How to Successfully Close a Sale Every Time

Do not sell!

1) Do not sell - Best sales people do not sell, they build relationships.

2) Do not sell - Best sales people focus on the client needs and problems.

3) Do not sell - Best sales people solve problems.

I recently connected with Oleg Vishnepolsky, the Global CTO of Daily Mail, to discuss sales strategy. We both agreed on three ways to successfully close a sale. Here’s a hint: they all center around not selling. Oleg then shared a story with me about how he learned the crucial distinction between selling and not selling.

When was Oleg 18, he had an odd job of selling a driver manual book to other new immigrants.

He would tell people how detailed the book is, the chapters it has and how popular it is. He was hardly making any sales. A friend of his from Odessa told him that he was doing it all wrong.

His friend showed to him how to sell the book. He was able to make a sale to 9 out of the 10 first people. In fact, he loved selling so much, he did not want to give up the sales counter. Eventually, Oleg had to kindly ask him to leave.

It was simple, actually. Oleg’s friend would ask them, are you planning to drive a car? They would say, yes.

He would start asking questions about the car they wanted.

Once they started dreaming about the car, he would pull the manual out and they bought it without even looking inside.

It is often said, “Do not sell a product, sell a solution.”

Better yet, do not sell a solution, be the solution.

Similarly with Kiip, we developed the company based on the idea of selling a solution. However we found a way to sell a differentiated solution. Kiip was all about moments and the fact that we were connecting with people when they are happy. Eventually though our journey, our clients concluded that we were essentially selling happiness.

In a world of happiness where emotion had largely left the conversation, people found it refreshing that we had brought back in that emotional aspect.

In the early days we had refused out use words like impressions and clicks but rather, used words that provoke human emotion like serendipity, delight and rewards. The way you frame the story of a product comes with something as simple as using different words. You can find ways to differentiate your product, and the solution it offers, in the words you use.

When selling, sell the solution, not the product. But even better, sell the differentiated solution.