilder

Did you know that a lot of sellers never ask for an order? They wait and see. They only sell if the customers themselves ask if they can buy. Just think of all that wasted time and effort. All that business and goodwill down the drain.

Likewise, did you know that the sellers who do have the courage to ask for an order generally only do so once? Even though they know deep down that a no from a customer doesnt necessarily mean no. It just means the customer needs more information to take them past their fear of buying.

And did you know that personally, every time I read a book on selling (which is often), I immediately go to the chapter on closing the deal to see whether theres a technique Im not aware of? And I dont think Im the only one.

Thats why Im writing this book. The sales process has many different components that you should focus on and practise, and there are many other good books about those aspects. In this book youll learn everything you need to know about closing a deal.

If youre one of those people who finds it hard to ask deal-closing questions, this is the book for you, whether youre new to selling or have some experience.

And if youre already good at closing a deal but want to be even better, youll love it too, because its equally the book for you.

And if youve never read a book about selling, or if its been a while, once again this is the book for you. Its easy to read and contains hardly any complicated terms.

In fact even if youre a highly experienced star seller, I think youll find yourself nodding in agreement in several places and may even find a new angle that might help you.

There are certain things I will be coming back to over and over again in the book. Not to be repetitive for the sake of it, but because those things are particularly important. Things that must not be ignored.

And now, in the words of that customer in my foreword:

Lets do it!

The first rule in sales training is to start using your newly acquired knowledge straight away. Its about changing your ingrained behaviour, so theres no reason to wait. The quicker you try it out, the quicker youll see results.

And if you dont try it out when you have the impetus, theres a serious risk you never will.

Another tip is to establish here and now that the advice in my book IS ADVICE FOR YOU.

Its all too easy to say, Sure that sounds like a great idea, but it would never work in my industry. Or some such equally lame excuse.

Think about it like this:

1. THIS IS ADVICE FOR YOU.

2. IT GENUINELY WORKS

3. YOULL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IF YOU FOLLOW IT.

Adapt the tips to your particular industry. After all, you know it far better than I do. Think, practise and apply. Its the only way of finding out whether or not these tips work for you.

This book is mainly about various ways of acting and behaving in a deal-closing situation. Youll find all kinds of closing methods. Some Im sure you already use. Others you may have heard of but never had the courage to try. And some will be brand new to you.

After each closing method Ive put in a notes page. This is your page. You are the one who will ultimately finish YOUR book on closing methods.

As soon as youve finished reading a section about a new way of closing a deal and have studied the examples Ive given, you write down your own example. Formulate it in a way that suits your sales style, your customers and your own personal manner. Without being too wimpy.

If you really do this you have a lot to gain, and youll dramatically develop your sales presentation and your ability to sell.

Youll also learn specific actions that result in a deal-closing situation, and what to bear in mind when striving for that all-important YES from the customer.

Finally, Id like to talk a bit about why this book is written the way it is. The book should ideally not take long to read, although it will take longer when you train with it. And once youve read it, you should be able to use it for reference.

Ive read a lot of excellent books on sales. At the beginning it always says that you should read one chapter a week, or read each chapter twice, for example. Or some other suggested study technique. My advice is: Do what YOU want.

You know your own reading and study techniques best. I think the most important thing is that you do read the book. Quickly or slowly it makes no difference. Read, develop and have fun. If this is the first sales book youve read, read another, or read this one several times.

The main thing is that you dont start thinking youve finished your sales training and know everything there is to know. You dont.

And nor do I. Ive been working in sales and sales management for more than 20 years, and Im reading more at the moment than ever before!

And Im writing this book because I want to share what Ive learned over the years.

The vast majority of people who want to buy something need a lot of information to make a decision. However good you are at presenting your concept or products, you can never be sure that the customer understands or interprets everything youre saying the way you want.

Instead, while you plough on with your sharpest selling points, the customer might be sitting there thinking about other things:

What are you like as a person?

Are you reliable?

What does your product cost?

Can we benefit from it?

Whats your product like compared to competing products?

And all kinds of other questions.

So its logical for the customer to say no the first time you try for a close. The customer does this because you havent taken him or her all the way through the buying process. The customer is not convinced yet, but needs more information. Thats why the answer is