5 Tips for Creating a Successful Sales Close Plan

Like almost everything else in the complex world that is B2B sales, to close deals you need to have a system in place. If you’re serious about not losing those high-value prospects you’ve put so much effort into getting down your funnel, you need a solid plan to seal the deal.

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What is a sales close plan?

In short, a sales close plan is the document that’s going to bring you to the finish line. After you’ve spent so much time learning about your prospect’s goals and inching them toward the sale, you don’t want to blow it by having a lackluster process for bringing things to a close.

The document will include key items and important events that took place throughout the sales cycle, and it will outline next steps. It’s an important tool that will help to alleviate any lingering confusion and quell any last-minute objections. It lays out all the steps you need to take to seal the deal.

Having a system in place for your sales close plans ensures that you’re consistent in your approach, gives you a framework which is a great starting point to guide your clients toward the sale, and streamlines your process. A good system provides certainty and structure – which will inspire confidence in your team and give a signal of competence to your prospects. 

Timing is everything when it comes to finalizing a sale. A systemized sales close plan helps to ensure you don’t fumble any of the many moving parts. Here are our top five tips for creating a successful sales close plan that will get your prospects to commit.

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1. Build rapport and iron out the details

By the time you get to the point in your sales cycle where it’s time to create your sales close document, you should have a solid understanding of your prospect’s goals and what outcome they hope to achieve by buying your solution.

But even so, it’s a good idea to review the information you’ve collected so far and check in with your prospect to make sure you’re both on the same page. It’s not uncommon for priorities to shift over time, and you want to ensure you’re speaking to the correct pain points as you bring things home for the sale.

Outline your prospect’s goals within your close document with an explanation of how your solution is going to help them to achieve those goals. Determine their why, and speak to those emotional triggers in your document.

Your document should also outline the purchasing process in detail. Include any paperwork required, when it’s needed, and what your client’s budget is.

If you haven’t already, now’s also the time to make sure you’re dealing with the correct people. Who are the stakeholders? Who has the final say on purchasing power? Include these people in your document and make sure you get buy-in from them. Don’t waste your time trying to get a yes from someone who can’t actually give you one.

2. Create a client-facing document

Momentum is everything. Waiting around for next steps to be cleared up is a great way to lose momentum and an even better way to lose a sale.

When do you create a sales close plan?
“When you want to close a deal,” says Chris DeNoia, Managing Director at Winning by Design

By building a collaborative sales close plan you can ensure that everyone is on the same page – your sales team as well as everyone that needs to be involved on the buyer’s end. With a collaborative plan that everyone has access to, there’s no more need for searching through long strings of emails for key information. Instead, everything is available in one living document.

A client-facing document ensures nothing falls through the cracks and everyone is on the same page. With this approach, you can keep the momentum you’ve gained, shorten your sales cycle, and win more deals.

3. Help your would-be clients to envision their future with your solution

Momentum is everything. Waiting around for next steps to be cleared up is a great way to lose momentum and an even better way to lose a sale. When do you create a sales close plan? “When you want to close a deal,” says Chris DeNoia, Managing Director at Winning by Design

By building a collaborative sales close plan you can ensure that everyone is on the same page – your sales team as well as everyone that needs to be involved on the buyer’s end. With a collaborative plan that everyone has access to, there’s no more need for searching through long strings of emails for key information. Instead, everything is available in one living document.

A client-facing document ensures nothing falls through the cracks and everyone is on the same page. With this approach, you can keep the momentum you’ve gained, shorten your sales cycle, and win more deals.

4. Take control of the process (and the conversation)

At this point in the sale, you’ve already determined your prospect’s biggest objections and roadblocks. These should be directly addressed in your document and available for everyone to refer back to.

If new objections arise as you make your way closer to the sale, validate them. Listen carefully and try to get to the heart of their concern. Often, objections are rooted in past bad experiences or misunderstandings. It’s your job to ensure the same things don’t happen again. Document it all and air everything out in your plan. Leave no room for confusion.

5. Make it collaborative

To have the most success, your sales close plan should be a living document in which your team is able to collaborate internally and externally. Recapped makes it easy for your team to create a client-facing sales close plan document that the entire team – buyers and sellers – can contribute to.

You can and should edit and revise your plan as you get closer to the sale. Giving your prospect ownership of important dates and action items helps them to feel involved in the process, builds trust, and moves the entire sales process along in a more efficient way. 

Having access to this information helps to keep everyone on track and accountable. With Recapped you can even create a checklist of next steps with automatic email reminders for your clients to complete. 

A collaborative, client-facing document is the way to go. It keeps everyone in the loop, eliminates the many opportunities for missing a step or a deadline, and it means winning more deals in a smaller amount of time. After all, people are more likely to follow through with a plan they helped to create.

For more information on Recapped's Sales Close Plan (also known as, a Mutual Action Plan) template, check it out in our Recapped Library.

Schedule a consultation with our team to learn more about how to create a successful sales close plan.