When it comes to sales it is very easy to be engrossed with closing as quickly as humanly possible. We have an unusually strong desire to prove how great our product is. Somehow we must fight this inclination.

So how can we close sales, which is our prime objective, instead of losing sales, the reality that so often befalls us? Keep in mind when before a potential customer or client, that you're not here to "sing the praises" of your company. Any intelligent person will expect this and will go into "terminal shut-down mode" as soon as the accolades begin. More than likely, you just lost a sale.
When you are faced with a customer in that first minute, consciously think of yourself as an information provider, not a salesperson. So, how you deal with this person at the outset is much more important than your "closing technique".
Ask plenty of questions, then stop and listen. They'll tell you every reason they need what you're selling and at the same time their brain is also processing that exact same information. Also, you have now begun to build a relationship with your client. It is very important to remember that human beings make decisions based upon emotions that are present. The information you provide should be strictly related to that person's needs. Now you should easily be able to see that giving an overload of information based upon your own personal needs and biases will completely render the sale defunct.
In conclusion, it is imperative that you take these practices to heart when dealing with a new client or customer. You know what you want. To make the sale quickly, you simply must deduce what the other party wants. You will never close the sale later if you've already sabotaged the sale by "talking up" your product. Therefore, know it or not, the sale was already closed, or lost, in less than a minute.

Dale Young owns and operates the website