Since the 80’s, Always Be Closing has been a common mantra among salespeople. The idea is that the salesperson should try to maximize the number of sales they make by constantly focusing their efforts on the sale. Every customer interaction should be driving toward the close, and once a sale is made, the salesperson should move on to make another sale. However, this mindset, while not necessarily wrong, can be unhelpful for the salesperson in the mass customization era. Instead, as Dan Tyre suggests, it’s time for a new mantra—one that is more customer-focused—Always Be Helping.
Over the past several decades, there has been a shift in the buyer-seller dynamic that has put the buyer and seller on more equal footing. Easy access to information means that most buyers are not walking into a sales transaction with blinders on. They may know as much or more about what they are buying as the seller does. This has created a tendency in the sales environment away from seeing the salesperson as a seller and more as a guide to the client. Rather than being a negative change, this is a positive progression for both the seller and the buyer. It helps weed out unethical salespeople (hence promoting ethical ones) and stimulates productivity by providing an incentive for high quality products.
The mantra Always Be Closing, however, takes the emphasis off the buyer and turns it onto the seller. However, a seller’s job is not just to create a sales transaction. It should be to establish a relationship with the buyer so that the buyer’s problem will be solved. Thus, Always Be Helping provides a better perspective on the sales process.
When the salesperson’s focus is on helping the client, it enhances and expedites the entire sales process. Now, the seller is focused on listening to the customer’s needs and determining what product is best for solving the customer’s pain. The buyer will also now enter into the sale with a higher degree of trust, instead of being concerned that the sales transaction will leave them at a loss. A customer-focused mindset creates a better overall sales atmosphere that leaves both the buyer and seller with a win.
Sales is a rapidly evolving field, but certain things will always remain constant. Sellers will always want to make sales and buyers will always want to buy. The way we view the sales process can drastically change how this exchange takes place, either for better or for worse. It is time to get rid of the old mantra Always Be Closing, and instead focus on helping customers solve their problems.
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