Persistence is one of my favourite attributes.
Set goals, plan, study, apply what you learn, and persist at the right actions. Do this, and success for you is inevitable.
My late friend, Bede Donovan, used to say, “Don’t quit before the miracle happens“. I heard him give this advice often to people who were discouraged with some endeavour or another.
He was so right. How often have we seen new salespeople prospect for months, generate few leads, become discouraged and quit. And then… clients begin calling and asking for that salesperson. They quit before the miracle happened!
I have heard of salespeople at listing presentations being told by sellers, “We never make decisions quickly, so we won’t be signing anything today“, and this line has put the salesperson off attempting to close the sale.
The correct response to lines like this is, “I promise I won’t ask you to do anything that is not right for you” and then proceed with your presentation. At the right time, close! Put the agreement in front of the clients, explain it to them and pass them a pen. Ask them to OK the agreement.
Persist!
Ninety nine times out of a hundred the clients will sign. Why? BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SIGN. You did a good presentation, answered their questions and filled them with confidence. You earned the right to close regardless of what was said earlier.
Even if the clients remind you of what they said earlier and say that you’re pushy, apologise and say, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to come across as pushy. It’s just that I thought you were happy that I could do a good job for you – was I right?”
They will say “yes“, and when they do you say, “And am I right in thinking that you do want to sell?” Again they will say “yes“. Then you say, “Would you like to have a salesperson working for you who is afraid to close buyers or to ask them to pay more money? I guess you want somebody who will ask for the order, don’t you?”
Again you will get a “yes” and you will earn their respect. “Right, so if you can OK the agreement just there, I can get to work finding a buyer for you“. Hand back the pen and smile.
What have you got to lose? Persistence will get you more business than it will lose you.
Ask another question. Try another close. Knock on another door. Ask for the order. Every time. Without fail.
Persistence pays. Keep going – you’re not a quitter.