Recently, Charles was providing sales training for a client. He was facilitating a program that is designed to help our client obtain corporate accounts that represent $5,000-50,000 annual revenue per account. During that training, a member of our client's sales team learned a lesson he will likely never forget.
Like many companies in our industry, our client's sales team is small-- primarily made up of three individuals. The most recent addition to that team is “John.” John was formerly in management and is new to sales. During the training, Charles spent time with the team reviewing the outcomes of recent outside sales appointments. One of John's appointments became the focus of the training.
Very frustrated, John explained how he did everything right to secure the piece of business. He was well prepared for the appointment. He shared how he and the customer had coffee, laughed, revealed similar recreational interests, and in general, really got along with each other. John knew that the potential customer liked him. He also knew that meant there was a good chance he would buy from him.
Charles continued to listen, asking for more detail.
John went on. He explained how he communicated the value of doing business with “John's Limousines” with confidence and clarity. He reviewed the service contract with the customer effectively. He said the customer even told him that he understood the value of “John's Limousines” services, that they addressed his needs, and he agreed that the price for those services was fair. At this point, John explained he was already visualizing crisp dollar bills that would soon be in his hand as a result of this sale.
Ten minutes later, John smiled, shook the customer's hand, and walked out of the customer's office without a signed contract. John couldn't believe it. Did he miss something? Had he completely misread the customer? He was certain that this was a done deal.
What in the world happened?
John was highly discouraged. He had put a lot of time and energy into closing this account. After listening intently to his story, Charles asked, “John, at any point in this meeting, did you actually ask the customer for his business?” John thought back through his whole meeting, specifically how it ended, and realized that he had never “directly” asked for the customer's business.
Charles didn't need to say anything else. A light switch went off in John's head. He raced to the phone and called the customer and asked him for the business. Within 30 minutes, the customer had faxed John a service contract that is worth approximately $25,000 over the next year.
The lesson from this story is that John was lucky. Many of us do not get a second chance to close business. John did many things well in his sales appointment. He built rapport with the customer. He clearly communicated value to the customer and connected it to the customer's needs. But he overlooked one of the most basic principles in sales— he didn't ask for the business . If you don't ask, someone else will, and they will get the business.
Sales is an art form that every professional develops over time. As you develop your own set of skills and delivery style, make sure you don't forget the basics: ask for the business in every closing opportunity. You may not get a second chance.
