You know the feeling. You’ve just delivered a killer presentation. You’ve built rapport, you’ve demonstrated value, you’ve shown them the clear savings on their statement. The merchant is nodding along. You feel the momentum.
Then you get to the end, ask for the business, and the air goes out of the room.
“I need to think about it.” “Let me run this by my partner.” “This looks great, but I need to check with my current provider first.”
Suddenly, a sure thing becomes a “maybe,” and a “maybe” almost always becomes a “no” once you walk out that door. The money you left on the table haunts you.
Here’s the hard truth: Many of us in sales are masters of the pitch but amateurs at the close sometimes. They treat the close as a single, high-pressure moment at the end of a meeting.
That’s the mistake. The close isn’t the final question. The close is a mindset and a process that starts the second you say hello.
If you want to stop leaving those residuals on the table and start getting signatures on the dotted line, you need to change your playbook. This is how you close the deal, every single time.
Myth Buster: The “Close” Starts at the Beginning
Stop thinking of the sale as a series of steps culminating in a big, scary question. Instead, see the entire process as a straight line of small agreements, or “micro-closes.” We talked about this back in the August post of All Sales Are the Same.
Your goal is to get the merchant to say “YES” in small ways throughout the entire conversation.
- “Running end-of-day reports is a real pain with your current system, isn’t it?” (Yes)
- “So having a terminal that automatically updates its software would be a lot more secure and save you time, right?” (Yes)
- “It sounds like getting a real person on the phone for support instead of a robot would make a huge difference when you’re busy.” (Yes)
By the time you present the merchant agreement, signing it should feel like the natural, logical conclusion to a conversation where they’ve already agreed you are the solution to all their problems.
Your Secret Weapon: The Discovery is 90% of the Close
Top closers are master detectives. They know that you can’t close a deal if you don’t understand the merchant’s true pain points. And spoiler alert: it’s not always about the rate.
Price is a factor, but loyalty is built on solving problems. Dig deeper than the statement. Ask powerful, open-ended questions:
- “What’s the single most frustrating part of your current payment processing experience?”
- “Walk me through what happens when your terminal goes down during a lunch rush.”
- “How much time do you or your manager spend each week trying to decipher your merchant statement?”
- “If you could wave a magic wand, what’s one thing you’d change about how you accept payments?”
Listen for the gold. They won’t tell you, “I want to switch to you.” They’ll say, “I wasted 45 minutes on hold with customer service last Tuesday,” or “My old POS system doesn’t track inventory correctly, and it’s killing my margins.”
These pain points are the ammunition you will use to build an undeniable case for your solution.
The Art of the Assumptive Close: Guide, Don’t Ask
Weak salespeople ask permission. Strong closers lead the way. When you’ve confirmed their problems and presented your solutions, don’t deflate the moment with a weak question like, “So, what do you think?”
That invites hesitation. Instead, confidently guide them to the next step. This is the assumptive close. You assume the sale is happening because, based on everything discussed, it’s the best decision for their business.
The Golden Moment: They’ve Agreed to Dual Pricing
Let’s get specific. You’ve just finished the statement analysis. You’ve circled the $847.00 they’re losing every month in fees. You’ve explained how a dual pricing or cash discount program will eliminate nearly all of that, and they look at you and say, “Wow, that makes a lot of sense. Let’s do it.”
This is the most critical moment in the sale, and it’s where most reps hesitate. DO NOT PAUSE. Don’t ask another question. Don’t wait for them to lead. This is your green light. Maintain all momentum and pivot directly into the close with this proven three-step transition:
- Verbally Solidify the Agreement: Immediately confirm their decision and restate the primary benefit.
- YOU: “Excellent. So we’re agreed. We’re going to implement this program to put that $847 a month right back into your business instead of sending it to the processors. That’s nearly $10,000 a year in your pocket.”
- This makes the decision feel real and reinforces the value one last time. They will nod in agreement.
- State the Next Step with Authority: Don’t ask for permission. Tell them what happens next.
- YOU: “Perfect. The next step is very simple. I just need to get the formal agreement filled out to get you approved in the system. I have it right here on my tablet—it’ll only take about five minutes.”
- The key is the language: “The next step is…” and “I just need to…” This is confident and directional.
- Physically Begin the Process: Action creates commitment. Immediately pull out your tablet or the paperwork and begin.
- YOU: “Let’s get this knocked out. What is the exact legal business name that should be on the account?” (As you turn the tablet toward them or point to the first line on the form).
- By starting the agreement, you’re moving past the “decision” phase and into the “implementation” phase. It’s much harder for a merchant to backtrack from here.
This transition from “yes” to paperwork should be a single, smooth, unbroken motion.
More examples of confident, assumptive closing lines:
- For the tech-focused merchant: “Based on our conversation, the [Your POS System Name] is the perfect fit to handle your inventory and reporting needs. My schedule for installation is open __________. Which day works better for your team?”
- To minimize friction: “The paperwork is the simplest part of this whole process. Let’s knock it out right now so you can officially cross ‘deal with credit card processing issues’ off your to-do list for good.”
Handling Objections: The Final Test
Even with a perfect process, objections will happen. Don’t fear them. An objection isn’t a “NO.” It’s a request for more information or reassurance. Use the “Acknowledge, Reframe, Respond” method.
Objection: “I need to think about it.”
- Acknowledge: “I completely understand, and you absolutely should. It’s a big decision for your business.”
- Reframe: “You know, that’s a great idea. I mean, you conduct interviews for new employees, right? Why not do the same for the people handling your money? Let’s treat this like an interview right now, comparing me versus your current provider.”
- Respond: “Let me ask you this: is your current provider local? Can you call or text them directly when you have an issue? Is their customer service easy to get a hold of, even on a busy weekend? (Pause and let that sink in). Better yet, you shouldn’t just have to take my word for it. Here is a list of three other local business owners I work with. I want you to call them. Ask them how easy it was to switch and what their service experience has been like since. A good partner should have nothing to hide.” (This brilliant move turns a stall tactic into a due diligence process that you control, highlighting your strengths and showing unbreakable confidence).
Objection: “I need to talk to my business partner/spouse.”
- Acknowledge: “That makes perfect sense. I wouldn’t want you to make a big decision like this without their input.”
- Reframe: “When you talk to them, what do you think will be the most important benefit to them—the monthly savings we found or the fact that they’ll no longer have to deal with your current provider’s terrible customer service?”
- Respond: “Let’s do this: let’s get them on the phone for a quick three-minute call right now to bring them up to speed. If they’re not available, let’s schedule a follow-up call with all three of us tomorrow morning at 10 AM. What works?” (This seizes control and sets a concrete next step, preventing a vague stall tactic.)
Objection: “Your rate is higher than another quote I got.”
- Acknowledge: “I appreciate your transparency. It’s smart to compare your options.”
- Reframe: “As you know, this industry has a reputation for hidden fees and confusing statements. My goal isn’t just to be the cheapest number on paper, but to provide the most transparent value.”
- Respond: “Can we pull up that other quote? Let’s go through it line by line against your current statement and my proposal. I want to show you exactly where those other guys might be hiding their junk fees. Once we account for our superior support and locked-in pricing, you’ll see the true long-term value is right here.” (This turns you into a consultant, not just a salesperson.)
Closing isn’t a trick. It’s the result of a masterful sales process where you act as a consultant who has genuinely listened, diagnosed a problem, and presented the perfect solution.
Stop hoping for the sale. Start expecting it. Lead the conversation, build your ladder of “yeses,” and make signing the agreement the easiest and most logical decision the merchant will make all day.
Now go out there and close.
What’s your killer closing line or favorite objection-handling technique? Share it in the comments below!
Happy Selling,
David
Payment Lynx Daily 