Salespeople need to close sales at the first bonafide closing opportunity - the point at which (in the Baseline Selling model) all the bases have been touched. Bob, who I wrote about yesterday, tends to let people put him off if he thinks they have a valid reason. George tends to blow people up when he thinks they're putting him off. Somewhere, in between, exists a happy medium.

Our team of senior consultants was discussing this today and we determined that sometimes, the reason that prospects can't make decisions is that the very solution that was proposed isn't exactly right. It's either not what they wanted, expected, could afford or would pay for. Sometimes it simply includes a piece or component that they didn't think they needed, causing them to question the value of the entire proposal. Other times, salespeople provide options, providing prospects with a reason to think things over.

Make sure your salespeople get the freaking proposal right!!!