EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Skilled Diagnostician Who Forgets to Close
Alex ran a textbook discovery call for 38 minutes and then fumbled the last four. The diagnostic work was genuinely impressive -- you got Sarah to articulate pain she hadn't verbalized before, and the trust curve was climbing nicely. But the close was soft enough to sleep on. "I'll send you some info" is not a next step. It's a polite exit ramp. The good news: everything that matters is fixable, and the foundation you built is strong.
TOP WINS
TOP MISSES
PERFORMANCE SCORES
Opening
Referenced TechCorp's Series B news and connected it to operational scaling challenges. Sarah leaned in immediately.
Discovery
Three levels deep on the scaling problem. Got Sarah to say "I hadn't thought about it that way before." Gold.
Qualification
Identified budget, timeline (Q2), and decision-makers. Missed quantifying the cost of inaction.
Presentation
Jumped to product description when Sarah asked "so what do you do?" Generic pitch that could have been for anyone.
Close
Ended with "I'll send you some info and you can let me know." No date, no time, no calendar.
The Mirror Close
How it appeared: Reflected Sarah's exact phrases back throughout the call -- "scaling wall," "things falling through cracks," "drowning in manual work."
When buyers hear their own language, they feel understood. This is trust accelerant.
“You mentioned hitting a scaling wall -- can you walk me through what that looks like day to day?”
Keep a mental (or literal) note of the prospect's exact words. Use them in your summaries and transitions.
The Diagnostic Reveal
How it appeared: Named a pattern Sarah hadn't seen: that her "good enough" processes were actually compounding technical debt.
Prospects who articulate their own problems are 4x more likely to buy. You helped Sarah see her situation more clearly.
“What happens when that breaks down at 300 people instead of 150?”
Ask "what happens when..." to help prospects see second-order consequences they haven't considered.
The Vulnerability Flip
How it appeared: When Sarah mentioned a failed implementation, you shared a story about a similar mistake you'd seen rather than dismissing it.
Turning a potential objection into shared experience deepened trust at a critical moment.
“Yeah, I've seen that exact thing happen. The team at [company] had the same experience...”
When prospects share failures or concerns, match with a relevant story before pivoting to your solution.
The Soft Close Fade
How it appeared: Ended with "I'll send you some information" and "let me know what you think." No specific ask.
Deals without specific next steps have a 73% lower close rate. You did the hard work and then gave it away.
“Great conversation. Let me send you some info and you can let me know what you think.”
Always propose a specific date/time before the call ends. Use their stated urgency to justify it: "Given your Q2 deadline, let's schedule 30 minutes Tuesday to map this out."
✓ The Permission Pivot
Ask "Based on what we discussed, is this the kind of conversation worth continuing?" before proposing next steps. Earns the right to close.
The Scenic Route
How it appeared: Spent 6 minutes on company background before getting to the first real question. Sarah was polite but checked her phone.
Senior buyers give you 3-5 minutes to prove the call is worth their time. You used yours on context she already knew.
“So TechCorp was founded in 2019 and you've grown to about 150 people...”
Open with a hypothesis, not a biography. "I saw TechCorp just closed Series B -- in my experience that's when ops challenges shift from annoying to blocking growth. Is that resonating?"
✓ The Framework Drop
Give structure early that creates clarity and positions you as an authority, not a researcher.
Next-Call Blueprint
- 1Send follow-up email TODAY with specific meeting request for Tuesday 2pm.
- 2Include the case study from the similar company you mentioned on the call.
- 3Reference her "scaling wall" phrase in the email subject to show you were listening.
- 4Prepare a TechCorp-specific ROI model for the next call -- she needs data to build the internal business case.
- 5Research David Park (CTO) before the next call. He has veto power and you'll need him eventually.
THE ONE THING
The single highest-leverage change for your next call
Close with a specific date and time, not "let me know."
You ended with "I'll send you some info and you can let me know what you think." This is a polite exit, not a next step.
"Based on your Q2 deadline, let's schedule 30 minutes Tuesday to walk through the implementation plan. I have 2pm or 4pm -- which works better?"
For the next 5 calls, write your closing sentence BEFORE the call starts. Have it on a sticky note. Read it verbatim if you have to. The goal is to never end a call without a specific date on the calendar.
Everything else on this call was strong. This is the 5% change that will have a 50% impact on your close rate.
BOTTOM LINE INSIGHT
You're a strong diagnostician who loses deals at the finish line. The trust you build is real, the discovery is excellent, and the rapport is genuine. But none of it matters if the prospect walks away without a next step. Fix the close and you're a top performer. That's not a pep talk -- it's math.
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