Secrets of Closing the Sale

Publisher's Summary

All of us are involved in selling every day. Whenever we present a product or a principle, inform a client, or instruct a child, we are engaging in the art of effective persuasion. Allow America's master of the art of selling to explain proven, practical sales techniques all of us can use every day.

Zig Ziglar provides vital strategies for specific closes, hundreds of sales questions, and dozens of persuasion techniques to help everyone sell their ideas, or themselves. No matter what your age, gender, occupation, or lifestyle, these proven techniques from America's selling sensation can work for you.

©2008 Zig Ziglar (P)2008 Made For Success

Just that... Closing the Sale

I sold timeshares. Ok.? Now I close deals. Thank you Zig Ziglar. This books not only gives you specifically titled "closes" to use at certain times but also goes into the psychology of the sale and where the prospect should be mentally when the close is performed. My closing percentage has almost doubled over the six weeks I've been studying these techniques.

If you're looking for a step by step through the sale process, this is it.

38 of 46 people found this review helpful

Dated materal

This has been republished with a recent pub date, however, the recordings were done back in the early 1990's. While I have no doubt that there is good information in here especially for someone new to the sales field, we are in a very diffrent sales market now than then.

Zig Ziglar is great at this type sales book, but this is recycled Ziglar and not new.

35 of 43 people found this review helpful

Great Book On Sales

What made the experience of listening to Secrets of Closing the Sale the most enjoyable?

He was funny at times.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Secrets of Closing the Sale?

The funny moments

Which scene was your favorite?

n/a

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not extreme but I did have a good reaction to it.

Any additional comments?

Not only is Zig Ziglar a great mentor for selling, unlike other salesman, he stands on high moral ground.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Every person who sells needs this book

Where does Secrets of Closing the Sale rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the most entertaining and useful business books I have read.

What did you like best about this story?

Zig's personality is very engaging.

What does the narrator bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The tone and storytelling make the book very fresh. The accent was surprising and entertaining.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Zig phoned this one in

What disappointed you about Secrets of Closing the Sale?

This was just a rehash of previous material, spliced together. I was really disappointed and I am huge Zig Zigler fan. First two hours were painful and boring none of Zig's normal charm. Two hours in it switched to stuff he had recorded in the 80's, that I had heard before.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

Great as a gift for your grandfather...

It is a cobbled together list of out dated tips and tricks that would be great if this was the '70's but not much good for today's market.

33 of 47 people found this review helpful

excellent - valid today as it was when written

You would be hard pressed to find a more complete sales training book. Zig's credentials were without pier and to find a book of this quality would be near impossible. Enjoy as I have over and over again and maybe we will meet "at the top", or as re more recently used to say "over the top".

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great book, terrible audio version

This audio "book" is actually a recording from a seminar taught by Zig Ziglar himself. The problem is that Zig's elocution is that of a southern preacher which is something I absolutely cannot listen to for more than 10 minutes. It's actually distracting.

27 of 41 people found this review helpful

He's a character but he's great!

This is a recording of a seminar Ziglar delivered. The man is a character -- his personality comes bursting through no matter the format. He is chatty, and lively -- and really full of good advice. A treasure for somebody new to the sales business. I listened to it over and over, and it was painless. As I was listening, I felt it was just kind of talk-talk-talk -- but then I realized that I had learned a great deal when I had the next sales conference with my colleagues. I surprised myself by being more confident than they, and knowing how to handle an obstacle when they did not. And this was my only sales training!! Thank you Zig Ziglar.

5 of 8 people found this review helpful

Absolutely Fantastic!!!

Zig Ziglar's approach to sales does not get old, because no matter what time in history we live, we'll always be creatures of emotions. From the days of Pharaoh's to today. We think and work the same. I would highly recommend this book. It's very educational and the use of humor is perfect.
Don't waste your time thinking. Just buy this book.

9 of 16 people found this review helpful

Great book on sales

This book by Zig Ziglar is the combination of “Ziglar on Selling” and “The secrets of closing the sale” In which he discusses the details of his sales life and how he can in his words see you at the top. Ziglar is a selling master but methods to get past every questions, objection and rejection. Being over 80 many people believe that his material is dated and of little use in the real world, however, he admits himself that it is up to each and every sales person to read listen and adapt the techniques in his book to each persons own sales system. No book on sales can give you the answers to every question but Ziglar certainly does deal with an incredible amount of them in this book, I would certainly be difficult not to learn new techniques from listening to this book.

Ziglar is an inspirational man, still giving talks in his 80’s. In the book he talks about procrastination as having a “little pity party for yourself”, discusses the fear of sales, the difficulty in asking for the sales, selling yourself, time management and much much more.

In conclusion this book is an excellent resource for anyone in the sales industry... which is everyone as Ziglar discusses, whether it’s a person selling his ideas to a boss, a wife, or children etc. His ideas are easy to understand and backed up with excellent stories which are well told. Many of these stories are about his days selling pots and pans door to door which is why some people believe his material is dated but to be fair if you adapt the material your sales are sure to increase!

12 of 13 people found this review helpful

An audiobook with added zing

If you can cope with strong American accent, and personality (I can) you will love this.

Motivational and educational.

Common sense made easy

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Fantastic

Zig Ziglar at his very best.....The idea's and advice given in this recording are still as valid and real as they were on the first day of writing. Zig can sometimes take a little understanding the first time of listening, however, a few listenings and any serious listener/sales person will have an enhanced positve mental attitude. A must for existing sales people, those that are just getting started and anyone who wishes to enjoy a positive and healthy lifestyle. Zig Ziglar is regarded and praised as one of the greats on the motivational speaking circits

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Fascinating

This book covers everything about sales and more, but delivered in great style and wit.

Definitely one of the best.

I'm so glad to found this diamond. And in the same time I'm sad to I will never meet this guy. He not just sound like a professional he was a legend!

OK for double glazing salesmen of the 80s

Would you try another book written by Zig Ziglar or narrated by Zig Ziglar?

No question Zig was a smart and successful man. Here is the issue, just because you have written a book doesn't mean that *you* have to read it. A truly talented person understands not just their strengths but their weaknesses too. Zig should stick to writing and selling.

Has Secrets of Closing the Sale put you off other books in this genre?

If they are as dated and out of touch as this one then yes.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Because it was a truly awful performance, perhaps not helped by the subject matter to be so dated.

Could you see Secrets of Closing the Sale being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

Whoever does this will lose money.

Any additional comments?

If you sell double glazing via cold calling or some other form of home improvement and we jumped into a time machine and went back to the 1980s this would be fine. However its not. Yes cold calling *can* be effective but nowadays its all about making compelling offers to a carefully selected targeted market. Its all about permission these days, provide value first and get opt-ins and then build relationships before selling. With pay per click you can create very targeted campaigns, you can't just dial numbers from a phone directory.

one of the most valuable books in my library

I am a small business owner and this book is one of my favourites to return again and again.. Must read/hear if you are a business owner or your business is to sell.

in sales ? must read

packed with humour and practical tips to help you make better and more consistent sales

Painful to listen to

I really struggle to listen to Zig Ziglar, his presentation is so old fashioned, delivered like a machine gun.

Sorry, but this type of production needs to stay in the 1970s.

3 of 9 people found this review helpful