You’ve just had a great meeting with a prospect.
There’s energy. The rapport’s good. You’re thinking, “This could go somewhere.”
Now it’s time to plan the next step.
Here’s where many salespeople blow it.
They end the call with:
❌ “So, what do you see as the next step?”
❌ Or “How should we leave things for today?”
That sounds polite. But here’s the problem — your prospect often doesn’t know what comes next.
And when you hand them the steering wheel, they’ll often drive your deal straight into a dead end.
This is where your expertise matters.
People want to be lead. They’re coming to you for help solving their issue.
So guide them. You know the path. So, instead of asking, tell them.
✅ “Given what you’ve shared with me today, what I recommend we do next is…”
…and then outline the next step — whether it’s a deeper scoping session, bringing in other stakeholders, or reviewing a proposal.
Finish with:
“What are your thoughts?”
It’s simple. Confident. Professional.
And it positions you as the expert — which is exactly who they want to follow.
