Rushing to close can feel natural when a prospect shows interest. Yet Sandler Rule #3 teaches that slowing down—asking the right questions, understanding needs, and aligning expectations—can actually speed up the overall sale.
Why “Happy Ears” Can Hurt Your Sale
Salespeople often get what we call “happy ears.” A prospect expresses interest, and suddenly it feels like the deal is practically done. The excitement kicks in, and you jump into solutions, pricing, and next steps—without fully understanding the prospect’s real challenges, decision-making process, or buying timeline.
The result? Essential steps may get skipped, including:
Confirming all decision-makers are involved
Understanding budget and authority
Digging into pain points and their impact
Aligning expectations for next steps
sWhen these gaps appear later, it can cause delays, rework, or even a lost deal.
Slowing Down Builds Trust (and Closes Faster)
Slowing down doesn’t mean dragging your feet or losing momentum—it means following a deliberate process to ensure nothing gets missed.
Ask better questions. Confirm what success looks like for your prospect. Explore their real motivations for buying and any potential obstacles in the decision-making process.
When you invest this time early, you eliminate surprises later and create a smoother, faster path to closing. Following Sandler methodology ensures you uncover a buyer’s pain, budget, and decision-making process so that when it’s time to close, there are no roadblocks—just results.
How can I our team at Sandler, Michigan, by EAM Consulting help you? Reach out HERE for a conversation.
