The Secret To Closing More Business

A secret implies there is knowledge being kept from view. Somehow deliberate and intentional. It’s simply untrue. The truth is that the opportunity you have to close more business, more often has always been available to you. And, it’s much simpler than you’ve been making it out to be.

So, what does it take to close more business more often? Read on. And as you do be willing to check-in and ask yourself some questions.

AWARENESS

Yup. Being aware of your internal conversation is fundamental to closing more business. Be aware of your thinking. Top sellers (top closers) think more possibility than limitation, think more opportunity than obstacle, think more ‘what if’ and ‘why not’ than circumstance and excuses, more ‘yes, and…’ than ‘that won’t work’. Ask yourself right now, does your thinking need some adjusting?

HABITS

It was Aristotle who said, “we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” But are your habits creating the ‘excellent’ result you desire? Why are you doing what you’re doing (or not doing) if the result isn’t what you want?

You see, the problem with habits is two-fold. First, we blindly we follow them, unaware or unconsciously, putting our left shoe on first because we always have. Second, we don’t examine the root of our actions – our thinking!

It’s time for some reverse engineering for any hope of a different result. Ask yourself:

1.    What result did I get? Was it the result that I wanted?

2.    What did I do or not do to get that result?

3.    Why did I do or not do – what ‘self-talk’ created those actions?

4.    What new thinking will more likely cause my success next time?

The right thinking habits will close more business, more often.

VALUE AND SERVICE

There is nothing more fun than hearing the magical word, YES! It follows with a happy dance, a ‘cha-ching’, the bell gets rung, you share the good news with your manager or spouse or colleague. It’s so good! And of course, you get paid.

But here’s the thing. Money is the reward not the reason for that ‘YES’. In my early days of business coaching, I had the great privilege of working with groups of rookie financial advisors.  I would ask in an early session what got them into the business. The answers varied, but I noticed that some replied boldly and clearly, “to make a lot of money”. Now, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone tell me “I want to be broke”, but almost everyone who put money as their primary reason, failed or at least struggled a lot more than others who were equally bright and capable. I like the way James Altucher says it in his latest book, Skip The Line. He says, “…any good business is going to be about service to others. It’s about providing great value to a community that you want to help. For so many years I tried business models with the end goal of making money, not of providing value. This is the wrong way to think about money. Money is a physical reward for providing service…” He goes on to describe three business models grounded in service and value that have generated billions in revenues. (Get the book, it’s awesome).

So, what got you into your business or industry? What do you love about your product, your company, your industry? What good do you do / does your product or service do for the community of people served? What’s unique about your ‘expression’ of the product or service? Answer these questions, write it down, focus on that.

What you focus on emanates. Being of service creates curiosity. Your questions will be better, open, authentic, courageous. You will listen more than talk. The conversation will be about them not you. You will become a conduit for their success. You will close more business more often.

JUST ASK!

Think about it this way. If you know what you have is of value or service and you’ve confirmed that through the conversation, then you’re not being of service or of value in not asking for the business. So do that… and just ask!

This is simple stuff and it's no secret.

Happy Closing!