Opening Remarks

When a customer has been greeted properly he feels comfortable, at ease, and almost always opens his next remarks with one of the following statements:

What He Says	What He's Telling You
I need a...	Ready to buy.
I want a...	Needs a gentle push.
I'm looking for a...	Show and sell.
I'm thinking about a...	Sell benefits, then close.
I'm interested in a...	Needs full presentation.
I'm shopping for a...	Ready all your ammunition.

By listening to the customer's opening remarks, you can determine how rapidly to proceed, what steps to skip, and what to emphasize. For example, the fellow who says "I need a fax machine," is ready to buy. You need only qualify and close. In contrast, the customer who says "I'm shopping for a fax machine," first needs you to sell yourself, and your company, before proceeding to determine his needs.

The moral: You'll close better if you attend to the opening.