Rainmaking Secrets

Whenever I feel I am being too pushy with a prospect or client, I think of a Ralph McTell song.

The song is called Sweet Mystery.  It’s about a young man, desperate to make the right impression on his first date:

“One of these days I’m going to do it right,
Take her out to dine by candlelight,
Rent a suit and give my shoes a shine,
Talk about nothing over a glass or two of expensive wine.
One of these days I’m going to do it right,
Get to her door and just say goodnight,
Even if she asks me to come in,
I’ll make myself say ‘no’ so I can call again.”

The young man has learnt from past mistakes: he is thinking long term.

This is unlike the standard advice so many salespeople receive from their managers: “Remember the ABCs of selling - Always Be Closing.”

If ABC is bad advice, then when should you close?

While most customers won’t say “I’m ready to buy – it’s time for you to close the sale,” they will indicate with their body language and words that they are receptive to closure.

If the customer body language is positive, i.e. – they’re making eye contact, sitting forward, and displaying an open body posture with legs apart, then their body is saying ‘yes.’

If the customer is using words such as “when could you install our machine” or “can you guarantee completion of the job in the next eight weeks,” now is the time to close.

You can confirm a prospect’s readiness to buy by stating: “We seem to have covered everything you asked for. Do you have any remaining concerns?” If they do express any remaining concerns, treat this as an objection. Answer the objection and then move on to the closure.

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In his book The Language Instict, Steven Pinker makes the point that humans are so innately hardwired for language that they can no more supress their ability to learn and use language than they can suppress the instinct to pull a hand back from a hot surface. We are remarkably sophisticated when it comes to distinguishing words that persuade and words that repel.

Imagine asking someone out on a date by saying:

I hereby request your attendance at a film or other comparable activity in a public social setting as arranged by mutual agreement. Should the request be granted, I will accept financial liability for the evening’s activities to the amount of a reasonable sum that would normally be incurred during such activities. The purpose of the proposed social activity is to ascertain mutual compatibility for further social interactions and possible sexual activity, as mutually agreed upon by both parties. If the request is granted, neither party is under any obligation to engage in further social interactions, nor to engage in sexual activity at the conclusion of the proposed social activity.

What are the odds of someone accepting this proposal? Very low I suggest.

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