The New Truth about Closing the Sale

By Jeffrey Gitomer

Salespeople look for the fastest way, the best way, and the easiest way to close a sale.

For salespeople, closing the sale is more than human nature; it’s both a desire and a need, and the results are totally measurable: either you win or you lose. There is no second place in sales.

Closing the sale begins when the sales presentation begins. A sale is not “closed.” A sale is earned.

In my career, I have learned two powerful words that complete the selling process. They allow me to complete the sale without a feeling of discomfort or hesitation. When it’s time to deliver those words, I know in my heart of hearts the sale is mine. The two words are fair enough,
rand they are delivered to the prospect in the form of a question: “Fair enough?”

“Fair enough” are the most powerful words to affirm the prospect’s intention to buy. You may be erroneously referring to the prospect’s saying yes as closing a sale. Not good.

“Fair enough” asks for a commitment and validates the value and fairness of your offer. If your offer is valuable or perceived as valuable by the prospect, then “fair enough” will always be followed by the prospect’s affirmative answer, and vice versa.

“Fair enough” is also a self-test. Do you perceive that your offer is so valuable that, when you ask the prospect, “Is that fair enough?” you know in your mind and heart that, in fact, it is fair enough? Always ask yourself the “fair enough” question before you give a sales presentation. If you can answer yes to your own offer, it’s likely the prospect will answer yes, as well.

The words “fair enough” ask for a yes and a confirmation to move forward. They are direct, completely understandable, and nonmanipulative. They don’t contain the questions, “Can you see any reason not to move forward?” or worse, “Is there any reason you could not do this today?” Those are old-world, BS sales expressions of the worst order.

“Fair enough” is pointed, powerful, and positive, and you don’t have to wait until the end of your presentation to ask. You can slip it in once or twice as you’re presenting to make certain you and the prospect are in agreement and moving forward.

“Fair enough” gives you a transition from your presentation to earning the business.

THINK ABOUT THIS: If you have a bunch of presentation slides and offer to send some kind of proposal at the end of your presentation, you can never use the words “fair enough.” Your job as a salesperson is to figure out how your presentation can culminate with the words “fair enough” and that there’s enough perceived value in your presentation for the customer to say, “Yes, that’s fair enough.”

If the prospect says, “That sounds fair enough,” or gives you some form of yes, that’s not just a purchase, it’s also a report card that your offer was perceived as valuable enough to move forward.

START HERE: Review your entire sales presentation and see where the words “fair enough” fit in. If there’s no place for them, then your offer is most likely not fair enough and will be met with some resistance or stall.

This review process requires work on your part and may mean you have to revise your sales presentation. This is a good thing! It will most likely mean you have to ask more questions, discover the prospect’s buying motive, and make certain you have value offerings that are in harmony with his or her true needs and motives to buy.

If you are able to give prospects the answers they’re hoping for, you will have created the ultimate buying experience. Asking “Fair enough?” will become a joy – a financially rewarding joy.

I just provided you with a major selling secret – a secret that, when mastered, has the potential to double your sales and increase your earnings significantly. All you have to do is create a strategy to incorporate it. Fair enough?

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of 12 best-selling books, including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling. For information, go to www.gitomer.com or email salesman@gitomer.com.