Don’t Be A Home Based Franchise Chicken…Learn How To Properly Sell, Not Close

Sales and Closing...Closing and Sales in home based franchises (or any business or company for that matter) seems to still have a negative undertone. Even though I have been in sales for years, have consistently been in the top 5% of earners, I still hate the word close.

I know for me, it goes back to my beginning days of sales. I studied Tom Hopkins and the motto was close and close often. I think the word back then was trial close. Regardless, at least in the companies that I worked with in the 80’s, they wanted me to close often and close hard. In fact, when I had co-travel…Oh I hated co-travel, if I didn’t close hard enough and often enough during my sales presentation; it was a red mark on my progress report the next day.

Thank goodness sales and closing today are very different, but unfortunately most people in the home based franchise industry do not realize it. I think that people who think about sales and closing think about the used car sales people of yesteryear. So my question to you is what percentage of the sales call should be the close? If you answered anything over about 5%, then you are back in the 80’s mode of selling.

This is a tricky question because the master salesperson, the master direct sales and marketing guru in their own home based franchise will not even need to close. The customer will buy. Our job, if you want to consider it a job, is to ask the questions to draw out what the customer needs and what he wants. You need to get them to close themselves into believing that they absolutely must have your product and if they do not own your product, they will be at a huge disadvantage.
The least amount of time it takes to close is the correct answer. The rest of your time should be spent on the value the customer receives on ownership, and testimonials supporting your claims. The more value and testimonials, the less time is necessary for closing.

How incredible is this knowledge? No more closing for your home based franchise!! I am sure that you are partnered with a terrific company and product. I am sure that they have more testimonials of your products and services than anyone really knows what to do with. Make a short list of initial questions you might ask your prospect or customer on what they are looking for; show what the value will be to them of what you have to offer and if there is a fit, there is a win/win solution for all involved.

Whew…isn’t sales and closing for your home based franchise the best profession in the world? I sure think that it is and now that you know that you no longer have to close...I hope that it is for you too!

Go, take action and make it a great day for you and your home based franchise.