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In the early days of my sales career I sold just about everything you could sell in Direct Sales to the public, and some of the companies I worked for were less than ethical in the closing techniques they used.

Direct Sales was less regulated then and nowhere near as professional as today.

But I do know some of the trick closes, persuasive or even bullying tactics, and manipulating the buyer into agreeing to a sale, still go on today.

These hard sell sales closing techniques were usually found where the aim was for a one-off sale and the salesperson never saw the customer again.

One particular close was used when the sales person had done everything they could to close the sale but still could not get the prospect to say yes.

At this point the salesman would make an excuse to phone their sales manager. They used reasons such as: It’s company procedure, or a health & safety policy so they now I have left the appointment (especially believable if it was a sales woman working in the evening.

A lot of the time it wasn’t the sale manager that was phoned but a colleague, another sales person. The sales manager would build a quick relationship by aligning themselves with the sales prospect and alienating the sales person. That’s an important part of this sales closing technique.

Then the manager would lead the conversation to a sales pitch disguised as a caring customer service conversation.

This technique has great benefits

This sales closing technique has some really great benefits, but you will have to make it more professional and customer friendly.

The benefits of this technique:

• Increases in the number of prospects converted to customers
• Converts prospects that otherwise would have been lost
• Makes spending on marketing and prospect lists more effective
• It really is good fun and gives you a great buzz when you use it

Now see how you can use this sales closing technique

This technique needs adapting if you are going to use it to best effect, and not upset your customers.

I’ve used it in many different marketplaces and for all sorts of products. If used properly you can make it effective in repeat sales, account management, and of course one off sales.

Applicants turn up for interview and without considering this preparation question they present all the wrong experiences and skills, and get all the interviewers questions wrong.

There are two types of sales roles and if you turn up at an interview having prepared for the wrong one you have no chance of getting the job.

I’ve been interviewing and recruiting sales people for a long time and each time I do there are always a number of candidates that completely blow their chances by not preparing properly.

They have not considered what type of sales job they are applying for and while their answers and experiences are presented well, they are focusing on stuff I’m not looking for.

The latest news round up from around the world.

Microsoft’s virtual boy – Could this be the future of customer services and call centres.

Could a virtual sales and customer services advisor take over from the millions of people employed in call centres.

Microsoft unveiled their virtual boy, Milo, and while it is still pretty basic you can see where this is heading.