Cambridge Business Association
Getting to Closed
Book

Getting to Closed

A Proven Program to Accelerate the Sales Cycle and Increase Commissions

Stephan Schiffman
Kaplan Publishing, 2002
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Editorial Rating

7

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Recommendation

Stephan Schiffman's short to-the-point book features his new Prospect Management System, which is designed to help you become a more effective salesperson. This hearty addition to sales literature shows you how to be more systematic as you generate prospects and devote your attention to the ones who are most likely to buy. Instead of just playing a numbers game, Schiffman emphasizes ratios, so you can zero in on your best clients while developing new prospects - since only a few leads become sales. The book's charts and examples illustrate its principles, although the quizzes after each chapter seem unnecessary. If we were hawking this book, getAbstract.com would pitch it to those who sell big ticket items by developing leads through cold-calling.

Summary

The Power of Prospect Management

The Prospect Management System is based on dividing people into categories based on the likelihood - from zero to 100% - of closing a deal with them. The categories are:

  • People who haven't called back and people you want to call.
  • People who have agreed to meet with you for the first time.
  • People you've met with at least once, but who aren't yet at the 50% baseline.
  • Your 50% baseline - people to whom you have given a proposal that makes sense and who are seriously thinking about working with you.
  • People who have given you a verbal agreement to do business.
  • People with whom you have a closed, finalized contract.

The Prospect Management System began as an internal sales system focused on moving each sales prospect from one category to another, until you close the sale. The system helps you manage your own sales activity, so you can strategize ways to move prospects forward in the sales cycle, leading to more closes and more income. The system shows you exactly where you are, what's coming next and what to do with each prospect to hit your sales targets.

Understanding the ...

About the Author

Stephan Schiffman is a certified management consultant and the founder of a sales training company. He has taught more than 500,000 professionals in motivational seminars, workshops and lectures. Selling Power magazine called him the U.S.'s leading sales prospecting expert. He has written 18 books and numerous articles.

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