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Ask any sales rep what the hardest part of their job is, and I’ll bet any money they’ll say “closing.” After all, signing new customers and upselling existing accounts is how a rep makes quota. If they’re not getting prospects to sign contracts, they’re not going to hit their number. There are a handful of mistakes you need to avoid if you hope to be successful. Here are nine of the most prevalent -- and devastating -- closing fumbles I see reps make.

1) Not asking for what you want.

Clearly stating your ask might be common sense, but it’s hardly common practice.

There are two reasons reps don’t simply state what they want from a prospect. It’s possible they’re afraid of rejection, so they soften their language to minimize the chances of hearing “no.” On the other hand, it’s possible they don’t know what they want! Too often, reps go into a call or meeting with no real concept of what they’re hoping to get out of it. And if you don’t know what you want, how can you get it from the prospect?

Enter every interaction with a clear objective in mind, and don’t beat around the bush when asking for it. For example, “I’m calling to see if you have questions about the proposal” doesn’t make it clear what you want the prospect to do. “Will you be signing and sending the proposal today?” does.

2) Closing only once.

You should consistently "close" throughout the sales process. Three reasons: First, you'll gradually secure greater and greater buy in from your prospect; second, you'll filter out tire kickers; and third, you'll get key information, meetings, introductions, and more.

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