Have you been to your local post office lately? Take the time, make a trip there. Go right up to the window and “LISTEN”. Sometime during the exchange between the customer and the postal worker they will ask the customer to buy postal products that most customers had no intention of even considering buying. They always ask you if you need any stamps or mailing supplies. They ask for the sale. Why do they do this? Because it works.

I tried to find out exactly how much their sales of stamps and postal supplies have increased since they started practicing, “Asking for the sale” but it must be one of those government secrets. But the postal workers at the windows did tell me their sales have increased greatly. Your sales will increase too when you actively ask for the sale. And the wonderful thing about it is you not have to increase your marketing costs.

In the 60’s,70’s and 80’s our tire business used selling gas to bring people into our business. Not as a loss leader, But as a profit making center. Back in those days there was no self service. An attendant pumped your gas for you. Profit making because we knew two things:

1. Automobiles back then always needed their oil checked with every fill up because they burnt and leaked oil.
2. We made $1.75 on every quart of oil we sold.

Although we only pumped gas to 60 to 70 automobiles a day we made a lot of extra sales and profits . On an average 30 quarts of oil a day – times $1.75 a quart = $52.50 extra profit a day – times 6 days a week = $315.00 profit. X 52 weeks a year = $16,380 a year profit just by saying to the customer. “Pop your hood, I will check your oil.” That was our way of “Asking for the sale”.

While we were under their hood we check for worn belts and other leaks we could repair for profits. Plus as we walked around their automobile we looked at their tires and made replacement recommendations as needed. We sold lots of tires by just saying, “Mr. Customer, your tires are wore out and need replaced.” Again our way of “Asking for the sale.”

Even though every owner, every manager and every salesperson in every business knows you make more sales and more profits when you ASK FOR THE SALE the fact is: “85% of the interactions between sales people and prospects end without the sales person ever asking for the sale. 85%!” Retail News by Richard Fenton

A Notre Dame study that shows:
• 46% of the salespeople ask for the sale only1 time
• 26% of the salespeople ask twice
• 12% of the salespeople ask three times
• 9% of the salespeople ask four times
• 60% of the customers buy on the 5th request.

To make a lot of extra money all you have to do is ASK FOR THE SALE.

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