"If You Can't Close, You Can't Sell"

Since my first workday as "The Closing Machine" is right around the corner, I spent tonight reading a book that I've had on my shelf for awhile, Secrets of Closing Sales by Charles B. Roth and Roy Alexander. I only got through about 50 pages so far, but I underlined some of the passages that popped out at me. Nothing groundbreaking or earth-shattering so far, but I think it was a worthwhile read if only to get me in the right frame of mind.

All you have to do is to circulate, see the people, tell your story, be pleasant-and always be in there trying to close the sale.

Learn how to close and the world is yours.

You must earn the right to ask for the order! But then you must ask!

The close is everything.

Closing is the pinnacle of selling achievement...It's a science you can learn.

The close is the simplest, most obvious step of the sale.

You must be willing to miss in order to hit.

The top secret of closing: be willng to try to close all sales.

The plain truth: a salesperson who cannot go out and close sales (which seldom close themselves), who cannot make up customers' minds for them, who cannot overcome their procrastination, and who cannot bring in orders isn't a salesperson at all. He or she is a business visitor or a conversationalist.

Great closers always try one more time to close.

There's one other essential you need: the desire to close-a desire so strong everything in your life is insignificant in comparison.

High aim is what breaks sales records.

Winners are clearly defined, risk takers reap huge rewards, success requires grit and perseverance.

Never say no to a customer. Everything is negotiable.

Know your competitor's product better than you competitor does.

Think it through...work up the courage. You'll usually find a way.

There is nothing wrong in using a little pressure. Often it works.

Think, live, and act closing each hour of the day. Soon closing will be part of your persona and part of your life.

Try early. Don't be afraid to be turned down.

If you want success, copy from success.

There's more to closing sales than showing wares.

Expect success from morning till day-end.

Communicate by everything you do or say that you will close every sale.