The Sales Professionals Blog

When it comes to sales, there are three distinct styles. Every sales person on the planet fits neatly into one of these styles.

* John Mclane - You live for the thrill of the hunt. You’re aggressive, competitive and impatient with paperwork. You know your production to the penny. As soon as a sale is clinched, you’re looking for your next conquest. You are the John Mclane of the sales world.

* James Bond–You’re a people-person and a relationship builder. For you, the sale begins at the time of the close. You take pride in providing strong customer service and it shows in your high persistence ratios. You believe a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

* Robocop –You’re the Energizer Bunny, the Robocop of sales. You’re relentless. While you’re not flashy like James Bond or warm and Rugged like John Mclane, you get the job done through sheer perseverance. Rejection doesn’t wear you down. Repetition doesn’t bore you.

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They say you can’t sell ice to an eskimo. I believe you can! But there is no doubt that the key will be in using a killer closing technique.

If you can learn and eventually master these closing techniques, then you could quite literally sell ice to an eskimo.

Below are the 4 most powerful closing techniques that any sales person, business person or website owner should know:

* A Direct Close - Simply ask the eskimo for the order when you are sure your prospect is ready.
* A Deal/Concession Close - Using this closing technique gives the prospect the feeling that they are making a smart choice and saving money (or getting more value). Use it with phrases like “Order today and I can add an extra 3 bags of ice for only 10 percent more.”
* A Time-Driven Close - This one works well with statements like, “Ice caps are likely to melt next week, so you should go ahead a let me place your order today.”
* Trial Offer - You can let the prospect use the product at no risk for a trial period. This works well if you’re selling products that make people’s lives easier. They aren’t likely to want to give it back if it has saved them a lot of time and effort during the trial period. On the other hand, if they haven’t had the experience with the product you told them they would then you probably won’t get another chance. Note: This method won’t work too well with ice.

So there you have it, with enough practice and development of these techniques, you should be ready to launch your ice company in the North Pole.

Good luck!

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It is not easy condensing the entire sales process into one template or cheat sheet. But if pushed, I would point towards the format that has been the industry standard since the early 1950s.

It goes a little something like this:

1. Attention: The first step should always be to grab attention, this can be done via adverts, headlines, a catchy opening line etc. If you can grab attention and prospect the customer, then even better!
2. Interest: Build their interest by using an emotional appeal such as how good they will look to their boss when they make this deal that will save the company thousands of dollars!
3. Desire: Desire can be built by showing the features and benefits. A great example of this is a test drive in a car.
4. Conviction: At this point you need to give them logical ammo to help them see the purchase as a logical and intelligent one. This can be done via testimonials, facts, stats etc…
5. Action: Without action, nothing happens. You really need to finish by encouraging some form of action. This may be an order, an address, their email details etc..

This sales process will be just as effective in offline and online worlds, so make a note of it, bookmark this page and use it as your sales template for future sales.

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We have talked a lot about the different techniques and tricks you can use to improve your sales skills. Everything from building rapport to the qualifying process to knowing when to close a deal. But what happens if none of this works? What happens if you have given in 110% and the sale seems to have slipped away like an eel in a stream of cooking oil?

(Special Note - Please See 6th November Update at end of this post)

According to the Daily Mail, one salesman (Carl Birkenshaw) decided that punching the customer was the best option. He did this simply because the customer had spoken to a rival company.

Carl Birkenshaw, 42, allegedly threw a series of punches at George Dixon after accusing him and his wife of wasting his time during a meeting at the couple’s home.

He erupted with rage when Mr Dixon informed him that they had already sought a quote from another firm for new windows to be fitted into their luxury conservatory.

Attacking his rival’s reputation and quality of work he went on to criticise the Dixons for calling him out to their home and repeatedly refused to leave, the court heard.

When Mr Dixon tried to usher him towards the front door Birkenshaw grabbed him by the throat and swung two punches at him, Bedlington magistrates court was told.

Mr Dixon retaliated and punched Birkenshaw on the chin, knocking him back on to the settee.

As Birkenshaw got up Mr Dixon is said to have tripped and fallen backwards onto the floor. Towering over him Birkenshaw then allegedly said: ‘I’ve got you now, you bastard.’

The sales manager leapt on top of Mr Dixon before punching him at least three times in the face whilst his hysterical wife, Evelyn, telephoned the police, the hearing was told.

Mr Dixon managed to get up and heard his wife tell Birkenshaw that the police were on their way. The salesman ran past him, grabbed his briefcase and left the house.

But before driving off in his car he turned furiously to Mr Dixon and said he would bring people round to ’sort him out’.

Mr Dixon, who was left bleeding from his mouth and with injuries to his face and shoulder, was later seen by his GP and prescribed painkillers for the effects of the punches.

The extraordinary fight occurred in February this year after Birkenshaw was invited to the couple’s home in Cramlington, Northumberland, to give them a quote for their conservatory.

When Mr Dixon later informed him that they had also spoken to another company, Birkenshaw, a salesman for Paramount Windows and Conservatories, allegedly lost his temper.

It is people like Carl that are giving this industry a bad name. So if you are struggling to close as many sales as you would like, then bookmark Confessionsofasalesman.co.uk and we will guide you through all the very best sales techniques and tips.

Note: If anyone knows Carl, tell him to visit the site as well, it sounds like he needs a few lessons.

VERY GOOD NEWS: 6th November 2007

Confessions of A Salesman has just heard that Carl Birkenshaw has been cleared of assaulting customer - please see:
Carl Birkenshaw has been cleared of assaulting customer

In Particular note:

Graham Auld, managing director of Paramount Windows, told magistrates Mr Birkenshaw was an outstanding employee and he had never received a single complaint from a customer about him.

Chairman of the bench, Pam Brown, said they believed Mr Birkenshaw’s version of events and that he acted in self-defence when struck by Mr Dixon.

This is really good news - and even though the original post is now out of date I think the fact that Carl Birkenshaw has been cleared is very important. It is rare for a customer to assult a salesperson - and frankly the media is such that almost always the “Sales Person” will be seen in a bad light. Here at Confessions Of A Salesman we would like to redress that imbalance more often. Carl has no doubt been through a terrible experience - but the fact that his employers have stuck by him and supported him is admirable.

I just trust that all that other media who reported on this when it first came to court will also follow up and give details of the Final Verdict.

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