When I started in sales, I remembered this top performer. He wasn’t overwhelmed, running around, worried about making quota. So, I asked him, “How do you sell so much without being a frantic, sales maniac like everyone else?”

He said, “You’re focusing on the wrong prospects. You only get credit and paid on deals that close. Why spend all your time on deals that won’t?

“How do I know?” I asked.

He said, “Find out. Do they behave, act, and participate with you like the deals that close?

Stop focusing on the ‘promising’ prospects that aren’t going to close and hyper-qualify to uncover the deals that are closable, winnable, and you have a path to do so before ending a meeting.

1. How are you feeling about our conversation?

2. How well did we achieve your objectives?

3. What about our product/service do you find most valuable?

4. What concerns, if any, do you have that could get in the way of us working together?

5. What’s your timeline around making this decision?

6. Other than you, who else would be part of this evaluation and decision-making process and should be included in our next meeting?

7. If we get this information for you by Tuesday, when would you have a chance to review this so we can schedule our next meeting now?

Instead of chasing every potential lead, concentrate on those who are likely to close. This involves “hyper-qualifying” prospects by assessing their behavior, engagement, and decision-making process. Asking specific questions to gauge a prospect’s readiness and willingness to move forward, ultimately saves you time and increases the chances of closing deals quickly and more efficiently.