How To Close The Sale: 13 Tricks Guaranteed to Improve Your Close Rate

ABC: Always Be Closing. This strategy encapsulates effective sales—at least in Glengarry Glen Ross. But regardless of how you feel about it as a philosophy, it describes a critical concept: closing matters.

You can get on your prospect’s good side. You can show them how good your product is. But if you can’t close, you don’t get the sale.

Short Answer: Close more sales by assuming the sale, responding first, being upfront about expectations, keeping benefits top-of-mind, and using psychology-based techniques like urgency, trial closes, and leading questions.

What Is the Assumptive Close and How Does It Work?

Quick Answer: The assumptive close means acting as if the prospect has already decided to buy, which boosts your confidence and naturally guides conversations toward completing the sale.

This common sales strategy comes in clutch when closing. You see prospects as people who are going to make the purchase, no matter what.

For starters, it’s good for your confidence. You’ll approach conversations feeling confident, and that radiating confidence helps boost your close rate. More importantly, it helps you look for angles that allow you to close. This person is going to buy. Why are they going to buy? When are they going to buy?

Use assumptive language to construct persuasive lead-ins: “So when can we get you started?” assumes the person is already going to buy.

Why Does Responding First Improve Your Close Rate?

Quick Answer: Research shows 35-50% of sales go to the vendor that responds first. A fast, human reply creates a strong first impression that carries through to closing.

Sometimes, it pays to be on the ball. Responding quickly is an easy way to give a great first impression—not an automated email response, but a real, human reply.

It’s a simple trick that goes a long way toward eventually closing the deal. First impressions are hard to beat.

You can measure your team’s email response time using EmailAnalytics. Remember: that which doesn’t get measured doesn’t get improved.

How Does Being Upfront Help You Close More Sales?

Quick Answer: The upfront agreement cuts through the typical sales dance by laying out expectations clearly and getting the prospect to commit to a decision-making process.

Sales is often a dance where salespeople pretend they aren’t selling, which prospects can see as disingenuous. Avoid it by laying out expectations at the start of the conversation.

For example: “I’ll be honest. I want to sign you up today. I’ll give you my pitch, let you try things out, and answer any questions. But at the end, if I can answer all your concerns and get the price right, would you sign today?”

Getting an upfront acknowledgment sets the tone for the entire interaction and presents you as more sincere.

Why Should You Keep Benefits Top-of-Mind When Closing?

Quick Answer: Summarizing benefits before asking for the close reminds prospects of value they’ve already acknowledged while minimizing any concerns they raised.

This trick highlights aspects of your pitch that serve your narrative. For example: “You said you enjoyed using this app. It boosts efficiency by 20 percent. It’s cheaper than what you’re using now. And we can lock you in at this pricing for years. Are you ready to sign?”

It’s a great way to remind prospects of benefits they’ve already seen—while discreetly minimizing any issues they’ve had.

How Do Urgency-Based Closing Techniques Work?

Quick Answer: Urgency techniques like “now or never” and loss aversion create motivation to act immediately by making deals appear temporary or at risk of disappearing.

The “Now or Never” Close

One of the biggest problems in closing is urgency. If your prospect doesn’t feel compelled to act right now, they might never act. Present the deal as temporary: “I can get this for $500, but that offer expires at the end of tomorrow. If you want to guarantee it, you’ll need to sign by then.”

Some prospects see this as high-pressure, which can turn them off. Try to phrase it politely and make sure the prospect sees you as being on their side.

The Fear of Loss Close

Thanks to negativity bias, people are incredibly averse to loss. Losing $20 feels more intense than gaining $20.

For example, offer your best pricing of $2,500 (down from $3,500), then if they don’t budge, inform them a week later that the best pricing is no longer available—but you can still offer $2,800. Your prospect might be afraid that if they don’t act soon, pricing may revert to $3,500.

Don’t use this as your first attempt to close. It works best over the course of days.

What Is the Puppy Dog Close?

Quick Answer: The puppy dog close gets prospects to try your product hands-on. Once they experience it firsthand, emotional attachment often makes the sale close itself.

Think of it this way: You’re thinking about buying a dog but you’re not sure. Then you actually hold the puppy. And you fall in love. There’s no going back.

That’s the principle. Get the prospect to try your product or service and get used to it. From there, the sale should close itself. This is contingent on your product’s appeal—that’s why great products make sales come naturally.

How Do You Use Concessions to Close Faster?

Quick Answer: The sharp angle technique ties any price concession directly to an immediate close, ensuring both sides feel they’ve won the negotiation.

Savvy prospects understand the sales game. They’ll negotiate and push for a better deal. You can utilize concessions to move quickly to the close.

For example, your prospect says: “I can’t see paying $250 a month. Can you knock it down to $200?” You respond: “If I can get you $200 per month pricing, would you sign today?”

This implies urgency and closes quickly while ensuring both sides feel like they won.

How Do Leading Questions Help Close Sales?

Quick Answer: Leading questions guide prospects to admit your solution is right for them. By answering “yes” to each question, they logically talk themselves into closing.

This psychology trick steers your prospect through a series of thoughts you want them to take. Ask questions you already know the answers to: “So this product has all the features you need—it’s not missing anything? And it’s in your budget at the current pricing?”

With no objections to your questions, they won’t see a reason not to continue. If they bring up objections, you can counter them.

Don’t underestimate the power of questions. Check out the psychology behind the classic “sell me this pen” interview question.

Why Is Offer Optimization Critical for Closing?

Quick Answer: No closing technique works if the offer isn’t compelling. Optimize each deal for the specific prospect based on what they hope to get.

Sometimes urgency doesn’t matter. A test drive doesn’t matter. If the offer isn’t good enough, they won’t go through with the sale.

Optimization isn’t just about cutting the price or improving terms. It’s about optimizing the deal to suit this specific prospect. What does this person hope to get? What would make them more likely to close? This requires understanding your prospect well.

What Is the Columbo Close?

Quick Answer: Named after the TV detective, the Columbo close means holding back a key piece of information, then presenting it with “just one more thing” when the prospect is on the fence.

Columbo was known for pretending to walk away, then turning back with “Just one more thing,” presenting critical evidence that makes everything come together.

Example: “You don’t have it in your budget. I get it. But it serves all your needs, right?” Let the conversation continue, then: “Just one more thing—we have a special offer for businesses like yours. If you sign up for a 2-year contract, we can get you pricing below your current budget.”

Hold something back in case you need it.

When Should You Use a Soft Close Instead?

Quick Answer: Use soft closes for prospects who are averse to high-pressure tactics. Guide them gently with open-ended questions rather than aggressive urgency.

Some people don’t trust persuasion and like to take their time. For these prospects, high-pressure tricks won’t work.

Instead, guide them gently: “So you’re looking for a service that can improve your marketing ROI. If you had a strategy that could get you 100 percent ROI with an upfront investment of $1,500, would that interest you?”

This approach, along with other open-ended sales questions, is gentle and probing—perfect for cautious, skeptical types.

How Does Optimizing Your Presale Process Improve Closing?

Quick Answer: Closing techniques can’t save bad leads. Generate high-converting prospects, research them beforehand, and use marketing funnels to make them ready to buy.

What good is a valuable closing strategy if you’re targeting the wrong people? If you’re losing prospects early? If your offer isn’t compelling enough?

Are you generating leads that have a high likelihood of converting? Are you researching prospects before you engage? Do you have marketing funnels and drip campaigns to help prospects become ready?

Once you have a better presale process, closing becomes easier. In some cases, deals close themselves.

How Do You Become a Better Closer Over Time?

Quick Answer: Experiment with different techniques, develop your personal style, learn to read prospects, remain persistent, and study successful salespeople.

Experiment: Different tricks work for different prospects, and no trick works in all situations. Test closing strategies to learn when they’re best used.

Find your personal style: Every salesperson has unique strengths. While you may follow a script, tinker with your own approach to find your preferred style.

Learn to read others: Choosing the right closing strategy depends on your individual prospect’s emotional disposition. Learning to read people helps you find the best approach.

Remain persistent: Did you know that most prospects say “no” multiple times before they finally close? Be persistent when the occasion calls for it.

Learn from the best: Shadow the best salespeople you know and learn from their experiences directly.

For more strategies, see our guide to the top ways to increase sales.