Stop Being a Sales Pushover: Start Closing Deals by Closing Files
Are you sick and tired of prospects who ask for info and then ghost you like a bad online date? Yeah, it's a special kind of humiliation.
But listen up, because I'm about to clue you in on a novel concept that'll help you stop being needy and start closing deals like a boss.
The Tale of Tom: From Desperate to Dominant
Let me tell you about Tom, a newbie client of mine. This engineer was selling environmental testing services to big energy companies, thinking he had it all figured out. Spoiler alert: He didn't.
Tom had what he thought was a perfect prospect. Good conversation, problem identified, solution offered and pricing discussed. He even sent over a proposal like a professional sales person would.
But then? Radio silence.
Two weeks of unanswered calls and emails later, Tom was ready to pull his hair out.
"What the hell should I do?" he whined to me during our first coaching call. "I don't want to be a pest, but I need to know if we got this project or not."
The Art of "Closing the File" in Sales
I asked Tom if he was ready to know within 24 hours whether this prospect was going to hire him or not. Of course, he said yes.
So I made the tough call: "Then close her file."
Tom freaked out, thinking I was telling him to give up.
But here's the thing: Closing the sales file isn't surrendering; it's a power move that forces the truth out into the open.
The Sales Voicemail That Changed Everything
I told Tom to leave this voicemail, using his calmest, most professional tone:
"Hey Susan, this is Tom. I haven't heard back from you about that proposal we sent over a couple of weeks ago. I assume you've decided to go in a different direction. No big deal. I'll close your file. I hope we'll run into each other again soon."
Tom was skeptical, but he manned up and made the call.
The Result? A $75K Deal Closed in 30 Minutes
One hour later, Tom hit me up with the news that Susan called back within 30 minutes, apologized, and signed the contract while they were on the phone. She even thanked him for his professionalism!
It was a $75K project with a 40% margin. Tom was over the moon, realizing he'd already gotten a 10x return on the money he'd spent with me.
Why "Closing the File" Works in Sales
"Closing the file" does two things:
It shows you're not desperate. You've got other fish to fry.
It forces the prospect to make a decision. Shit or get off the pot, as they say.
Now, it doesn't always lead to a sale. Sometimes you don't hear back at all. But you know what? That's fine too. At least now you can stop obsessing over a dead-end lead and move on to filling your pipeline with prospects who actually give a damn.
Stop Being a Sales Pushover and Start Closing Deals
Look, sales isn't about being nice. It's about getting results.
If you're spending your days chasing prospects who don't respect your time, you're not just wasting your energy – you're leaving money on the table.
So next time you're dealing with a wishy-washy prospect, don't be afraid to "close the file." It might feel counterintuitive, but it's a surefire way to separate the serious buyers from the time-wasters.
Remember, in sales, the truth will set you free. And sometimes, the best way to get to the truth is to act like you're walking away.
No BS, Just More Sales
As the founder of the No BS Sales System, my goal is to teach you the sales lessons that I had to learn the hard way. Book a call with me so I can make it a hell of a lot easier for you to sell a hell of a lot more.
A final point: Sometimes, making a hell of a lot more boils down to this: Who are you selling to -- and for how much? Find out why deer should be your new best friends in my blog, "The Sales Squirrel Trap: How Firing Bad Clients Can Boost Your Income."
Bringing Honesty, Transparency, and Selflessness to Business.
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