How to Close 9 Out Of 10 Sales!

When I was full time in personal life insurance sales in the 80's, I was consistently closing about nine out of every ten people I sat down with.  And, my lapse rate was less then 5%. 

It wasn't because I was a high-pressure salesman.  And, it wasn't because I knew all the latest 101 closing techniques.  In fact my normal closing question was, "What Do You Think?" 

The reason for my success in closing sales wasn't because I was a natural born salesman.  I wasn't very outgoing.  In fact I was very shy.  And I didn't have the gift of gab.  During most of my first year, I was so nervous I used to puke before going out on a sales call. 

Although I didn't realize it at the time, the reason I was able to close 9 out of 10 was because I had stumbled upon these four little secrets... 

1.  I was always in front of the 'Right' prospects.  
It's actually extremely easy to close 9 out of 10, if you focus on getting in front of the right people.  Too many agents use the shotgun approach and will set appointments with anyone who fogs a mirror.  Success in sales is all about your marketing.  You need to attract the right people to you.  The people you have the best chance of selling!  All of your marketing should be about solving a specific immediate problem, for a specific group of people.  My marketing message was all about… helping middle-income families to maximize their eligibility to qualify for free financial aide for college.

2.  I asked a lot of questions and listened to what the prospect WANTED. 
You have to conduct a good thorough fact-finding interview with everyone you sit down with.  You need to get the prospect emotionally involved in solving their problem (s) so they want to take action.  People don't buy what they need!  They buy what they want!  As an example I know I NEED to lose weight, however until I WANT to lose weight, will I lose any weight?  Being shy and not having the gift of gab, it was much easier for me to ask questions and then just sit back, listen to them, and then ask more questions.

3.  I always looked for the easiest way to make the prospect a client.  
If you want to start closing 9 out of 10, you must decide what's the easiest way to make your prospect a client.  Decide what's the first and easiest problem you can solve for them.  You don't try to solve all of their problems right then.  It's generally too overwhelming for the prospect.  You can and will make more sales later.  Remember, it's easier to sell a client (Someone who has already bought from you) than it is to sell a prospect.  Make them a client first.  In my first year I didn't know much, so I was forced to keep it real simple.  It worked, so I've kept it simple ever since.

4.  I used a simple two-page summary presentation. 
If you want to close 9 out of 10 people, then make it easy for people to buy from you.  Use a simple two or three page presentation that shows them in 'black and white' where they will be in 10, 20 or 30 years, if they keep doing what they are doing.  Then you'll want to compare it to where they will be if they follow your recommendations.  And, you must help them to find the money.  Because I was so shy and not a talker, I had trouble explaining why they should follow my recommendations.  The simple two-page presentation gave me a track to run on.  It made it easy for me to explain.  And best of all, it made it simple for the prospect to understand.  It made the presentation a common sense close!
 

Closing 9 out of 10 people you sit down with is not hard. 
Over the past 25 years, using the above techniques we’ve help many agents go from closing 1 out of 3 to consistently closing 9 out of 10.   But it's only the agents who really wanted to learn and were not just looking for a magic key or quick fix.

Here are two more little secrets that I have learned…

• As Zig Ziglar will tell you… “If you write and speak at a sixth grade level, then even the college professor will understand you.” 

• Be yourself.  Don’t try to impress people.  And don’t use technical jargon!

If you confuse people, or if they feel intimidated, then why should they buy from you?

Put the above six simple techniques into practice and you too can be closing 9 out of 10 people you sit down with!

Yours In Success,
Lew and Jeremy Nason
'The 9 Out Of 10 Guys'

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Message to Financial Advisors…

You have a great opportunity to really help your prospects to weather this last financial storm and help them to enjoy a rich financial life now and in the future.  People need and want your help to achieve the financial security they’ve been dreaming about and deserve.  But, you can't help them if you can't get in front of them or close the sale!  When are you going to get back to the marketing and sales basics, and start actually helping people, instead of just trying to make a sale?  Jeremy and Lew Nason