Selling Boldly

26Always Ask for the Business

How many times has somebody been selling to you, and you're ready to go, ready to buy, you may even have your wallet in your hand, but the salesperson doesn't ask you for the business. So they leave your office without the sale. If only they would have asked, you would have bought. But they didn't. So you didn't.

We don't ask for the business regularly for the same reasons we don't pick up the phone: fear.

We don't want to be rejected.

And we don't want to offend.

But now that you know how good you are and how happy your customers are, and now that you understand the incredibly important role of confidence and boldness and optimism, it's time to start asking for the business every time you talk to somebody.

I'm asking you to pivot to the sale with every customer and prospect you talk to—even those who call in to place an order. Whether you call them or they call you, pivot to the sale.

The customer is spending time on the phone with you. They're interested in buying from you. You're interested in selling to them.

Ask for the business.

The worst that can happen is that they say no, and you're precisely where you were when you started the conversation. Nothing got worse.

There are two categories of pivots to the sale:

1. If you are talking to a customer or prospect about purchasing a new product or service, ask for the business.
2. If you have a longer sales cycle, or you feel the customer is truly not yet ready to buy, then pivot not to the business, ...