Sales success starts long before the close—it begins with the open. Too often, sellers focus on the end goal without laying the groundwork that makes closing possible. Opening a sale means building trust, uncovering needs, and creating value from the very first interaction.
Here’s how to do it right:
- Start with curiosity: Ask thoughtful, open-ended questions that reveal your prospect’s challenges, goals, and motivations. Listen actively and take notes.
- Build rapport: People buy from those they trust. Be authentic, show empathy, and find common ground.
- Position value early: Don’t pitch—guide. Frame your product or service as a solution to their specific problems, not just a list of features.
- Set expectations: Clarify the process, timeline, and next steps. This creates momentum and reduces friction later.
When you open a sale with intention and insight, closing becomes a natural next step—not a forced finish. Remember: the best closers are great openers first. Start with all the other attributes of a good salesperson, then start applying them on the very first call.
Ready to build momentum? Contact Sales Growth Advisors.
Let’s Get Your Sales Line Growing Again!
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The Sales Accelerator is a weekly sales blog developed by Sales Growth Advisors offering ideas, thoughts, and suggestions resulting in Proven Ideas To Accelerate Your Sales Growth. We are a mid-market sales growth consulting firm that works to grow your business, scale your company, and boost your margin. Our blog is designed to give you brief tips about sales, to educate, to get you thinking about growth, and to get your sales line moving up and to the right! But don’t just take our word for it here – contact us and put our services to work for you!