If you've ever walked out of a meeting sure the prospect was going to say yes—only to be ghosted or hit with a “we’ve decided to go in another direction”—you’re not alone.
Closing deals isn’t just about delivering a great pitch or having the best product. In fact, most sales are lost long before you ever present a solution. The real problem? The way many salespeople run their conversations sets them up to chase, not close.
Let’s talk about why—and how to fix it.
The Buyer-Seller Dance Is Killing Your Close Rate
Here’s what most sales calls look like:
You ask a few surface-level questions.
The prospect gives vague answers.
You shift into presentation mode, excited to show how your solution helps.
They say, “This looks great—we’ll get back to you.”
You follow up. And follow up. And follow up.
This is the Buyer-Seller Dance—and it rarely ends in a win.
Buyers know the script. They’ve been through hundreds of sales calls. So they withhold real information, keep control of the process, and protect themselves from pressure. The result? You’re left chasing a deal that was never real in the first place.
Closing Starts at the Beginning
At Sandler, we say: The close happens at the beginning of the sale—not the end.
That’s because the key to closing lies in two things:
Qualification
Control of the process
If you don’t truly understand the pain, the budget, and the decision process, you’re flying blind.
Here’s What to Do Instead
✅ Use Up-Front Contracts
Start every meeting by setting clear expectations:
“Let’s use this time to see if we’re a fit. At the end of the call, we can both decide whether it makes sense to keep talking—or not. Does that sound fair?”
This eliminates pressure and keeps the process honest. You’re not there to convince—you’re there to uncover truth.
✅ Go Deep on Pain
Don’t settle for surface-level challenges. Use Sandler’s Pain Funnel to uncover emotional drivers behind the problem. Here’s a taste:
“Can you tell me more about that?”
“How long has this been a problem?”
“What happens if nothing changes?”
“How is this impacting you personally?”
When you connect your solution to real pain, price becomes less of an issue—and urgency goes up.
✅ Talk Budget Early
Avoid the awkward “sticker shock” moment by addressing budget before you present.
“Assuming we find a solution that solves this, are you in a position to make an investment?”
This helps you avoid wasting time on prospects who can’t (or won’t) pay.
✅ Clarify the Decision Process
Before presenting, ask:
“Can you walk me through how a decision like this gets made?”
If you don’t know who’s involved or what the steps are, you’re just guessing—and that’s not a strategy.
The Bottom Line: You Don’t Need to Get Better at Closing. You Need to Get Better at Qualifying.
The best closers don’t rely on charm or flashy presentations. They qualify deeply, set expectations clearly, and make it easy for the buyer to say yes—or no.
If your close rate isn’t where you want it to be, the issue isn’t your product or your pitch. It’s your process.
And the good news? You can fix that.
Want to Close More Deals—Without Chasing?
Join our upcoming Kickoff to Sales Bootcamp or book a free 30-minute Sales Process Audit. Let’s talk about what’s holding your team back—and how we can help you fix it.
