Great Wholesalers: 8 Ways to Always Be Closing

“We’re adding a little something to this month’s sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado.

Second prize is a set of steak knives.

Third prize is you’re fired.”

For anyone who has seen Glengarry Glen Ross, the classic 1992 film starring a host of acting greats, then you know that this quote comes from the amazing seven minute speech by Blake (Alec Baldwin) as he addresses his underperforming sales team.

[If you have not seen the speech watch it here and be warned: not safe for work (NSFW) due to language]

And not unlike the group that incurs Blake’s wrath, today there are so many wholesalers simply going through the motions.

Blah, blah, 5 year return.

Blah, blah, out performed in the last market dip.

Blah, blah strong renewal rate history.

And then they move on to verbally assault the next warm body while forgetting about or ignoring their ABC’s.

Always Be Closing

I talk to wholesalers everyday that are just not comfortable asking for the business. For them, and perhaps for you, here are 8 ways to move the sales process forward with closes that lead to small commitments, which lead bigger commitments, which leads to tickets:

1. Close for an illustration or a hypothetical. Get a commitment to run a real client scenario that you and/or your internal can revisit and discuss before, or during, your next appointment.
2. Close for a marketing event i.e. seminar, client appreciation dinner, staff training, etc. Let your talent and expertise shine through in one of these venues.
3. Close for a social outing. Golf, dinner, ballgame, fishing, hunting, quilting – I don’t care. Find a way to get closer to the rep in question.
4. Close for a technology lesson. Take the rep through their proprietary system and show them where to find all the data on your firm and how to process a trade.
5. Close for a next meeting. If you have not read the post Advanced Wholesaler Technique: The Benefits of Forward Scheduling then I recommend you do.
6. Close for an at bat. Ask the rep for a commitment to show your product to a live prospect over the next 2 weeks and let them know you will be back in touch in 2 weeks and 1 day to help answer any questions and/or celebrate their success. Oh, and make damn sure you call on the 15^th day.
7. Close for a ranking in your region. “Melinda, I’d like to boast to your peers that you are a Top 10 producer for Foonman Funds. My Top 10 starts at $5 million -are you up to that challenge?”
8. Close for a firm dollar commitment. “Vinny, I need you to tell me what our partnership needs to be like to earn $1 million from you over the next six months”.

You likely have more to add to the list and I invite you to do just that via the comments.

Remember that to Always Be Closing means that you are seeking out incremental commitments along the sales path that will lead to the objective that you have in mind for that client or prospect.

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this list is adapted from conversations I have had with my Wholesaler Masterminds Group Coaching clients – why are you not a part of one of our groups?

If you like this content you will love I Carry The Bag…the official magazine of wholesaling. Use this link and save a couple of bucks on a subscription.

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tagged as Alec Baldwin, Glengarry Glen Ross, great wholesaling