123121…ABC

Code?  No.  123121 is the last day of the year; the last day to “hit the number” for sales reps on a calendar year.  It’s the countdown to midnight; to accelerate our accelerators (maybe even to keep our job). 

ABC? 

ABC: Always be closing. Telling's not selling. 

Boiler Room 

Please share your favorite closing story.  Here are two of mine. 

I worked with a seasoned sales professional years ago at Integral Systems.  He needed one last deal to exceed his number and qualify for President’s Club.  His prospect was in New York and he started with the old “camp-out-close” - showing up at their office without an appointment; determined to see his prospect; camped out until he did; needed to close the deal.  The prospect played along. 

Unfortunately after agreeing to meet, his prospect wasn’t budging as my colleague tried every “ABC” tactic he knew - even an opt-out, side letter (unacceptable by today’s revenue recognition standards, but a common “last resort” back then).  At the end of a short but spirited interaction between my sales colleague and his prospect, the “because-it’s-my-day” close was born.  It likely went something like this: 

Prospect: 

“I’m sorry, but as I told you; our plan is to finalize our vendor selection in January.  Why should I buy from you today?” 

Sales Rep: 

“Well Sir; because today is my day; and you have an opportunity to make today a special day for me.  Some day it will be your day; and when that day arrives, someone will have the opportunity to make that day a special day for you.  But today is my day and that’s why you should buy today.” 

And his prospect did! 

Then there’s the variation of the “because-it’s-my-day” close, I like to call the “me-or-my-successor” close:   

As a sales professional, I carried a quota for over 30 years.  And I can remember my 2^nd quota year as clearly as any.  You see, in my first year, I was more lucky than good.  That led to a promotion, and a hefty quota increase for my second year – I was in over my head. 

After 26 weeks into my 2^nd year, I was put on a “performance warning”.  At the 39^th week, the Vice President of Sales was asking my Sales Manager to fire me.  Since my company had chosen to proactively promote me (perhaps a bit prematurely) at the start of the year, I asked my Sales Manager to give me 52 weeks to sell my annual quota. 

We agreed that at the end of the 52^nd week, if I was still below 100%, I would resign.  At the end of my 51^st week, I was at 75% and significantly behind the required sales dollars necessary to keep my job.  However, I had been working hard on a very large account. 

I called the executive at my prospect and asked, “Do you think you will accept our proposal?”  “Yes”, was his response.  “Excellent, thank you!”  I reacted.  And then I added, “Do you think you could place your order this week?”  When my prospect asked why, I said, “Because if you place your order next week, it will be with my successor.” 

And at the 52^nd weekly sales meeting, with the Vice President of Sales in attendance, I “roll-called” the second largest deal in the Region’s history; finished my 2^nd year at exactly 100% of my quota; and kept my job. 

123121… “ABC” everyone, “ABC”.  Bon chance! 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.