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What is a Good Closer?

By Greer, Charlie
Publication: Contracting Business
Date: Saturday, April 1 2006
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Two salesmen run into each other at the end of the day. "How was your day?" the first salesman asks.

The second salesman replies, "Oh, I had a lot of great conversations with some really nice people!"

The first salesman says, "Yeah, I didn't sell anything either."

>It's not that hard to make a favorable impression and do an informative presentation. The question is, can you close? That's what sales people get paid for - closing sales.

Not a Joke. When someone mentions the word "closer," does it conjure up images of a slick, fast-talking, pushy, and aggressive shark who is just interested in making sales, with no concern whatsoever about whether or not the customer needs the product, can afford it or even if product itself is legitimate?

If so, clear your mind of that image and possibly everything you believe you know about salespeople and salesmanship.

True salespeople consider high-pressure closing to be "so pre-nineties." The people that use highpressure tactics aren't real salespeople. They're wannabe salespeople. They're part of the 95% of people that try a job in sales and fail.

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