Acceptance Mode

One of the key elements in closing is to accept that you’ve closed. Be quiet. Leave promptly. Mark McCormack calls it shifting to acceptance mode: “After scratching and clawing their way into the customer’s heart and mind, they can’t stop to relax and enjoy their victory. … They don’t know how to take yes for an answer.”

You may be tempted to summarize the discussion, but don’t do that. You’ll sound as if you’re renegotiating the deal. Worse, you may bring up objections that had been neutralized and make them real in the client’s mind again. There’s nothing to gain from lingering at the site of your triumph. Leave the customer as soon as common courtesy allows.

After you’ve reached a commitment for the sale, compliment your customer ...

Get Selling Electronic Media now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.