Several times recently I have had conversations with clients who were unclear about what the next step in the sales process was. Most of them seem to be leaving sales calls with unclear expectations as to what happens next and when it is to happen. This happens when you make assumptions and allow your prospects to be vague about their intentions and decisions.

To prevent this from happening, you must be able to clearly answer the question “So what happens next and when”? If you are not sure then ASK! It’s OK to ask. The rule is: NO MIND READING. Before you leave a call learn the specifics of the next step in the process, gain mutual agreement from your prospect about the next step, and then schedule a specific time to follow up on what has been agreed to. This one technique will eliminate wasted time by at least 25%.