“Don’t Sell Past the Close”

– some anonymous smart person

This isn’t just for salesmen pitching product.  It’s for any executive whose job includes persuading others to do things.

When someone agrees to whatever you’re persuading them to do, stop talking.  Stop giving them more reasons it’s a good idea.  Stop asking them to do it.  They’ve already said yes! What will you gain by talking more?  Probably nothing important.

Meanwhile, there’s a risk you might derail their “yes”.  How? Here are four different ways:

1. you might give them new facts that point them back toward “no”.
2. you might look so eager that they think they can talk you down on price.
3. your lack of realizing that you’ve already made the “sale” may make them doubt your competence and the value of whatever you’re pitching
4. your extra bandwidth demand might just annoy them. I think I’ll stop, now.