THE CLOSING

The "Closing" is a stage of the sale that is an object of dread to the majority of salesmen. In fact some salesmen content themselves with leading the prospect to the point bordering on Decision and Action, and then lose heart, leave the prospect, and later bring around the sales manager or special "closer" for the concern. They can lead the horse to the trough, but they cannot make him drink. While it is true that the stage of Closing is a delicate one, and involving as it does some practical psychological strategy, nevertheless we are of the opinion that many salesmen are victims of their own adverse auto-suggestions in this matter—they make a boogaboo of the thing which is often found to be but lath and plaster instead of solid iron and granite. Many a salesman is defeated in his Closing by his own fears rather than by the prospect. This stage of the sale is one in which the Salesman should draw on his reserve store of enthusiasm and energy—for he needs it in order to carry the day. As Holman once wrote: "General Grant said that in almost every battle, after hours of fighting, there came a critical moment in which both parties were tired out, and the side that braced up at that moment and pounded hard would win. This is probably so in selling. A good salesman knows that critical moment, and pounds."

The main cause of the failure to bring the prospect to a favorable Decision—the first of the two final stages of the Closing—is that the Salesman has not done his best work in the preliminary stages of the Demonstration. He has not demonstrated the proposition properly, or has not awakened the Imagination and Inclination of the prospect to a sufficient extent. Many salesmen slight the preliminary process of the Demonstration in their anxiety to reach the Closing—but this is a great mistake, for no structure is stronger than its foundation. The Closing should follow as a logical and legitimate conclusion of the preceding stages. It should be like the result of a mathematical problem which has been carefully worked out. Of course it is impossible for any one Salesman to "sell them all," from the very nature of things—but the average man could sell a larger percentage of prospects if he would strengthen himself along the preliminary stages leading up to the Closing, and to the final steps of the latter.

The gist of the whole matter of the failure of a prospect to make a favorable Decision is this: He hasn't been convinced! Why? If you can answer this question, you have the key to the problem. You haven't reached the man's desire. Why? If you can get him to "want" the thing, the decision is a mere matter of final settling down to choice. You may have said to the man, "This is a good thing—you ought to have it," over and over again—but have you actually made him see that it was a good thing and that he ought to have it? It is one thing to tell a man these things, and another to reproduce your own beliefs in his mind.

The changing of the talk from that affecting Deliberation on the part of the prospect, to that influencing his Decision, is a delicate matter. There is a "psychological moment" for the change which some men seem to perceive intuitively, while others have to learn it by hard experience. It is the critical balancing point between "enough" and "too much" talk.

On the one hand, the Salesman must beware of a premature Closing, and on the other he must avoid "unselling" a man after he has made the psychological sale. Some men are inclined toward one of these faults—and some to the other. The ideal Salesman has found the nice point of balance between the two.

If the Salesman attempts to make a premature Closing, he will probably have failed to bring about the full desire and careful Deliberation in the prospect's mind. As a practical writer on the subject has pointed out, this course is as faulty as that of a lawyer who would attempt to begin his closing address to the jury before he had gotten in his evidence. The trained finger on the pulse should detect the "high-tide of interest," and close the demonstration at this point, moving surely and swiftly to the Closing.

On the other hand, if the Salesman persists in talking on, rambling and wandering, after he has made a particular point, or all of his points, he runs the risk of losing his prospect's attention and interest, and with it the newly awakened inclination and desire. James H. Collins, in a recent article in "The Saturday Evening Post," relates the following amusing anecdote illustrating this tendency on the part of the Salesman:

"How easily a customer may be talked out of buying is shown by the experience of a real-estate promoter who sells New York property to investors in other cities through a staff of salesmen. One of his men reported that he was unable to close an elderly German in Pittsburg. 'I've explained the whole property,' said the salesman. 'He understands the possibilities, yet doesn't invest.' Next time the promoter was in Pittsburg he called on this investor, accompanied by his salesman. The latter explained the proposition again most exhaustively, and made every effort to be clear and convincing. * * * From time to time the investor tried to interrupt, but the salesman swept on, saying: 'Just a moment, and I'll take that point up with you.' When the story was finished he recapitulated. When that was finished he began a resume of the recapitulation preparatory to rushing the man. Here the boss felt that the investor really wanted to be heard, so he interrupted the salesman: 'Charlie, I guess if Mr. Conrad here doesn't realize the magnificent opportunities in New York realty after all you've told him, there's no use telling him any more.' 'Mein gracious!' protested Conrad. 'I do realize them. What I wanted to say is that I will take these lots.'"

There is a sixth sense, or intuitive faculty developed in many good salesmen which tends to inform them when they have said enough along any particular line, or on the whole subject. In the midst of a sentence, or after the close of a statement, one will notice a subtle and indefinable change in the manner or expression of the prospect which informs one that it is time to stop, and "sum up," or briefly recapitulate. And this "summing up" must be made briefly, and to the point, in an earnest manner. It should be made in a logical order and sequence, each point being driven in as with a sledge hammer of conviction. One should lay especial stress upon any points in which the prospect seemed interested during the Demonstration. In short he should fall in with the spirit of the attorney in his closing address, in which he sums up his strong points, always with an eye on the jury which he has carefully watched for signs of interest during the progress of the trial. Each juryman's character is represented by a faculty in the mind of the prospect—each should be appealed to along its own particular lines.

The perception of the "psychological moment" of closing the selling talk, is akin to that of the lawyer who leads his jury up to a dramatic and logical climax—and then stops. Avoid creating an anti-climax. Mr. Collins in the magazine article mentioned a moment ago says: "The chief shortcoming of the salesman who has difficulty in closing is, usually, that he doesn't know when the psychological moment has come to rush his man. This is a very definite moment in every deal. Veteran salesmen gauge it in various ways, some by the attention their argument is receiving, others by some sign in the customer's eyes, and others still by a sort of sixth sense which seldom leads them wrong. * * * If the mechanism of a representative sale could be laid bare for study it would probably approximate the mechanism of the universe in that material theory by which the philosophers explain the whole thing up to the point where a slight push was necessary to set it going eternally. The sale of the man who doesn't close is technically complete except for the push that lands the order. Sales may be made by patient exposition of facts, building up the case for the goods. But to close them, very often, a real push or kick is needed. Logic avails up to the moment when the customer must be rushed."

The trouble with some prospects is that they have practically made the Decision—but do not know they have. That is, they have accepted the premises of the argument; admitted the logic of the succeeding argument and demonstration; can see no escape from the conclusion—but still they have not released the spring of formal Decision which settles the matter with a mental "click." It is the Salesman's business to produce this mental "click." It is a process akin to "calling the hand" of the opponent in a certain game other than that of salesmanship. It is the stage in which the matter is fairly and squarely "put up" to the prospect. It is a situation demanding nerve on the part of the Salesman—that is apparent nerve, for it is after all somewhat of a bluff on his part, for although he wins if the prospect says "Yes," he does not necessarily lose if the answer be "No!" for the Salesman, like the lover, should never let one "No" discourage him. "Never take 'No!' for an answer," says the old song—and it is worth remembering by the Salesman.

The "click" of Decision is often produced by the Salesman "putting up" some strong question or statement to the prospect, which, in the popular term, "brings him to his feet." As for instance the closing illustration of some of the National Cash Register salesmen, who after having demonstrated the merits of the cash register by placing in it the "$7.16 of real money," in two-dollar bills, one-dollar bills, silver dollars, half-dollars, quarters, dimes, nickles and pennies, during the various points of the demonstration, turns suddenly to the prospect and says to him: "Mr. Blank, you have been watching every coin and bill I have put into this cash drawer. Now how much money do you think is in this drawer?" Mr. Blank naturally doesn't know. Then the Salesman proceeds: "Well, then, if you have no conception of the amount of money in this drawer, after watching me put every coin and bill into it, far more closely than you could possibly watch such transactions in your own store, you must admit you are guessing every night as to the amount that should be in your cash drawer in your store." Pausing a moment to let this strong point sink into the prospect's mind, the Salesman then says, earnestly and impressively: "Mr. Blank, don't you think you ought to have a register of this kind?" Every proposition contains features similar to the one noted above, which can be used effectively in bringing about the "click" of decision.

In some cases the Suggestion of Imitation may be employed at this stage by showing orders from others, provided they are of importance. Some men do not like this, but the majority are influenced by the example of others and the imitative suggestion prevails and brings down the scale of Decision. In some other cases the Salesman has found it advantageous to drop into a serious, earnest tone, manifesting a spirit akin to that of the earnest worker at a revival meeting, and laying his hand on the prospect's arm, impress upon him the urgent need of his doing this thing for his own good. With some prospects this plan of placing the hand upon him in a brotherly spirit, and looking him earnestly in the eye, results in the final warming up of conviction and decision—probably from the associated suggestion of previous solemn exhortations and friendly counsel. But other men resent any such familiarity—one must know human nature in using this method.

Never attempt to close your sale in the presence of outsiders. Always defer it until the prospect is alone, and you have his undivided attention. It is impossible to get into the "heart to heart" rapport in the presence of other people.

You may sometimes bring about the Decision by asking pointed and appropriate questions, the answer of which must act to clinch the matter. But in asking these questions always be careful not to ask a question which may easily be answered by a "No." Never say: "Won't you buy?" or "Can't I sell you?" These questions, and others like them give the suggestion of a negative answer—they make it too easy for the prospect to say "No." Remember what we have said elsewhere regarding the suggestions of questions. Remember the horrible example of "You don't want to buy anything to-day, do you?" And also remember that a question preceded by an affirmative statement, tends to draw forth an affirmative answer. As, for instance: "That is a nice day, isn't it;" or, "This is a beautiful shade of pink, isn't it?;" or, "This is quite an improvement, isn't it?" In asking the important question, do not show any doubt in your tone, manner or form of expression. Beware, always, of making a negative mental track for your prospect to travel over. The mind works along the lines of least resistance—be sure you make that "line" in the right direction.

In cases where you have been recommended to call upon a person by a friend with whom he has discussed the proposition, you may often find that but little preliminary talk is needed, and you may proceed to the Closing very shortly after opening the conversation. In these cases, the prospect often has "closed himself" without your aid—he wants the thing without urging. When you meet this condition, take things for granted, and make the sale just as you would if the prospect had called upon you to make the purchase. And in any and every case, if you see that the prospect has "closed himself," clinch the matter at once. And you can readily see when this stage has arrived. After all, the process of discovering the "psychological moment" of Closing is like the intuitive discovery of the psychological moment for "popping the question" in courting. At certain times in courting these psychological moments arise—then is the time to "close." And the same rule holds good in Salesmanship. It is largely a matter of feeling, after all.

And, in Salesmanship, as in courting, remember also that "Faint Heart never won Fair Lady." Fortune favors the brave. When you feel the psychological urge of the moment—step in! Don't be afraid. Remember the old couplet:

When it comes to the psychological moment, banish fear from your mind. Show spirit and be "game." You have got to make the plunge, and take the risk of "the proposal" some time—why not now? You have done your best, then go ahead. Stand up and take your chance like a man. But never act as if there is any chance about it—preserve your mental attitude of confident expectation, for these mental states are contagious.

If, in spite of everything, the Decision be against you, do not be discouraged. If you think you can reverse the decision by a little further persuasion, do so by all means. Many a battle is won, after it has apparently been lost. Few maidens expect their gallant laddies to accept the first "No" as conclusive—and the minds of many buyers work in the same way. There is a certain coyness about maids, and prospects, which seems to call for a little further coaxing. Many prospects yield only at the final appeal—they are like Byron's heroine who "saying she would ne'er consent, consented."

But if the "No" is final, take it good-naturedly, and without show of resentment, and assuming an "I will call again another day" spirit, bid the prospect good-bye, courteously, and take your departure. Many subsequent sales have been made in this way—and many have been lost by a show of ill-nature. The average man likes a game fighter, and respects a "good loser." Don't give up at anything short of a "knock-out," but, that given, shake hands with the victor good-naturedly, and then proceed to lay plans for another interview. Good nature and cheerfulness under defeat never fail to make friends, and to disarm enemies.

As we have said in a previous chapter, there is sometimes a hitch between Decision and Action. The spirit of procrastination creeps in, and the prospect tries to put off the actual order. Try to overcome this by "taking down" the order at once. Do not allow any wait at this stage. If no signed order is necessary get the order down in your order book as quickly as possible. Have your order book handy so that no awkward wait arises. Avoid these intervals of waiting as far as possible. Get through with the thing, and get out.

If a signed order is required, approach the request as a matter of course. Do not assume the air of asking any further favor, or of needing any argument regarding the signing. Treat it as a matter of course, and as if the matter had been agreed upon. Do not say "I will have to ask you to sign," etc., but say simply "sign here, please," placing your fountain pen at the "suggestive slant," and in his direction, indicating the line at the same time. Some salesmen even touch the pen to the line, starting the ink flowing and the suggestion operating with the one movement. Others proceed, calmly, like this: "Let's see, Mr. Blank, what is your shipping address (or street number)?" adding, "We can have these goods here by about such-and-such a date." And while he is saying this they are filling up the order blank. Then, in the most matter of fact, business-like manner they lay the order before the prospect, indicating the line for signature, and saying: "Now, if you will kindly sign here, please, Mr. Blank." And it is all over.

Always have the order blank, or book, and the fountain pen handy. Avoid fiddling around after the pen or the book, or both—this is suggestive in the wrong direction. Some salesmen lay the pen on top of the order book, and place them easily before the prospect while talking. Others lay the pen by the side of the book, in the same way. Collins says: "One of the leading newspapers in the Middle West has a school for the canvassers who solicit subscriptions. A set of books is sold in connection with a year's subscription to this paper, and the solicitors are drilled in old fashioned bookselling tactics, learning their argument by rote. At the precise point where the signature of the prospect is to be secured the salesman is taught to take his pencil from his pocket, drop it on the floor apparently by accident, stoop over and pick it up as he finishes his argument, and put it into the prospect's fingers as a matter of course. Six times in ten the signature is written without more argument." The psychological point employed here is evidently that of distracting the prospect's mind from his ordinary objection, and attracting his attention to the recovered pencil. A similar proceeding is that followed by certain salesmen who carry a large fountain pen with a rubber band wrapped around the handle. Talking cheerfully, they drop the pen on the prospect's desk, close to his hand. The rubber band makes it fall noiselessly, and prevents it from rolling. The prospect is said usually to involuntarily pick up the pen, and move it toward the order book which has been deftly placed before him, and, then, still absorbed in the talk of the Salesman, he signs the order blank. These methods are given for what they are worth, and in the way of illustrating a psychological principle. Personally, we do not favor these methods, and prefer the orthodox fountain pen, courteously handed the prospect, at the "suggestive slant," with possibly the point touching the line as an illustration of the "on this line, please," which accompanies it.

The principle to be observed in all cases where orders have to be signed, receipts made out, etc., is to make the process as easy as possible for the prospect. Let him work along the line of the least resistance. Avoid giving him the adverse suggestion of "red tape," formality, "iron-clad contracts," etc. Act upon the principle of the young man who when he asked his father for money would say it very smoothly and rapidly "twenty dollars please," as if it were twenty cents. Smooth away every item of delay and friction, and adopt the "rubber tire and ball bearings" mental attitude and mode of procedure.

Regarding the much disputed and vexing question of the interval between Decision and Action, and the frequent failure of Decision to take form in Action—which question, by the way, is very important in the Closing of the Salesman—we ask you to read the following from the pen of Prof. William James, the eminent psychologist:

"We know what it is to get out of bed on a freezing morning in a room without a fire, and how the very vital principle within us protests against the ordeal. Probably most persons have lain on certain mornings for an hour at a time unable to brace themselves to the resolve. We think how late we shall be, how the duties of the day will suffer; we say, 'I must get up, this is ignominious,' etc.; but still the warm couch feels too delicious, the cold outside too cruel, and resolution faints away and postpones itself again and again just as it seemed on the verge of bursting the resistance and passing over into the decisive act. Now how do we ever get up under such circumstances? If I may generalize from my own experience, we more often than not get up without any struggle or decision at all. We suddenly find that we have to get up. A fortunate lapse of consciousness occurs; we forget both the warmth and the cold; we fall into some reverie connected with the day's life, in the course of which the idea flashes across us, 'Hello! I must lie here no longer'—an idea which at that lucky instant awakens no contradictory or paralyzing suggestions, and consequently produces immediately its appropriate motor effects. It was our acute consciousness of both the warmth and cold during the period of struggle, which paralyzed our activity then and kept our idea of rising in the condition of wish and not of will. The moment these inhibitory ideas ceased, the original idea exerted its effects. This case seems to me to contain in miniature form the data for an entire psychology of volition."

Prof. James, in another place, gives the following additional hint of the process of transmuting the Decision into Action: "Let us call the last idea which in the mind precedes the motor discharge, 'the motor-cue' * * * There can be no doubt whatever that the cue may be an image either of the resident or the remote kind."

It will be seen then that the "motor cue" which releases the spring of Action—the mental trigger which fires the gun of will—may easily be some remote idea suggested to the mind, as for instance the sight of the slanted fountain pen and order book. The man wants to, but does not feel like getting out of bed, and his mind becomes inactive on the question. If some friend had said to him, "Come, get out old fellow;" or if he had had his mind suddenly attracted by some outside sound or sight, he would have sprung out at once. As we have said, elsewhere, the placing of a piece of twisted paper in the ear of a horse will cause him to forget his balkiness—it changes his current of thought. Any new impulse will tend to get a man over his period of "I want to but I don't" mental hesitancy. We may have given you the psychology of the thing here—you must work it out in the details of application to suit your own requirements. Learn to show your prospect something that will cause him to spring out of bed. Learn to stick the piece of twisted paper in his ear, to overcome his balkiness. Give him the "motor cue" by supplying him with a mental image "either of the resident or remote kind." Like the boy shivering on the brink of the stream, he needs but a "little shove" to make him take the plunge. Then he will call to others: "Come on in, the water's fine."

And, now in conclusion: You have the signed order, but you must continue your Mental Attitude until you fade from the prospect's sight. Do not gush or become maudlin, as we have seen salesmen do. Maintain your balance, and thank your customer courteously, but not as the recipient of alms. Keep up his good impression of and respect for you to the last. Leave the prospect with this thought radiating from your mind: "I have done this man a good turn." The prospect will catch these subtle vibrations, in some way not worth discussing, and he too will feel that he has done well. Avoid the "Well, I landed this chap, all right, all right!" mental attitude, which shows so plainly in the manner of some salesmen after they have booked an order. The prospect will catch those vibrations also, and will not like it—he will resent it, naturally. In short, you would do well to follow the homely but scientific advice of the old salesman who said: "Keep your sugar-coating on to the last—leave 'em with a pleasant taste in their mouths." Make a good Last Impression as well as a good First Impression.

But—and remember this also—get away when your work is over. Do not hang around the office or store of the prospect after the sale is made. Do not place yourself in a position where some newly discovered objection will cause you to do your work all over again. You have got what you came for—now get out! As Macbain says: "When the close is made the customer should be left in the shortest possible time that may not be characterized as abrupt. Having 'talked a man into a sale,' the salesman should be careful not to talk him out. The old adage, 'Stop praising the goods after the sale is made,' is as true as it is trite." Collins very aptly says on this point: "The explainer type of salesman may actually sell goods to a customer and then, by staying and talking, unsell him without knowing it. * * * One afternoon not long ago, for instance, a salesman sold eleven thousand dollars' worth of fabrics to a prominent merchant and, by staying for a friendly chat after the order had been secured, gave the merchant time to think twice and cancel it. An excellent rule is that of a salesman who built up a business to a quarter million in competition with wealthy competitors, doing this by sheer selling ability. 'Take the first train out of town after you sell your man,' was his rule. If there was no train for several hours he excused himself the moment a deal was closed, and disappeared. 'Just as sure as I stayed around after that order was in my pocket,' he says, 'part of it would be cancelled or modified by the buyer, or some of my work in selling undone. If it were nothing else the buyer would play on the fact that I felt good about getting that order, and squeeze something extra out of me.' When you land your man get out of sight."

And, taking our own advice, kind reader, we, having said our say and "closed," will now take our departure. We thank you for your kind attention, and feel that we "have done you a good turn."