This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "Secrets of Closing the Sale" by Zig Ziglar. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
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Are you a new salesperson? What is Zig Ziglar’s advice on selling?
In Secrets of Closing the Sale, salesman and public speaker Zig Ziglar reveals how you can greatly increase your chances of closing your sales. To do so, you need to exhibit the core qualities of a good salesperson and address customer objections.
Here’s the beneficial advice of Zig Ziglar on selling and becoming a better salesperson.
The Qualities of a Good Salesperson
The first piece of advice from Zig Ziglar on selling is that you need to learn what a successful salesperson looks and acts like. Embrace these six qualities to boost your sales numbers:
Quality #1: A Strong Belief in the Product, Yourself, and the Customer
First, to sell well, start from a rock-solid belief that your product will improve the customer’s life, stresses Ziglar. You’ll transfer this strong belief to your lead during a pitch.
Second, develop a strong sense of your value as a salesperson, recommends Ziglar. Be convinced that you have something to offer customers and that you’re there to help them. This lets you approach each pitch with confidence and bounce back from negative interactions.
Third, believe that the customer can afford the product or service, states Ziglar. Your belief in their ability to pay carries over to the lead, who will then also believe they can afford the product.
Quality #2: Credibility in the Eyes of the Customer
The most important quality for any salesperson to possess is credibility in the eyes of the customer, writes Ziglar. The customer must trust that you have their best interests at heart and that you’re not trying to take advantage of them. Establish credibility by helping others find success, understanding everyone is always selling, and developing the qualities we’re currently talking about.
Quality #3: A Professional Appearance
Present yourself well while selling, insists Zig Ziglar. Do this by being clean and good-smelling and dressing neatly and professionally, yet not showily. Think about the image you want to project to your customers—reliable, knowledgeable, experienced, and so on—and dress in a way that reflects this.
Quality #4: Empathy for the Customer
Develop empathy for the customer you’re selling to, advises Zig Ziglar. Empathy is understanding how someone else feels (even if you don’t currently share that feeling) and then taking steps to help the person deal with that feeling.
Empathy is effective in sales because leads are motivated to buy when they feel understood and cared for, claims Ziglar. Empathy also helps you create a better pitch because, by putting yourself in your customer’s shoes, you can gear your presentation to their specific needs, thereby increasing your chances of success.
Quality #5: A Positive Perspective and Attitude
Ziglar writes that you must enter a selling situation with the expectation you’re going to close the sale. When you have faith in your chances and abilities and approach the lead with a positive attitude, you greatly increase the chance of a sale. Avoid allowing negative, defensive, or combative thoughts or behaviors to seep into your sale. This will ruin your chances of selling.
Ziglar adds that you can gain confidence in your abilities by becoming a better public speaker and an expert on your product. You also gain confidence by simply practicing selling. This confidence, in turn, will let you approach the next sale positively.
Quality #6: A Growth Mindset
Finally, to maximize your chances at closing the sale, always seek opportunities to grow and acquire new knowledge that makes you better at your job, writes Ziglar. Do this by consuming relevant content and media, like self-help books and podcasts.
Address Objections Effectively
While selling your product, the customer will likely bring up objections, writes Zig Ziglar. This is good because it means the customer is seriously considering the purchase. Nonetheless, you must address all objections to effectively close the sale.
Here are three techniques to counter objections:
Technique #1: Elicit And Address All Objections Immediately
Elicit the lead’s objections before they bring them up themselves so you can address them immediately, suggests Ziglar. Do this by asking targeted questions; for example, “Do you have any concerns about the durability of this smartwatch?” If the lead voices a concern, address it head-on.
If the lead flat-out says no to the purchase, straightforwardly ask why they’re not interested and then address those objections, advises Ziglar.
Technique #2: Address Objections One at a Time, Appealing to Logic and Emotion
When addressing objections, do so one at a time, while always appealing to the customer’s logic and emotions. Addressing objections one at a time keeps you in control and maintains the clarity of your pitch. Also, structure your responses to objections so you first logically and then emotionally invalidate them.
For instance, if your customer is worried about using their smartwatch for swimming, first assure them that the watch is designed to be water-resistant up to 20 meters (logic), and then assure them that if something does go wrong with the watch while swimming, they’ll get a free replacement (emotion).
Technique #3: Stay Calm When Objections Are Unfair
If the customer raises an objection you feel is nonsensical or even malicious, maintain your positive attitude by responding courteously and thoughtfully, insists Ziglar. You can do this by agreeing with the customer on their objection before addressing it.
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Here's what you'll find in our full Secrets of Closing the Sale summary :
- What qualities you must develop as a salesperson
- The six common customer behaviors you must understand
- Five rules for crafting an effective sales pitch
