Closing a deal or getting the sale. Just saying the words excites me as I remember all of my preparation, hard work, the fulfillment of expectations, and the trust that is established throughout the process. Getting closure, as defined in the Oxford dictionary, is having, “A sense of resolution or conclusion at the end of an artistic work.” Reaching a sense of closure is, by many accounts, the definition of success – a true cause for celebration. The feeling of closure is in and of itself, euphoric.
The reason for my love of closing a deal is the ultimate feeling of closure. If you have ever recognized that you fail to experience this feeling as often as you would like, than this article is for you. I’ve written this article as a way to briefly explain to you my take on how to create a desirable outcome for both you and whomever you are engaged in an opportunity with. By way of my multitude of experience, I have unearthed the three essential requirements to closing a deal.
These fundamental conditions are as follows:
1. Remain focused and clear on the desired outcome.
The outcome is not always an order or a sale. In fact, often it can be a second meeting, asking for a referral, or collecting advanced, critical information. Ultimately, you are building a relationship based on trust towards a future sale while gaining credibility along the way. The principal point is to always have a purpose for your interactions with individuals that you are looking to have a business relationship with. Being patient, professional, and concise will allow for you to be purposeful in your objectives and thus, you will be respectful of your and other people’s time.
2. Be sure to focus on other people’s needs before your own.
It is an old adage that holds true today stating that, “You have to give before you get.” In my own experience, I once had an individual who worked tediously to sell me for many months with the approach of continuously calling me with referrals on a monthly basis. Because of his hard work, it didn’t take long before we were doing business together. If you are someone who is truly looking for a win-win outcome, you will focus on the other person’s needs before your own.
3. Create a sense of urgency.
Most people are busy and are not looking for you to intrude into their world. It takes a great salesman to break through this barrier and show people what they’ve been missing. By creating a feeling of desire that the other individual has failed to realize, the salesman is able to assist that individual in moving to a better future—a better place. Because most people are risk adverse, they are very comfortable sitting on the proverbial fence. It is your job to paint a future for them in which you are able to making their job easier and their life more enjoyable. When you do this they will begin to take action.
We wake up everyday wanting to accomplish great things. The question you have to ask yourself is: “Who are you trying to accomplish things for?” If it is for others, then you are guaranteed to influence a wide range of activities, open a lot of doors, and generate a large amount of opportunities for yourself. You must appreciate the fact that people do things for their own reasons, not yours, and that they are skeptical. If you fail to satisfy another person or company’s needs, then you have to move on. Selling, and ultimately closing a deal is done when you have crafted a scenario where both parties are happy with the outcome.
Stay purposeful, and enjoy closing more deals.
