THE CLOSING
The "Closing" is a stage of the sale that is an object of dread to the
majority of salesmen. In fact some salesmen content themselves with
leading the prospect to the point bordering on Decision and Action, and
then lose heart, leave the prospect, and later bring around the sales
manager or special "closer" for the concern. They can lead the horse to
the trough, but they cannot make him drink. While it is true that the
stage of Closing is a delicate one, and involving as it does some
practical psychological strategy, nevertheless we are of the opinion
that many salesmen are victims of their own adverse auto-suggestions in
this matter--they make a boogaboo of the thing which is often found to
be but lath and plaster instead of solid iron and granite. Many a
salesman is defeated in his Closing by his own fears rather than by the
prospect. This stage of the sale is one in which the Salesman should
draw on his reserve store of enthusiasm and energy--for he needs it in
order to carry the day. As Holman once wrote: "General Grant said that
in almost every battle, after hours of fighting, there came a critical
moment in which both parties were tired out, and the side that braced up
at that moment and pounded hard would win. This is probably so in
selling. A good salesman knows that critical moment, and pounds."
The main cause of the failure to bring the prospect to a favorable
Decision--the first of the two final stages of the Closing--is that the
Salesman has not done his best work in the preliminary stages of the
Demonstration. He has not demonstrated the proposition properly, or has
not awakened the Imagination and Inclination of the prospect to a
sufficient extent. Many salesmen slight the preliminary process of the
Demonstration in their anxiety to reach the Closing--but this is a great
mistake, for no structure is stronger than its foundation. The Closing
should follow as a logical and legitimate conclusion of the preceding
stages. It should be like the result of a mathematical problem which
has been carefully worked out. Of course it is impossible for any one
Salesman to "sell them all," from the very nature of things--but the
average man could sell a larger percentage of prospects if he would
strengthen himself along the preliminary stages leading up to the
Closing, and to the final steps of the latter.
The gist of the whole matter of the failure of a prospect to make a
favorable Decision is this: He hasn't been convinced! Why? If you can
answer this question, you have the key to the problem. You haven't
reached the man's desire. Why? If you can get him to "want" the thing,
the decision is a mere matter of final settling down to choice. You may
have said to the man, "This is a good thing--you ought to have it," over
and over again--but have you actually made him see that it was a good
thing and that he ought to have it? It is one thing to tell a man these
things, and another to reproduce your own beliefs in his mind.
The changing of the talk from that affecting Deliberation on the part of
the prospect, to that influencing his Decision, is a delicate matter.
There is a "psychological moment" for the change which some men seem to
perceive intuitively, while others have to learn it by hard experience.
It is the critical balancing point between "enough" and "too much" talk.
On the one hand, the Salesman must beware of a premature Closing, and on
the other he must avoid "unselling" a man after he has made the
psychological sale. Some men are inclined toward one of these
faults--and some to the other. The ideal Salesman has found the nice
point of balance between the two.
If the Salesman attempts to make a premature Closing, he will probably
have failed to bring about the full desire and careful Deliberation in
the prospect's mind. As a practical writer on the subject has pointed
out, this course is as faulty as that of a lawyer who would attempt to
begin his closing address to the jury before he had gotten in his
evidence. The trained finger on the pulse should detect the "high-tide
of interest," and close the demonstration at this point, moving surely
and swiftly to the Closing.
On the other hand, if the Salesman persists in talking on, rambling and
wandering, after he has made a particular point, or all of his points,
he runs the risk of losing his prospect's attention and interest, and
with it the newly awakened inclination and desire. James H. Collins, in
a recent article in "The Saturday Evening Post," relates the following
amusing anecdote illustrating this tendency on the part of the Salesman:
"How easily a customer may be talked out of buying is shown by the
experience of a real-estate promoter who sells New York property to
investors in other cities through a staff of salesmen. One of his men
reported that he was unable to close an elderly German in Pittsburg.
'I've explained the whole property,' said the salesman. 'He understands
the possibilities, yet doesn't invest.' Next time the promoter was in
Pittsburg he called on this investor, accompanied by his salesman. The
latter explained the proposition again most exhaustively, and made every
effort to be clear and convincing. * * * From time to time the investor
tried to interrupt, but the salesman swept on, saying: 'Just a moment,
and I'll take that point up with you.' When the story was finished he
recapitulated. When that was finished he began a resume of the
recapitulation preparatory to rushing the man. Here the boss felt that
the investor really wanted to be heard, so he interrupted the salesman:
'Charlie, I guess if Mr. Conrad here doesn't realize the magnificent
opportunities in New York realty after all you've told him, there's no
use telling him any more.' 'Mein gracious!' protested Conrad. 'I do
realize them. What I wanted to say is that I will take these lots.'"
There is a sixth sense, or intuitive faculty developed in many good
salesmen which tends to inform them when they have said enough along any
particular line, or on the whole subject. In the midst of a sentence, or
after the close of a statement, one will notice a subtle and indefinable
change in the manner or expression of the prospect which informs one
that it is time to stop, and "sum up," or briefly recapitulate. And this
"summing up" must be made briefly, and to the point, in an earnest
manner. It should be made in a logical order and sequence, each point
being driven in as with a sledge hammer of conviction. One should lay
especial stress upon any points in which the prospect seemed interested
during the Demonstration. In short he should fall in with the spirit of
the attorney in his closing address, in which he sums up his strong
points, always with an eye on the jury which he has carefully watched
for signs of interest during the progress of the trial. Each juryman's
character is represented by a faculty in the mind of the prospect--each
should be appealed to along its own particular lines.
The perception of the "psychological moment" of closing the selling
talk, is akin to that of the lawyer who leads his jury up to a dramatic
and logical climax--and then stops. Avoid creating an anti-climax. Mr.
Collins in the magazine article mentioned a moment ago says: "The chief
shortcoming of the salesman who has difficulty in closing is, usually,
that he doesn't know when the psychological moment has come to rush his
man. This is a very definite moment in every deal. Veteran salesmen
gauge it in various ways, some by the attention their argument is
receiving, others by some sign in the customer's eyes, and others still
by a sort of sixth sense which seldom leads them wrong. * * * If the
mechanism of a representative sale could be laid bare for study it would
probably approximate the mechanism of the universe in that material
theory by which the philosophers explain the whole thing up to the point
where a slight push was necessary to set it going eternally. The sale of
the man who doesn't close is technically complete except for the push
that lands the order. Sales may be made by patient exposition of facts,
building up the case for the goods. But to close them, very often, a
real push or kick is needed. Logic avails up to the moment when the
customer must be rushed."
The trouble with some prospects is that they have practically made the
Decision--but do not know they have. That is, they have accepted the
premises of the argument; admitted the logic of the succeeding argument
and demonstration; can see no escape from the conclusion--but still they
have not released the spring of formal Decision which settles the matter
with a mental "click." It is the Salesman's business to produce this
mental "click." It is a process akin to "calling the hand" of the
opponent in a certain game other than that of salesmanship. It is the
stage in which the matter is fairly and squarely "put up" to the
prospect. It is a situation demanding nerve on the part of the
Salesman--that is apparent nerve, for it is after all somewhat of a
bluff on his part, for although he wins if the prospect says "Yes," he
does not necessarily lose if the answer be "No!" for the Salesman, like
the lover, should never let one "No" discourage him. "Never take 'No!'
for an answer," says the old song--and it is worth remembering by the
Salesman.
The "click" of Decision is often produced by the Salesman "putting up"
some strong question or statement to the prospect, which, in the popular
term, "brings him to his feet." As for instance the closing illustration
of some of the National Cash Register salesmen, who after having
demonstrated the merits of the cash register by placing in it the "$7.16
of real money," in two-dollar bills, one-dollar bills, silver dollars,
half-dollars, quarters, dimes, nickles and pennies, during the various
points of the demonstration, turns suddenly to the prospect and says to
him: "Mr. Blank, you have been watching every coin and bill I have put
into this cash drawer. Now how much money do you think is in this
drawer?" Mr. Blank naturally doesn't know. Then the Salesman proceeds:
"Well, then, if you have no conception of the amount of money in this
drawer, after watching me put every coin and bill into it, far more
closely than you could possibly watch such transactions in your own
store, you must admit you are guessing every night as to the amount that
should be in your cash drawer in your store." Pausing a moment to let
this strong point sink into the prospect's mind, the Salesman then says,
earnestly and impressively: "_Mr. Blank, don't you think you ought to
have a register of this kind?_" Every proposition contains features
similar to the one noted above, which can be used effectively in
bringing about the "click" of decision.
In some cases the Suggestion of Imitation may be employed at this stage
by showing orders from others, provided they are of importance. Some men
do not like this, but the majority are influenced by the example of
others and the imitative suggestion prevails and brings down the scale
of Decision. In some other cases the Salesman has found it advantageous
to drop into a serious, earnest tone, manifesting a spirit akin to that
of the earnest worker at a revival meeting, and laying his hand on the
prospect's arm, impress upon him the urgent need of his doing this thing
for his own good. With some prospects this plan of placing the hand upon
him in a brotherly spirit, and looking him earnestly in the eye, results
in the final warming up of conviction and decision--probably from the
associated suggestion of previous solemn exhortations and friendly
counsel. But other men resent any such familiarity--one must know human
nature in using this method.
Never attempt to close your sale in the presence of outsiders. Always
defer it until the prospect is alone, and you have his undivided
attention. It is impossible to get into the "heart to heart" rapport in
the presence of other people.
You may sometimes bring about the Decision by asking pointed and
appropriate questions, the answer of which must act to clinch the
matter. But in asking these questions always be careful not to ask a
question which may easily be answered by a "No." Never say: "Won't you
buy?" or "Can't I sell you?" These questions, and others like them give
the suggestion of a negative answer--they make it too easy for the
prospect to say "No." Remember what we have said elsewhere regarding the
suggestions of questions. Remember the horrible example of "You don't
want to buy anything to-day, do you?" And also remember that a question
preceded by an affirmative statement, tends to draw forth an affirmative
answer. As, for instance: "That is a nice day, isn't it;" or, "This is a
beautiful shade of pink, isn't it?;" or, "This is quite an improvement,
isn't it?" In asking the important question, do not show any doubt in
your tone, manner or form of expression. Beware, always, of making a
negative mental track for your prospect to travel over. The mind works
along the lines of least resistance--be sure you make that "line" in the
right direction.
In cases where you have been recommended to call upon a person by a
friend with whom he has discussed the proposition, you may often find
that but little preliminary talk is needed, and you may proceed to the
Closing very shortly after opening the conversation. In these cases, the
prospect often has "closed himself" without your aid--he wants the thing
without urging. When you meet this condition, take things for granted,
and make the sale just as you would if the prospect had called upon you
to make the purchase. And in any and every case, if you see that the
prospect has "closed himself," clinch the matter at once. And you can
readily see when this stage has arrived. After all, the process of
discovering the "psychological moment" of Closing is like the intuitive
discovery of the psychological moment for "popping the question" in
courting. At certain times in courting these psychological moments
arise--then is the time to "close." And the same rule holds good in
Salesmanship. It is largely a matter of feeling, after all.
And, in Salesmanship, as in courting, remember also that "Faint Heart
never won Fair Lady." Fortune favors the brave. When you feel the
psychological urge of the moment--step in! Don't be afraid. Remember the
old couplet:
"Tender-handed grasp a nettle, and it stings you for your pains.
Grasp it like a man of mettle, and it soft as down remains."
When it comes to the psychological moment, banish fear from your mind.
Show spirit and be "game." You have got to make the plunge, and take the
risk of "the proposal" some time--why not now? You have done your best,
then go ahead. Stand up and take your chance like a man. But never act
as if there is any chance about it--preserve your mental attitude of
confident expectation, for these mental states are contagious.
If, in spite of everything, the Decision be against you, do not be
discouraged. If you think you can reverse the decision by a little
further persuasion, do so by all means. Many a battle is won, after it
has apparently been lost. Few maidens expect their gallant laddies to
accept the first "No" as conclusive--and the minds of many buyers work
in the same way. There is a certain coyness about maids, _and
prospects_, which seems to call for a little further coaxing. Many
prospects yield only at the final appeal--they are like Byron's heroine
who "saying she would ne'er consent, consented."
But if the "No" is final, take it good-naturedly, and without show of
resentment, and assuming an "I will call again another day" spirit, bid
the prospect good-bye, courteously, and take your departure. Many
subsequent sales have been made in this way--and many have been lost by
a show of ill-nature. The average man likes a game fighter, and respects
a "good loser." Don't give up at anything short of a "knock-out," but,
that given, shake hands with the victor good-naturedly, and then proceed
to lay plans for another interview. Good nature and cheerfulness under
defeat never fail to make friends, and to disarm enemies.
As we have said in a previous chapter, there is sometimes a hitch
between Decision and Action. The spirit of procrastination creeps in,
and the prospect tries to put off the actual order. Try to overcome
this by "taking down" the order at once. Do not allow any wait at this
stage. If no signed order is necessary get the order down in your order
book as quickly as possible. Have your order book handy so that no
awkward wait arises. Avoid these intervals of waiting as far as
possible. Get through with the thing, and get out.
If a signed order is required, approach the request as a matter of
course. Do not assume the air of asking any further favor, or of needing
any argument regarding the signing. Treat it as a matter of course, and
as if the matter had been agreed upon. Do not say "I will have to ask
you to sign," etc., but say simply "sign here, please," placing your
fountain pen at the "suggestive slant," and in his direction, indicating
the line at the same time. Some salesmen even touch the pen to the line,
starting the ink flowing and the suggestion operating with the one
movement. Others proceed, calmly, like this: "Let's see, Mr. Blank, what
is your shipping address (or street number)?" adding, "We can have these
goods here by about such-and-such a date." And while he is saying this
they are filling up the order blank. Then, in the most matter of fact,
business-like manner they lay the order before the prospect, indicating
the line for signature, and saying: "Now, if you will kindly sign here,
please, Mr. Blank." And it is all over.
Always have the order blank, or book, and the fountain pen handy. Avoid
fiddling around after the pen or the book, or both--this is suggestive
in the wrong direction. Some salesmen lay the pen on top of the order
book, and place them easily before the prospect while talking. Others
lay the pen by the side of the book, in the same way. Collins says: "One
of the leading newspapers in the Middle West has a school for the
canvassers who solicit subscriptions. A set of books is sold in
connection with a year's subscription to this paper, and the solicitors
are drilled in old fashioned bookselling tactics, learning their
argument by rote. At the precise point where the signature of the
prospect is to be secured the salesman is taught to take his pencil from
his pocket, drop it on the floor apparently by accident, stoop over and
pick it up as he finishes his argument, and put it into the prospect's
fingers as a matter of course. Six times in ten the signature is written
without more argument." The psychological point employed here is
evidently that of distracting the prospect's mind from his ordinary
objection, and attracting his attention to the recovered pencil. A
similar proceeding is that followed by certain salesmen who carry a
large fountain pen with a rubber band wrapped around the handle. Talking
cheerfully, they drop the pen on the prospect's desk, close to his hand.
The rubber band makes it fall noiselessly, and prevents it from rolling.
The prospect is said usually to involuntarily pick up the pen, and move
it toward the order book which has been deftly placed before him, and,
then, still absorbed in the talk of the Salesman, he signs the order
blank. These methods are given for what they are worth, and in the way
of illustrating a psychological principle. Personally, we do not favor
these methods, and prefer the orthodox fountain pen, courteously handed
the prospect, at the "suggestive slant," with possibly the point
touching the line as an illustration of the "on this line, please,"
which accompanies it.
The principle to be observed in all cases where orders have to be
signed, receipts made out, etc., is to make the process as easy as
possible for the prospect. Let him work along the line of the least
resistance. Avoid giving him the adverse suggestion of "red tape,"
formality, "iron-clad contracts," etc. Act upon the principle of the
young man who when he asked his father for money would say it very
smoothly and _rapidly_ "twenty dollars please," as if it were twenty
cents. Smooth away every item of delay and friction, and adopt the
"rubber tire and ball bearings" mental attitude and mode of procedure.
Regarding the much disputed and vexing question of the interval between
Decision and Action, and the frequent failure of Decision to take form
in Action--which question, by the way, is very important in the Closing
of the Salesman--we ask you to read the following from the pen of Prof.
William James, the eminent psychologist:
"We know what it is to get out of bed on a freezing morning in a room
without a fire, and how the very vital principle within us protests
against the ordeal. Probably most persons have lain on certain mornings
for an hour at a time unable to brace themselves to the resolve. We
think how late we shall be, how the duties of the day will suffer; we
say, 'I _must_ get up, this is ignominious,' etc.; but still the warm
couch feels too delicious, the cold outside too cruel, and resolution
faints away and postpones itself again and again just as it seemed on
the verge of bursting the resistance and passing over into the decisive
act. Now how do we _ever_ get up under such circumstances? If I may
generalize from my own experience, we more often than not get up without
any struggle or decision at all. We suddenly find that we _have_ to get
up. A fortunate lapse of consciousness occurs; we forget both the warmth
and the cold; we fall into some reverie connected with the day's life,
in the course of which the idea flashes across us, 'Hello! I must lie
here no longer'--an idea which at that lucky instant awakens no
contradictory or paralyzing suggestions, and consequently produces
immediately its appropriate motor effects. It was our acute
consciousness of both the warmth and cold during the period of
struggle, which paralyzed our activity then and kept our idea of rising
in the condition of _wish_ and not of _will_. The moment these
inhibitory ideas ceased, the original idea exerted its effects. This
case seems to me to contain in miniature form the data for an entire
psychology of volition."
Prof. James, in another place, gives the following additional hint of
the process of transmuting the Decision into Action: "Let us call the
last idea which in the mind precedes the motor discharge, 'the
motor-cue' * * * There can be no doubt whatever that the cue may be an
image either of the resident or the remote kind."
It will be seen then that the "motor cue" which releases the spring of
Action--the mental trigger which fires the gun of will--may easily be
some remote idea _suggested_ to the mind, as for instance the sight of
the slanted fountain pen and order book. The man wants to, but does not
feel like getting out of bed, and his mind becomes inactive on the
question. If some friend had said to him, "Come, get out old fellow;" or
if he had had his mind suddenly attracted by some outside sound or
sight, he would have sprung out at once. As we have said, elsewhere, the
placing of a piece of twisted paper in the ear of a horse will cause him
to forget his balkiness--it changes his current of thought. Any new
impulse will tend to get a man over his period of "I want to but I
don't" mental hesitancy. We may have given you the psychology of the
thing here--you must work it out in the details of application to suit
your own requirements. Learn to show your prospect something that will
cause him to spring out of bed. Learn to stick the piece of twisted
paper in his ear, to overcome his balkiness. Give him the "motor cue" by
supplying him with a mental image "either of the resident or remote
kind." Like the boy shivering on the brink of the stream, he needs but a
"little shove" to make him take the plunge. Then he will call to others:
"Come on in, the water's fine."
And, now in conclusion: You have the signed order, but you must continue
your Mental Attitude until you fade from the prospect's sight. Do not
gush or become maudlin, as we have seen salesmen do. Maintain your
balance, and thank your customer courteously, but not as the recipient
of alms. Keep up his good impression of and respect for you to the last.
Leave the prospect with this thought radiating from your mind: "I have
done this man a good turn." The prospect will catch these subtle
vibrations, in some way not worth discussing, and he too will feel that
he has done well. Avoid the "Well, I landed this chap, all right, all
right!" mental attitude, which shows so plainly in the manner of some
salesmen after they have booked an order. The prospect will catch those
vibrations also, and will not like it--he will resent it, naturally. In
short, you would do well to follow the homely but scientific advice of
the old salesman who said: "Keep your sugar-coating on to the
last--leave 'em with a pleasant taste in their mouths." Make a good Last
Impression as well as a good First Impression.
But--and remember this also--get away when your work is over. Do not
hang around the office or store of the prospect after the sale is made.
Do not place yourself in a position where some newly discovered
objection will cause you to do your work all over again. You have got
what you came for--now get out! As Macbain says: "When the close is made
the customer should be left in the shortest possible time that may not
be characterized as abrupt. Having 'talked a man into a sale,' the
salesman should be careful not to talk him out. The old adage, 'Stop
praising the goods after the sale is made,' is as true as it is trite."
Collins very aptly says on this point: "The explainer type of salesman
may actually sell goods to a customer and then, by staying and talking,
unsell him without knowing it. * * * One afternoon not long ago, for
instance, a salesman sold eleven thousand dollars' worth of fabrics to a
prominent merchant and, by staying for a friendly chat after the order
had been secured, gave the merchant time to think twice and cancel it.
An excellent rule is that of a salesman who built up a business to a
quarter million in competition with wealthy competitors, doing this by
sheer selling ability. 'Take the first train out of town after you sell
your man,' was his rule. If there was no train for several hours he
excused himself the moment a deal was closed, and disappeared. 'Just as
sure as I stayed around after that order was in my pocket,' he says,
'part of it would be cancelled or modified by the buyer, or some of my
work in selling undone. If it were nothing else the buyer would play on
the fact that I felt good about getting that order, and squeeze
something extra out of me.' When you land your man get out of sight."
And, taking our own advice, kind reader, we, having said our say and
"closed," will now take our departure. We thank you for your kind
attention, and feel that we "have done you a good turn."
* * * * *
Transcriber's note:
Obvious typographical and printer errors have been corrected without
comment.
In addition to obvious errors, the following corrections have been made:
1. Page 22: a missing quote mark was added to the end of the sentence
beginning, "Geo. Dyers, in the same journal says: "Advertising...."
2. Page 34: extra "the" removed from the phrase, "as Kipling says:
"The...."
3. Page 53: a missing quote mark was added to the end of the sentence
beginning, "People are all after money...."
4. Page 139: "Voluntary" changed to "Involuntary" in the phrase,
"Involuntary attention, on the contrary...."
5. Page 228: "salesman" changed to "salesmen" in the phrase, "Veteran
salesmen gauge...."
6. Page 237: "hereby" changed to "here by" in the phrase, "We can have
these goods here by about such-and-such a date."
Other than the above errors, no attempt has been made to correct common
spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc. The author's usage is preserved as
printed in the original publication. Unconventional spelling which has
been preserved includes, but is not limited to the following:
advisibility
argumentive
irrefragible
propogandist
Inconsistencies in hyphenation include:
baseball/ base-ball
pocketbook/ pocket-book
sidetrack/ side-track
straightforward/ straight-forward