The Biggest Lesson I Learned From My Dad

My father was a marketing genius in the Jewish world, but I also knew him as the greatest salesman…

This might be a surprise since my father was a rabbi who translated Jewish prayer books into modern English. He started Artscroll and Mesorah Publications, Ltd., and led a revolution that left an incredible legacy that changed the world. He made the Talmud, prayer books, and many other works, understandable and relatable for today.

Although my father’s version of sales looked very different from what I’ve done in my career, he still needed to fund his work. He didn’t use the same sales pitches others leveraged, but he knew the true secret to sales. If you want to know a sure-fire way to close the deal, let me share with you the biggest lesson I learned from my father, Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz. He never got a no, and when I asked him how, here’s what he told me…

“I only ask if I know it’s going to be a yes,” he said.?

My father had the best one-two punch of being an expert fact-finder and knowing how to follow the winds of a conversation. He took the time to understand the situation before he ever made an ask. He understood the practical need and the sentiment behind it, and if he couldn’t fulfill both for someone, he knew it wasn’t a good fit.

“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” —Wayne Gretzky

Many salespeople would never ask the questions to recognize this is what their client is thinking. They would go straight to pushing a product that wouldn’t make sense, and later they’d wonder why they didn’t get the sale. What I learned from my father was to vet the situation before trying to make a sale. You really want someone to buy from you, not for you to push a sale—there’s a difference!

If a client has concerns you can’t address, it’s not worth the time, energy, or paperwork trying to convince the client that the sale is a good option for them. And if the sale really isn’t a good option for their situation, the integrity move is to let them know. The sooner you recognize the facts on the table, the better you can decide how to invest your time so it counts. If a prospect is not comfortable or convinced for themselves, regardless of how awesome you are at the art of persuasion, you will be wasting your breath.

Let’s say you walk into a meeting with a new potential client. After talking a bit with the client, you feel that:

1. The client believes the rates are going to go down.
2. The client is nervous or anxious about making a commitment because there are too many moving parts in the economy.

Based on the above, if I go into a meeting with that client and my product requires a long-term rate lock at today’s higher rates, plus a lot of other commitments, I know that’s not going to be a good fit. I would start by clarifying, “Are you willing to negotiate on either one of those two things?” If the answer is no, I know it’s not going to work, so I don’t even make the pitch. If they’re flexible on one of the issues, then I say, “I may have a product for you, but I’m not sure… Here’s what it is. What do you think?” On the other hand, if my product is a floating rate with no long-term commitment, then I know it’s a no-brainer and I go straight to the close.

By the way, this is why I am so passionate about what GPARENCY is doing… because we are subscription-based and the clients are paying us to guide and do the work for them. It’s not about convincing a client about our product, but instead about being honest with them about how they should approach the market—even if that means steering them to a competitor.

If you go to the root and follow the wind, you’ll get a sale every time.

Instead of rushing to close a deal, take some time to get to know your potential client. Become a fact-finder. I always grew up hearing the adage, “God gave you two ears and only one mouth—listen twice as much as you speak.” Truer words have never been spoken about sales!?

If you follow this approach, no matter what, every interaction becomes a sale. Either they become a client because it’s a great fit, or because you’re looking out for their best interests, they leave and talk about the positive experience they had with you and you get referrals.?

As I’ve stated before, treat the client like a human being—not a future paycheck—and ask questions. If you do think there’s a middle ground and you can convince a reluctant prospect, focus on convincing them based on the root belief that’s the problem, not on the product itself.

Do your research. Get to know the facts. Why? Because fact finders never get a no. Not sure what a fact finder is? According to Merriam-Webster, it’s one that tries to determine the realities of a case, situation, or relationship.

Follow the wind—understand where the wind is blowing and what the sentiment of your client is. There’s always an element of chance when trying to close a deal; however, if you’ve done your homework, you’re going to know whether or not it’s safe to make the ask and close the deal.?

My father didn’t leave stuff up to chance. He found out the facts and followed the way the wind is blowing. He did his best knowing that ultimately, it was in God’s hands.?