It was 4:30 on a Friday—the last day of the month. Tim had been working for hours to close a deal that would hit his quota and earn him a bonus.
Under pressure, he pulled out an old trick.
“I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but prices go up 10% Monday. If you sign today, I can lock in your price.”
The buyer laughed.
“Tim, I used to be in sales. That ‘impending event’ close doesn’t work on me.”
He continued:
“If I call you Monday with a check for today’s price, are you really going to turn it down?”
Tim had no answer. The deal slipped away.
Why Old Closing Tactics Don’t Work Anymore
Buyers today—especially in Michigan’s competitive B2B market—are more informed than ever.
They’ve heard every version of the same tired closing lines:
“What will it take to earn your business today?”
“If I could… would you?”
“This offer expires soon!”
Even if prospects don’t know the name of each technique, they recognize the pressure.
And familiarity breeds distrust.
These “tried-and-true” closes don’t move modern buyers—they repel them.
A Better Way to Close: Ask, Don’t Push
When you reach the moment of truth in a sales conversation, try this instead:
“What would you like me to do now?”
Then—pause.
Let the buyer respond. Don’t rush to fill the silence.
You’ll be surprised at how often this question reveals the real next step or objection.
This simple shift takes the pressure off the prospect and keeps you in control. It turns closing from a battle of wills into a collaborative decision.
Coaching Your Michigan Sales Team
As a sales leader, your job isn’t just to drive numbers—it’s to build trust. Encourage your reps to:
✅ Drop the manipulative closes.
✅ Listen more than they talk.
✅ Let prospects guide the next step.
Train them to reflect back what they hear:
If a prospect says, “I like it, but the price feels high,” respond with,
“When you say ‘price feels high,’ can you tell me more about what you’re comparing it to?”
This keeps the conversation adult-to-adult—something Sandler-trained teams excel at.
The Takeaway
Buyers in Michigan and beyond can spot a closing trick from a mile away.
What they want is honesty, curiosity, and clarity.
So, stop “closing.”
Start helping buyers close themselves.
Because the best sales professionals don’t push—they partner.
Want to learn more about this topic? Click here to schedule a no-stress phone call with one of our Sandler trainers.
