Selling Is a Service. The Moment to Close Is Now.

When I first got into sales, I did what a lot of agency owners do. I followed Grant Cardone. I bought his courses and I spent an ungodly amount of money trying to convince myself I was becoming a “real” salesperson and a "real" entrepreneur.

One thing he said stuck with me, even though I didn’t want to believe it at the time. He said selling is a service, and if you don’t close, you’re being selfish by withholding help. When I first heard it, I thought it was propaganda. A clever way to justify that I should buy more of his stuff. Years later, I realized he was right.

Early on, I was pushy for the wrong reasons. I needed the money. I wasn’t confident we could truly help, but I tried to sell anyway. That version of me was dangerous. Today, I’m the opposite. If a prospect won’t benefit, I tell them. I’ve even sent people to competitors. That’s what service actually looks like.

Going back to Grant Cardone ... When you know you can help, not closing is the real failure.

This is where the focusing illusion matters. Daniel Kahneman explains that nothing feels as important as what someone is focused on right now. In a sales meeting, focus is everything. If they’re focused on price, you stall. If they’re focused on risk, you delay. If they’re focused on the outcome, decisions happen.

When I was running my first agency, I thought discovery was about being polite, thorough, and explaining everything in great detail. Now I know it’s about directing attention. The right questions don’t gather information; they create focus.

What happens if this doesn’t get fixed this quarter? Who owns the pain if this drags another six months? What does success look like if this is solved by March? Those questions aren’t aggressive. They make the cost of inaction real.

Once the client is focused on the future state, your service becomes relief. That’s when resistance drops. That’s when urgency shows up. And that’s when you owe them a close. Not next week. Not after a follow up email. Right then. Remember, the most important thing is what they're focusing on, and they're focusing on your service. Focus fades. Emotion cools. Logic and fear come back. Waiting feels polite, but it’s actually weak.

If you’ve created clarity and you know you can help, closing isn’t pressure. It’s service.

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I hope that helps and gives you something to think about.

~ Erik