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Much has been written on the art of "closing the sale." Why have so many trees given their lives to create books on this topic? Because millions of salespeople refuse to ask their customers the simple question: "Would you like to buy this?"

If you'd like to improve your closing skills, consider the following:

1. Closing the sale is not some mysterious talent available to a select group of super-salesmen. It is simply the acquired skill of asking the customer if he or she is ready to purchase your product or service. Asking for the order may be uncomfortable, but it's very often the dividing line between selling and order-taking.

2. The reason salespeople are hesitant to ask customers to buy their products is simple: they're afraid their customers will say no. The fear of rejection is the great roadblock that stands in the way of closing sales. If we knew our customers would say "yes" every time we asked for the order, how long would take us to ask them? Not very long. But since we're afraid our customers may say no, we don't face up to the risk of  rejection; we don't ask for the order. Obviously, great salespeople risk hearing "no" much more often than mediocre salespeople.

3. Before asking the customer to buy, explain the product and establish rapport. In some cases, such as selling a business, this process may take months. In other cases, such as selling an appetizer, it may take seconds.

4. Keep asking. Studies indicate that most customers say no 5 times before they say yes (who, by the way, conducts these studies?). Studies or not, you must continue to inquire politely about the customer's readiness to buy. It's the right thing to do for you and for the customer.

5. When you hear the word yes, stop selling. Lots of sales are missed because the salesperson won't shut up and complete the paperwork. If the customer says yes, the salesperson's next task is to stop selling and start writing up the order.

For Quotations About Effective Sales Presentation, Click Here.

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