Book The Art of Closing Any Deal

Who Are the Master Closers?

Master sales closers are scholars of the best selling procedures ever devised. The master closer is the King or Queen of Selling, distinguished from other sales people by self-confidence and showmanship. Master closers always have an attack plan, know exactly how to act, and are always in control. No one can out-think or out-maneuver the closer. "The closer can out-mind-manipulate a customer every time." Closers make themselves so comfortable that customers have no choice but to mirror that comfort level and let their guard down. Closers use everything at their disposal in much the same way that actors use props. Closers are so entertaining and make their customers feel so appreciated, that the customers become confident about the closers and therefore confident about the product.

“A master closer is the person who finds a positive solution for a customer’s problem through sophisticated and well planned mind-manipulation.”

Closers like people and want people to like them too, despite the fact that closers will use every psychological trick they know to get customers to do what they want. The closer is charming, personal, entertaining, personable, and even lovable. You just can’t resist a closer. The closer is also self-motivated, independent, aggressive, and positive. Closers carry the ball and always make a touchdown no matter the circumstances. Closers come in many different varieties, each with an individual set of acts, styles, and mannerisms. However, all closers share the same quality underneath: they can sell anything to anyone at any time.

“You must use everything you have in your bag of tricks (within reason) to gain the upper hand. You’re the actor.”

Closers’ assumed characters or acts develop out of what comes naturally to them, their appearance, or their general persona. Some varieties are:

• The Jack Rabbit Closer talks rapidly and has a contagious enthusiasm, excitement, and happiness that rubs off on the customer. These closers are high energy and always on the go.
• The Turtle Closer is "a good old boy," slow and down-home. He (Turtles are almost always men) acts like an old friend of the customer; presents an air of kindness, honesty, and integrity; and comes across as sincere and believable.
• The Positive Closer acts as if everything is just super. These closers are sharp, and always see the good in everyone and in every obstacle. They simply "overcome them all." They build customers up, radiate good thoughts, and make everyone feel better.
• The Negative Closer is a master manipulator who uses reverse psychology to close the deal. These closers have an "I don’t care" attitude. They listen to the customers and then present them with a deal as if they don’t care whether the customers take it or not. The customers want to buy because the closer is so unlike what the customers would have expected that they let their guard down and don’t put up any resistance. The customers also think the Negative closer is "holding back on some secret about the deal. The Negative Closer manipulates customers into feeling that the deal is so good that if they don’t get it, someone else will."
• The Jolly-Golly Closer is a clown with plenty of jokes and a happy-go-lucky personality. These closers joke around with the customers and get them so relaxed and off guard that they never know when the closer is going in for the close. The customers don’t realize that it is all an act and the closer has been selling them. All of Jolly-Golly Closers’ customers adore them.
• The Magic Man Closer always keeps the customer off balance so the customer "never knows exactly what to expect next." These closers are super showmen who keep customers entertained with intelligence, knowledge, and antics. Customers are spellbound by these closers’ friendliness and the magic, happy air they create around themselves and their product.
• The Razzle-Dazzle Closer "always has the special deals, the secret ones no one else knows about or can match." These closers do everything in a whirlwind, creating so much positive confusion with their movement and doubletalk that the customers are swept into the close.
• The Psychological/Methodical Closer is the problem-solver, the thinker. They use logic, know their customers’ thought processes, and can play mind games regarding every objection. They can overrule any negative thinking any customer could possibly express.
• The High Roller Closer (like the next two closers, almost always a male) shows customers that he is on top, and that if he can do it anyone can. He flashes his showy pinky ring and talks about his cars, boats, vacations, and other luxurious pursuits. He is a master intimidator and makes customers feel inferior. But then he boosts their egos so they feel equal to him, and they end up buying, to make the closer think they are his equal.
• The College Joe Closer looks like your son or grandson and always acts the part. He dresses and looks like such a nice boy. He uses honesty, innocence, and sincerity. He looks like "he wouldn’t try to sell something unless it was truly a great deal." Well-mannered and polite, he uses his grown-up Boy Scout act to get customers to buy.
• The Older Closer is a father or grandfather figure who gives ample advice, suggestions, and food for thought. Oozing wisdom and truth, he is good with younger customers who feel that he is looking out for them.

“The customer has a weakness somewhere and he [the master closer] knows it, so in this area the customer will be overprotective. The closer has got to search for and find this weak point.”

Master closers can be high pressure - trappers who "do not give the customers any place to turn or save face" - or low pressure. They are wizards who use mind manipulation to get customers to buy without realizing they’ve been manipulated. Master closers know that customers’ ages, professions, and ethnic backgrounds must be taken into consideration when formulating a plan for selling to them, although they never rule out a customer based on any kind of stereotype.

The Master Closers’ Tricks

Master closers won’t sell anything they are not sold on themselves. They won’t sell a particular product just because it has a higher commission than other products or services in other fields. As a football coach once told his players, "Take pride in your work, prove yourself on every play, have dedication, and have a good time, and the score will take care of itself." The master closer can overcome any customer objection, but not necessarily a customer condition. The closer has no control over a customer’s pre-conditions, such as a customer simply not being able to afford the product.

“All customers have been burned on products before and they expect to be burned again, so their guard is always up at the first meeting.”

Masters closers are constantly learning, have plenty of fighting spirit, and feel comfortable around customers. Master closers know they are the best. They go all out to make the sale, but they leave it all behind when they go home, so they can rest and recharge. Master closers know every type of customer and how to sell to each one. These closers know when to be direct and when to play mind games so that the customers are essentially selling themselves.

“Something sets him apart from other salesmen. He not only acts like a master closer, but thinks like one; he listens, he learns, understands, and uses a lot of charm and wit to solve problems simply and directly. He uses logic, and it is usually deadly.”

Master closers know these basic facts about customers:

• If closers ask customers if they can afford the product, customers will say yes, even if they really can’t. "Customers are generally notorious liars," because they don’t want anyone to know they can’t afford something.
• When selling to a couple, the wife is usually the most important one to sell to and convince.
• Most people are followers and want to be led. They want to "have someone else to do the thinking for them."
• Customers always want something for nothing and they want the very best price. Master closers appeal to this quality.
• People like to spend money and buy new things. "We are truly a consumer society."
• Even people who want to be led, still want to feel like they have made the buying decision themselves. Make them think buying was their idea in the first place.
• Don’t underestimate the customer. All customers are thinkers and they know more than you think they do.
• Customers want a good deal and don’t want to be "taken for a ride."
• If a closer can make the customer feel important and appreciated, the customer will buy.
• The closer must believe that people are good. The closer’s job is to bring the good out in everyone and use it to get the sale.

Psychological Manipulation

The basic foundation for all sales closings is manipulation, pure and simple. By using psychological manipulation, the closer "can examine and analyze a customer and determine exactly what tactics are necessary to get the sale." In this way, "the master closer can actually lead the customer to think as he wants." This will always work when the customer believes in the closer.

“A master closer is like a smash Broadway play; it jumps right out at you and hits you right between the eyes. It’s a full scale production with all the trimmings.”

These techniques include:

• Telling the customer about yourself. This makes customers relax and tell you about themselves.
• Asking customers about themselves. Closers will get all the answers they need to know what to pitch if they show genuine concern, understanding, and appreciation.
• Finding a common bond. This helps customers to lower their guard and bond with the closer on something outside the issue of sales.
• Focusing on family or friends who are also there, so everyone feels included.
• Following the like, listen, believe, and buy rule. For the customer to like the closer, the closer must like the customer. If the customer likes the closer, the customer will listen to the closer, believe the closer, and then buy from the closer.
• Preventing the "I have to think about it" line by telling customer you won’t try to sell them anything. Say you’re just going to present the product, and if it suits them they can buy it. If not, they shouldn’t buy it. In this way, you are leaving the customer to give a simple ’yes’ or ’no’ at the end of the presentation.
• Cultivating a friendship with customers, so they will feel that they are buying not from a salesperson but a friend.
• Mirroring customers so you can manipulate them. Smile so they will smile. Act in the way you want them to act, and they will follow.
• Pacing your presentation so you have the room to maneuver customers.
• Building on emotions, drawing customers in, and manipulating them through any emotional mean you can - sad stories, funny stories, emotion-packed comments.

“Reverse psychology works in this manner: customers are aware that in any sales situation, the closer will give a positive, aggressive, sales presentation. By doing the exact opposite, a closer can completely disarm and destroy the customer’s finely-tuned resistance.”

The master closer can manipulate anyone into buying anything, and customers will never even know they have been manipulated.