The actual closing of the sale is by far the most important step in the selling process. Without it, you haven’t sold anything, have you? However, it should also be the most natural part of the process. Everything else you do leads to that point.

I teach lots of techniques for prospecting, meeting people, qualifying, presenting, demonstrating, and addressing concerns—and they’re all important. But, unless you can close, you’re like a football team that can’t sustain a drive long enough to score.

The biggest complaint I hear from most salespeople is that they don’t know when to start closing. Those people just don’t understand the simple fact that a true Champion salesperson is closing all the time. He or she is constantly trying test closes and will go into the final closing sequence anytime they sniff the sweet smell of success. The problem with too many salespeople is they get so wrapped up in the steps in their selling sequence that if the prospect wants to go ahead with the purchase before they’re finished presenting, they lose their momentum and go tripping awkwardly into the close, which can cause tension and make the buyer hesitate or decide to re-think their decision.

Believe it or not, there are prospects out there who want to make a decision quickly. If you keep talking instead of closing, you’ll run the risk of un-selling them just as fast. So, during every step of the selling cycle, you must keep one eye on the prospect at all times watching for cues as to their readiness to go ahead.

The most common cues include:

1. The client starts talking about the vehicle as if they already own it. “Wait ‘til Bob sees me in this new truck.” “I can pick up more of the kids after soccer practice with this van.”

2. The client relaxes his or her body language. They may have been standing back a couple of feet with their arms folded, but is now leaning against the vehicle. Or, they may have been sitting back in their chair, but lean forward over the paperwork.

3. Clients begin asking more questions or asking you to repeat information. They want to be certain they understand because they’re thinking ahead to ownership. These questions might include warranty information, or how to work the radio, or about the upgrade options available.

Okay. They’re ready. You clearly see that the time has arrived and you start walking into the dealership…to your desk or conference room. This is where most vehicle sales are lost. You are thinking ahead to filling out paperwork and getting the numbers. The clients have their own thoughts. Most are thinking about how to finance the vehicle and they’re getting anxious thinking about what the final amount will be after all the fees are added up. They wonder if they can truly afford the monthly investments. What kind of interest rate will they qualify for? They fear they won’t be good negotiators and won’t get a “good deal.”

So, while you’re thinking ahead to the detail work, old Mr. Fear is creeping up on their shoulders and talking in their ears. My advice: forget the details until you’re actually sitting at the desk working on them!

During those critical minutes it takes you to transition from lot to desk, you need to keep them focused on ownership. Do a brief recap of what they liked about the vehicle. Keep them talking in the positive and thinking positively about the investment without making any promises. Don’t say, “Our finance guy is great. He’ll get you a good deal.” No, no, no. You may have the greatest finance wizard in the business working with you, but just that little change in the client’s mind from “I love the color, the features and that new car smell” to “here I go paying yet another bill at the end of the month” can quickly and easily kill the sale.

The salespeople who close sales and keep them closed remain focused on the present moment. They keep their conversation in line with the client’s thoughts and keep them excited about ownership while taking the long walk down the hall toward the financial details. They are then able to change gears and move to their paperwork smoothly after everyone is settled into the proper environment.

Careful thought must be given to how and when you’ll produce your closing paperwork. Many prospects will tighten up and try to change gears when they see you pulling out forms or turning to a computer to enter data. Don’t risk upsetting the emotional balance that’s tipped in your favor. If at all possible, get into the habit of writing brief notes during every presentation. Your prospect will get used to seeing you writing and not be put off when you begin filling out the actual agreement.