Media Training Worldwide

Concluding Versus Closing

There is one big difference between an informative presentation and a sales presentation. In an informative presentation you are also trying to sell your ideas, but in a sales presentation you must do more. You must sell in a more specific time frame, typically sooner rather than later.

In a sales presentation, you must give out data and inform, but you must do more than that. In both types of presentations you must conclude your thoughts. However, in a sales presentation, you must do more. You must CLOSE. Closing requires a very specific action that you are requesting from your prospect. It does not mean being high-pressured or acting unethically, but it does mean asking your prospect to do something highly specific, such as select your firm over another, sign a contract, or place an order. At some point during the close, you must ask the prospect directly for his or her business.

A surprisingly high number of sales people feel too awkward or embarrassed to ever come right out and ask people for their business. This is a big mistake. Most people like to be asked for their business. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

If you conclude a presentation by asking people for their business, the worst thing that can happen is that they say no. But if you don’t ask, there is the possibility that your prospects liked you, were impressed with you, were inclined to hire you, but simply got distracted and then you became out of sight, out of mind. Then, you have poured money down the drain.

So don’t just conclude your sales presentation, conclude by closing.