There’s a line from the 1992 movie Glengarry Glen Ross where the sales manager (played by Alec Baldwin) tells his bedraggled sales team that “coffee is for closers only.” It’s a chilling scene where he further humiliates, and even threatens firing those that don’t produce.
“Closing a sale” is the absolute wrong way to think about sales. In addition to sounding cold and impersonal, the phrase also connotes “boxing in” a buyer. Instead, how about “opening a relationship?” How about offering ideas and options that do the most good?
I’ve had the chance to work with some world-class sales people and here’s what I’ve learned:
- They are superb listeners – hearing, absorbing and responding to all important points.
- They know their solution isn’t for everyone – and they’re willing to say it up front.
- They ask permission to go to the next step – keeping the prospect in charge.
In the same scene from above, Alec Baldwin’s character advises his salespeople to “A-B-C” (Always Be Closing.) “A-B-L” (Always Be Listening) doesn’t have the same ring to it, but it’s a much more positive and productive way to explore possibilities and cultivate new client relationships.
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