A-B-C Always Be Closing—a sales concept depicted in Glengarry Glen Ross, and alluded to eight years later in Boiler Room. While highly entertaining, both movies portray the kind of salespeople you don’t want to be—despicable, manipulative, conniving (albeit loaded…until the end of the movie when they inevitably get what’s coming to them.)

The characters are amusing and exaggerated, but A-B-C is an actual theory and the actors’ methods not a far cry from what was taught to Xerox salespeople and followed religiously until the early nineties.

Today, most professional salespeople agree selling should be a buyer-centric experience, and your goal should involve building trust not closing the deal. Closing is an afterthought, which inevitably follows when you foster a relationship with the buyer.

Buying is more about you as a person and less about your actual product. In his article Charles Green discusses the three common mistakes of most salespeople.

- talking too much about yourself
- talking too much about your product or service
- pushing too fast to move to action steps

He explains that when a buyer decides to make a purchase it isn’t because they were persuaded by your rational arguments, but rather because they have begun to trust you so are comfortable with the idea of buying from you.

Think back to the last time someone tried to sell you on something. Did you by because you were swayed by their fast talking and wit? Probably not. You likely needed or wanted the product you purchased and were planning to buy eventually. Because they made you feel at ease, you chose them—not necessarily what they were selling, which you likely could have gotten elsewhere.

Your prospects need insurance and can get it from any number of agents. When you talk to them remember that the policy will sell itself. Your job is to get them to buy it from you.

Read the article.