Closing the Deal

I work for a large advertising firm in New York City. I am what they call the closer. The executives lay out the deal, go over all the fine points, and then I wine and dine the client and pull out the big guns. My big guns are those one-of-kind, hard-to-get event tickets. The theater ticket that nobody else can get is my best weapon. There is an art to what I do and I have secrets never before spoken about. But I guess I can break my silence.

The secret is to have a hotline to a couple online ticket brokers. These guys can get the tickets when everybody else claims to be sold out. I’m not sure how they do it and I don’t ask any questions. I’m just grateful to have found this gold mine; it has been responsible, in part, for closing quite a few deals.

First you have to do a little research on the client and find their weaknesses. If they enjoy football you have to find out which team they like most. If it so happens that team is in town while they are doing business with you, you hit your ticket broker up for NFL tickets and present them to your client during dinner. It’s hard to say “no” to the deal when somebody has given you such a wonderful gift.

I have an impressive record for closing the deal. I don’t always have to use the big guns but it’s nice to know the weapon is there if ever I need it. There have been many times the deal was sealed before I gave the clients the treasured theater ticket to the hottest show on Broadway. In those cases it was a “thank you” gift which always helps to keep the client happy.

Some might say my business practice is like bribing the client. I don’t ever look at it that way. I think adding a little sweetness to the deal just makes things go a little smoother. Clients feel good about doing business with somebody that can relate to them and how better can one relate to another than by scoring the best NFL tickets possible and treating him to the game? Business is business but business doesn’t always have to be work; there’s always room for fun. Every client I’ve ever closed a deal with has come back and continued doing business with us; even when I don’t produce the golden ticket.