Who really is key in the close?
Share the accolades with everyone who contributes to closing a deal
By Timothy B Merk -- Industrial Distribution, 3/1/1999
WHENEVER A SALESPERSON CLOSES A DEAL, gets a road order or signs a major contract with a key account, everyone comes to him or her and unleashes a deluge of accolades.Although that praise is warranted, the truly successful salesperson is quick to extend that praise to the many people whose contributions made it possible for the deal to be closed.
One of my responsibilities, as the national account manager for Curbell's plastics division, is to seek out large consumers of my company's products and services. In order to do this, I rely on the confidence and support of many individuals. Chances are, the people your organization relies on to make a sale are similar to those at my company.
As with most great success stories, there is a leader, who may be a division head, a general manager, a vice president or president. Someone who leads by example every day and realizes what the customer wants, maybe even before the customer does. One of the most important contributions of this leader is that he creates, every day, a team culture of self-sacrifice that is paramount to the close and must be instilled in every employee.
The inside sales and support staffs are also key contributors to the close. In the trenches every day, they answer the phones, work up quotations, issue POs and make sure the material you promised is delivered within the parameters you established. Without them, you're only giving your customer empty promises.
Speaking of fulfilling promises ... how many times have you said to a customer, "Sure we have that in stock and can ship it out in 24 hours." Without the purchasing department, the only things you would have in stock are dusty shelves. The purchasing department employees make sure that the material is on the floor and, if it isn't, the employees are immediately on the phone locating that odd item that you promised the customer.
And it's the marketing department employees that put the "flower in your lapel" during every presentation about your company. They are the first step toward making your target account take notice of your company's services and products. It's important to remember that through their efforts -- like fax broadcasts, direct mailers, line cards, ads and telemarketing -- lead generation occurs.
Finally, let's not forget the unsung heroes in the shipping and cutting department. How many times have you asked them to stop production and run your job for a huge customer? Without them, you can promise your customers anything but deliver nothing. They make it happen, so you can take the credit for getting the material to your customers on time. In my opinion, they're the last and one of the most important keys to a successful close: if it doesn't ship or get run on time, all the sales courses and experience you've acquired is meaningless.
Although the list of people who contribute to the closing process is long (and I realize I've probably failed to mention everyone here), it's important to recognize as many people as possible. The next time you get that big close, be sure to share the praise with the people in your organization who are committed to making it easy for your customer to do business with you. They truly are the keys to unlocking your success.
Timothy B. Merk is a national account manager for Curbell Inc., Plastics Division.
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