The Conversion Code

Chapter 14

Exactly What to Say When You Start to Close

Before I tell you exactly what to say to start your close, I want to tell you what not to say. Because I hear salespeople all over the country saying it and it's killing their production.

The biggest mistake in sales when closing a lead is the following statement: “So what do you think?”

I also often hear “How does that sound?”

Asking this type of a “How'd I do?” question in no way helps you sell more effectively. I get why you do it: Humans are insecure by nature and need to hear someone tell them they did a good job, that they liked what they heard. But that is not what a professional salesperson does.

Here is another quip I never forgot from my sales coach at FashionRock: The lion doesn't ask the lamb for food.

You don't ask them for their feedback after you pitch. If you followed all the steps in The Conversion Code sales call so far, you know your pitch was great. There is no reason to ask someone who doesn't do this for a living how you did. If you want feedback on your pitch, get it from your coaches and colleagues, not your customers.

If there's one thing you can and should 100 percent script and use every single time, it is your transition to a closing statement. You do not want to fumble at this critical juncture. It's the fourth quarter. You are on the one-yard line. Don't get cute.

Now that you know what not to say, here's exactly what to say when you recognize that it is the perfect moment to close:

“Great! ...