"Closing the Sale is a Multi-Step Process" advises Thought Leader Shelley Hall at IMCNE Conference

Stow, MA - March 31, 2008: Leading sales expert Shelley Hall recently joined a select group of thought leaders in sharing their insight and expertise in Waltham as part of the New England Institute of Management Consultants conference titled: "The End of Boom and Bust: How Thought Leading Can Help You Rise to the Top."

Addressing a roundtable discussion on the philosophy of closing tactics, Hall, who is Principal and Managing Director of Catalytic Management Consulting, fielded a variety of general questions before explaining why even seasoned sales professionals can sometimes neglect the key steps in closing a business deal.

"Too many consultants jump from determining a prospect's need to selling the results of their work," said Hall. "They forget the closing steps in between that truly win a piece of business. Missing these steps is why many opportunities remain just that—lingering opportunities that never seem to close."

Hall continued, explaining that closing a sale is metaphorically akin to a ladder. Introducing the Closing Opportunity Ladder, a multi-layered analysis of the closing process, Hall stressed that "skipping any steps in the process jeopardizes your ability to ultimately close the sale. At each step you must "close" the prospect. In other words, you must gain agreement that your services are the right fit for the need. You should then confirm that your consulting approach and methodology are the right match for the company culture and not at odds. Successfully completing each of these steps builds the trust needed to convince the prospect that you will deliver results."

Attended by New England's top industry consultants, the IMCNE conference was designed to provide its attendees with new methods for sharpening their skills and improving their business. Alan Weiss, consultant, speaker and author of Million Dollar Consulting was the conference keynote speaker.

As an active thought leader and speaker on the subjects of accelerating business growth through sales effectiveness, customer loyalty and process improvement, Hall has published dozens of articles for such major business journals as Business Performance Management Magazine, CEO Refresher, The Handbook of Business Strategy, Women's Business, The Independent Consultant, and many more.