The Conversion Code, 2nd Edition

Chapter 31Exactly What to Say When You Transition from Pitching to Closing

Before I tell you exactly what to say to start your close, I want to tell you what not to say. I hear salespeople saying it all the time and it's hurting their close rate.

The biggest mistake in sales when closing is saying a variation of the following statements when it is time to close: “So, what do you think?” or “How does that sound?”

Asking this type of a “How'd I do?” question will not help 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. That is not what a professional salesperson does.

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

You don't ask someone for their feedback after you pitch. If you followed all the steps in The Conversion Code 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.

When it's time to close, be a lion, not a lamb.

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

Now that you know what not to say, here's exactly what ...