Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you were surprised your prospect decided not to work with you? This happens to every salesperson and I’ve discovered what it takes to reduce surprises. What it takes is good qualifying. 

When we take the time to ask thoughtful, open-ended questions and listen to their answers, there are fewer surprises when closing time comes. Closing becomes easier because you’re more confident that they are ready to say “yes.” 

You might be tempted to rush to close. Maybe you really like the prospect as a person or you’re excited about the benefits of working together. Whatever your reason, don’t skip the important questions to confirm your prospect’s goals for their business. Focus on qualifying. If sales is about relationships, as so many say, then rushing to seal the deal isn’t good for anyone because when we rush, we skip right over building relationships through conversation.

Want to know more about my framework for asking qualifying questions? Read chapter 7 of my book, How Good Humans Sell or join my email list where I often write about topics like this.