RR#144 - Why Most Salespeople Fail at the Close

The best salespeople in the world are masters of their craft.

They work the margins, optimizing every element of the sales process to gain an edge.

But there's one defining moment where the truly exceptional create separation that's impossible to ignore: the close.

It's in this pivotal moment—when it's time to ask for the business—that you see the difference between those who are merely good and those who are truly great.

Today I’m going to share how they do it, and how you can become a world-class closer, too.

The Moment When Sales Really Begin

Some people may disagree with me, but in my view, selling starts when you ask for the money.

Everything up to that point is important and certainly influences the outcome.

But if you’ve gone through your process and get an easy yes at the end, that’s what I call ‘order taking.’

And don’t get me wrong, I love an easy ‘yes’ as much as the next guy. But let’s face it, it’s a hell of a lot easier to close people who’ve already made their decision.

It’s when you’ve gone through that process, make the ask, and have a prospect who is undecided and needs to be led to the finish line that true salesmanship really starts.

How you navigate this pivotal moment determines whether you win the deal or walk away empty-handed.

After two decades in sales and working with thousands of salespeople, I've noticed that exceptional closers see this part of the process fundamentally differently.

Here's how:

1. They Understand Their Real Job

The best closers know their primary responsibility isn't just presenting solutions—it's leading prospects to make decisions. Period.

While most salespeople’s pipelines are clogged with "maybe" prospects who need to "think about it" or "discuss with others," closers run with a lean pipeline because they know their sole purpose is to get a decision.

And they understand that getting a decision is far more likely if they lead that process while they’re sitting right there in front of (or virtually with) the prospect.

The second you leave that office or end that Teams call, the probability of getting a decision plummets. Why? Because they need your help to make the decision.

• Maybe they have unanswered questions.

• Maybe they legitimately need more information.

• Maybe they have a limiting belief you need to address.

Whatever it is, those things aren’t going to be addressed on their own. As a salesperson, it’s your role to lead them through this decision making process.

Because here's the reality: Perpetual indecision is cancer for a sales organization.

The top closers know this and use every tool at their disposal to get a decision—while they have access to the decision maker.

2. They Actively Hunt for Objections

Elite closers don't just handle objections well—they actively seek them out.

Most salespeople, however, don’t. They either never get to the the objections, or actively tried to avoid them.

Sometimes this is because of poor time management in the sales process. They run a 60-minute sales call and don’t ask for the sale until the meeting is 3 minutes from being over, when there’s no chance to dig into what the prospect is really thinking.

Other times it’s because the salesperson has a fear of rejection, which is normal if you made almost any other career choice. That leads them to avoid directly asking for the sale and inviting prospects to share reasons they may not want to move forward.

Whatever it is, it leads to lost deals.

Because you can’t influence a decision unless you really know what’s holding back. And the best way to learn that is to actively look for the objections.

One thing I’ve found to be helpful in training salespeople to get comfortable with objections is to reframe what an objection is.

• An objection is not a failure in how you’ve run your process.

• It is not an outright refusal to do business with you.

• And it’s not a rejection of you.

It is a perfectly normal response from a buyer. One that should be expected in the process.

If someone says ‘yes’ immediately, great. Count your blessings. Low hanging fruit for the win. But those aren’t the norm.

You’re in sales, and ‘I’m not quite ready yet’ and ‘I’m not sure yet’ are completely normal responses that you should expect.

Why?

Because curiosity, doubt, and skepticism are perfectly normal when you’re buying a new product or service. Addressing those concerns is just part of guiding prospects through the buying process.

Once you reset your expectations and learn to expect the objections, and train yourself to handle them well, you’re on your way to being a top closer.

3. They Embrace the "No"

The best closers in the world understand something counterintuitive: the path to more "yes" decisions runs straight through collecting more "no's."

It’s the same in sports.

The NBA's all-time leaders in missed shots reads like a Hall of Fame roster. Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—legends who understood that you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. (Hell, even LeBron James is on the list.)

Elite closers bring this same mindset to sales. They understand that each "no" builds their resilience, sharpens their skills, and gets them one step closer to their next "yes."

They don't see rejection as failure—they see it as feedback. Every "no" teaches them something about their approach, their market, or their offer. And they use these lessons to refine their process.

Most importantly, they understand that avoiding "no's" means you're probably not asking for enough decisions. You're probably playing it too safe. And playing it safe in sales is the riskiest strategy of all.

The best closers have learned to be comfortable with—even energized by—that moment of tension when they ask for the business. Because they know that's where the magic happens, whether the answer is yes or no.

Turning Theory Into Practice

So, how do you get comfortable with asking for the sale, inviting objections, and getting more no’s?

Simple: practice.

Ask yourself: When was the last time you practiced your closing language? Or role played how to handle objections? Do you have a go-to script for that crucial moment?

If you could use some help with this, here's your action plan:

1. Craft Your Closing Scripts

Create 2-3 closing statements you'll use consistently at the inflection point of asking for the sale.

For example:

• "Is there any reason not to move forward today?"

• "I've shown you two options that meet your requirements. Which one are you leaning toward?"

Write the 2-3 standard closing asks you are going to use.

2. Master Your Objection Handlers

Next, identify the three most common objections you face and write them down. They’re usually something like:

• “I need to think about it…”

• “I need to talk to a partner…”

• “The price is too high…”

Or something similar.

For each one, develop two specific questions that help you isolate and address the real concern.

For instance, when you hear "I need to think about it," have a ready response that acknowledges their position while maintaining momentum, like:

“Sure. That’s common. Just to clarify my own thinking, which part of this do you want to think over? Is it [whether this service will work for you - or - other objection you suspect it is]?”

3. Daily Practice Ritual

Spend 10 minutes each day practicing your closes and objection handlers out loud.

Yes, out loud.

Preparation breeds confidence, and confidence breeds trust.

Do that for 30 days and let me know how it goes.

The Bottom Line

The close isn't just another step in your sales process—it's where champions are made. It's where all your hard work either converts to revenue or slips away into the "maybe someday" pile.

Elite closers understand this. They prepare for it. And most importantly, they embrace it.

Want some help with the objection handling?

I've created an objection handling playbook. Just click ‘yes’ below and we’ll email it to you tomorrow when we’re back in the office.

Or click ‘no’ and share your objection with me. 😉 

Hasta la vista,

Ray