Close Without Being Pushy

A common theme among salespeople is the fear of coming off as pushy. Some salespeople won’t even ask for the sale because of this fear. They want to build a solid relationship with the prospect, so they’re concerned they’ll appear intrusive if they ask for the sale. 

This fear of appearing too pushy is nonsense. Asking for business is the natural culmination of the professional sales process. If the salesperson has done everything correctly up until this point – had an interesting opening, asked questions and answered them correctly and enthusiastically, made an appropriate on-target recommendation – the closing phase should be a cinch. Also, by not asking for the sale, the salesperson is actually doing the prospect a disservice. If you have something the prospect needs, you aren’t helping by not asking the person to buy it. 

Asking is consistent with building relationships, since you are making an educated decision as to the customer’s best interests. Being pushy is trying to sell someone something that isn’t wanted or needed. That happens when a salesperson makes a pitch and a close before creating interest or getting information. 

So if, after ample questioning, you decide you have the product the prospect both wants and needs, ask for the sale. Ask, ask large, and ask often.