CLOSING
How to end every sales call with a real next step
“Send me a proposal” feels like progress, but it often isn’t. How to close every sales call with a date in the calendar and everyone who needs to be in the decision.
By Mohamad Al Lakkis4 min read
A lot of sales calls end on a good note and go nowhere. The buyer says “send me something”, the rep sends a proposal, and the follow-ups disappear into an inbox.
The problem isn’t the proposal. It’s that the call ended without a real next step: a specific date, a specific purpose, and the right people involved.
“Send me a proposal” is not a next step
It feels like progress because the buyer asked for something. But it puts all the momentum on your side. The buyer has committed to nothing: not a time to discuss it, not a decision date, not who else needs to see it.
A real next step has three parts:
- A date and time, agreed on the call, in both calendars.
- A purpose, so both sides know what that next conversation is for.
- The right people, especially anyone else who has a say in the decision.
Ask for the next step before the end of the call
Don’t wait for the last thirty seconds when everyone is rushing to leave. Start the conversation about what happens next with a few minutes to spare:
“We’ve got about five minutes left. I want to make sure this is useful for you. What would you need to see to make a decision, and who else should be part of that?”
Turn “send me something” into a meeting
When a buyer asks for a proposal, agree, and attach a time to it:
“Happy to. Let me send it over tomorrow, and let’s book 20 minutes on Thursday to walk through it together, so I can answer questions as they come up. Would anyone else want to join?”
Walking through a proposal together is far more effective than hoping it gets read, and it’s where you find out who else is involved.
Find out who else decides
“I need to check with my boss” at the end of a process is painful. Find out early:
“Besides you, who usually gets involved in a decision like this?”
Then offer to make it easy for them: a short call with both of you, or a one-page summary written for that person.
What to listen for on your own calls
Take your last ten calls and sort them by how they ended:
- A specific date and time, agreed on the call.
- A vague promise (“I’ll follow up next week”).
- Nothing.
If most fall into the last two groups, closing better on the call is one of the fastest improvements a team can make. It needs no new tools, just a habit, and a habit is easy to check when you review calls.