Secrets of Closing the Sale: Never Prejudge a Prospect

Some of the greatest sales lessons aren't learned from books or seminars. They're learned from experience.

Mine came in the fall of 1971—and involved three brand-new 1972 Cadillacs.

I was 25 years old, recently honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy, and selling cookware door-to-door. I had started on July 7, 1970, primarily because selling gave me the flexibility to attend Rutgers in Newark and study journalism and political science.

I thought I was going to become a writer.

I soon discovered something interesting about economics.

I might earn $50 for a published article. Selling cookware, I could make about $50 on one sale—and I was making five to seven sales a week.

My first full year selling cookware, I earned more than $17,000.

That was serious money in 1970, but what really attracted me was something more important:

The freedom to earn according to my own ability.

I didn't realize it then, but I was beginning a lifelong education in professional selling.

And one afternoon in 1971, I learned a lesson I would never forget.

Three Young Guys Walk Into a Cadillac Dealership

My friends and fellow salesmen Paul Caravella, Walter Carey and I decided to see the new 1972 Cadillacs at Miller Cadillac-Pontiac on St. Georges Avenue near Milton Avenue in Rahway, New Jersey.

Back then, unveiling the new automobile models was a major event. Dealerships would even paper over their showroom windows until the new models were officially introduced.

We walked into the showroom wearing the suits we wore for our trade.

We were young, but we were well dressed and making good money.

And we were completely ignored.

We walked around for probably 45 minutes.

Other prospective customers came through the door and were immediately greeted by salespeople.

Not us.

Apparently, the salesmen had already decided:

These young guys can't afford a Cadillac.

Finally, we left.

I asked Walter, "Where's the next closest Cadillac dealership?"

"Plainfield."

"Let's go to Plainfield."

“We'll Take All Three”

The Plainfield dealership was considerably smaller, but there was one immediate difference.

A salesman greeted us.

There were only three new Cadillacs on the showroom floor—two Sedan de Villes and a beautiful Coupe de Ville.

I asked the salesman:

"Are these the only three Cadillacs you have?"

"Yes."

I replied:

"We'll take all three."

Paul and Walt may have been a little surprised by my 25-year-old enthusiasm, but they went along with it.

What happened next taught me almost as much as what happened in Rahway.

The salesman didn't hesitate.

He didn't question whether we were serious.

He didn't ask whether we could afford them.

He didn't try to talk us out of the purchase.

We said yes.

He closed the sale.

Within about an hour, we drove all three Cadillacs off the showroom floor.

We Had One More Stop to Make

Naturally, there was only one place three self-respecting young salesmen could go next.

Back to Miller Cadillac-Pontiac.

We pulled all three brand-new Cadillacs in front of the dealership and started blowing the horns.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Eventually, all five salesmen appeared in the showroom windows.

There we were—the same three young guys they hadn't considered worth talking to.

Except now, each of us was sitting behind the wheel of a brand-new Cadillac.

They weren't looking at three cars.

They were looking at three commissions they had given away.

What Did They Learn?

I don't know.

I hope they learned not to judge someone's buying ability by age or appearance.

But what they learned isn't nearly as important as what I learned that afternoon.

Never Prejudge a Prospect

Those salesmen made our buying decision for us without ever speaking to us.

They decided we couldn't afford their product.

They decided we weren't serious.

They decided we weren't worth their time.

And they were wrong.

That experience taught me one of the most important secrets of closing the sale:

Never say NO for your prospect.

Salespeople do it every day:

"They can't afford it."

"They're just looking."

"They'll never buy the expensive model."

"I'm wasting my time."

But the prospect didn't say those things.

The salesperson did.

Your job isn't to decide what another person can afford.

Your job is to ask questions, listen, demonstrate your product, establish value, answer objections and ask for the order.

Then let the prospect make the decision.

And when the answer is YES?

Learn from that salesman in Plainfield.

Stop selling and close the sale.

More than half a century later, I can still hear those three Cadillac horns.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The salesmen in Rahway may have forgotten that afternoon.

I never did.

Because three brand-new Cadillacs taught this young cookware salesman a lesson that stayed with me throughout my career:

NEVER PREJUDGE A PROSPECT.

Never decide what someone can afford. Never say no for them. Give every prospect the opportunity to say YES.

Because the three young guys you're tempted to ignore...

might just buy every Cadillac in the showroom.

About the Author

Chef Charles Knight is a professional salesman, entrepreneur, chef, cookbook author and founder of Health Craft Cookware. He began selling cookware door-to-door in 1970 and has spent more than half a century learning, practicing and teaching the principles of professional selling.

Secrets of Closing the Sale shares the real-world stories and lessons learned during that career—one prospect, one presentation and one closed sale at a time.