efits. “Corporate prospects signaling their readiness to close often say that they’ve obtained manager approval or that evaluators of my software agree that it meets their needs,” she says. “The buyer acknowledges the product’s value and has internal acceptance. When I hear that, I know the opportunity to close is in my hands and I cannot let it slip away. “When selling to individuals, I know it’s time to close the sale when buyers ask if I offer a money-back guarantee. This indicates that they are on the verge of committing to the product but want to eliminate any risk before releasing their per- sonal funds – just in case they are not satisfied. They may also ask, ‘What’s the turnaround time for processing and shipping?’ or, ‘How do I secure the order?’ These are signs that the buyer is ready for closure.” While these positive buying signals
are cause for celebration, that doesn’t necessarily mean negative signals – expressions of concern or fear – are cause for alarm. The sales manager explains that, just as optimistic pros- pects might share their buying hopes, pessimists may tend to share their fears. In that case, negative signals reflect the prospect’s personality – not an indication that they won’t buy. Instead of rushing to address the concern intellectually, she says, dig for the emotion behind it. “When negative-type prospects ask
negative-sounding questions,” notes the sales manager, “some sales- people may think they’re losing the sale. They may answer those ques- tions right away when they should be finding out, gently and delicately, what the real question is – because it’s always hidden. It takes a string of questions asked in the right way to get prospects emotionally involved enough to finally say, ‘I was really ask- ing if I’m going to lose my job if this thing doesn’t fly,’ even though their initial question was, ‘How reliable is your product over 1,000 trials?’ That initial question is usually intellectual, not emotional. You’ll never be able to
look for these closing signals if you’re always up there at the surface, at the intellectual level.”
WATCH THEIR TONE Your prospect’s statements can tip you off to their intentions, but words don’t tell the whole story. What buy- ers don’t reveal in words they often reveal in voice tone, volume, or rate of speech. To keep from getting your signals crossed, though, the sales manager reminds you that communi- cation styles vary widely, so different rules apply to different prospects. “Tone of voice is unique to each customer’s personality,” she notes. “The tone of voice prospects use often tells you how close they are to buying. After many sales calls, I’ve told myself buyers sounded excited, even when they never used the word “excited” in our conversation. I found it in their tone – and every salesper- son knows the tone of excitement when they hear it.” The broad spectrum of prospect personalities, she says, means that the same rate of speech or tone of voice may mean two different things when it comes from two different buyers. “You have negative and positive
prospects, introverted and extraverted prospects, dominant prospects – so the tone changes based on who is in front of you. Prospects who are visual
and think in pictures often begin talk- ing more quickly before they buy. For intuitive buyers, on the other hand, who rely on gut feelings to make deci- sions, slower speech rates often reflect the serious thought they’re investing before they buy. Introverted prospects are often ready to buy when they clam up. They incubate.”
MAKE A SMOOTH TRANSITION When all your buyer’s signals give you the green light, strive for a smooth segue from presentation to close to maintain forward progress when it counts most. To ensure a smooth transition, the sales manager makes sure she understands buyer intentions correctly before stating her own. “When I hear a closing signal, I
make the transition to close by quickly picking up on their momentum. I first restate to them what I just heard, then have them confirm their interest and intent and, finally, let them know what I will do to get the product in their hands ASAP. On a sales call, your buyer’s position
dictates your selling direction. Stay tuned and attentive to their buying signals and you’ll have a better idea where they stand. With that informa- tion as your guide, you’re well pre- pared to make more informed, more effective decisions regarding your own best course of action.
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SELLING POWER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 | 7 © 2026 SELLING POWER
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