Don’t Abandon the Climb at 95%
- Marty Jalove Master Happiness
- Apr 1
- 8 min read
Picture yourself on a relentless trek up a steep, unforgiving mountain. Every muscle aches, your breath comes in frosty puffs, and the comforts of base camp are long behind you. The top, your ultimate goal, glimmers just ahead, so close you can nearly touch it. You’re nearly there, just a little more to go.
But at that crucial moment, you stall. Instead of pressing on to the summit, you decide the journey’s over, you gather your things and start descending, leaving your goal just out of reach.
It sounds impossible, right? Why would anyone endure the hardest part of the ascent, only to stop and turn back just before the summit? Yet, for countless sales teams, this is exactly what unfolds, those final steps are left untaken, and the summit remains unconquered.
Have you ever looked back and counted how many deals slipped away or stalled at the very last moment, deals that once seemed like surefire wins?
If you’ve lost more than one deal at the finish line recently, it’s probably more than you, or your team, can afford. Here’s the cold reality: most sales don’t slip away during the opening pitch or the first steps of discovery. The majority stumble just as you near the peak, right at the last, most critical stretch. That moment, when you’re so close to success but not quite there, can make all the difference between planting your flag and walking back down empty-handed.
You and your team have pushed through the toughest terrain. You’ve mapped out the right path, invested time in getting to know your fellow climbers, and handled every rocky patch and early avalanche with grit. But as you near the top, something shifts, the air feels thinner, doubts creep in, and momentum begins to falter right when you're closest to the summit.
So why do so many sales journeys stall just steps from the summit, and, more importantly, how can you muster that crucial final effort to reach the top? Let’s dig into the hidden challenges that lead deals to falter near the finish line, and discover how you and your team can keep climbing until you plant your flag at the peak.
3 Closing Mistakes That Kill Deals
Just as the peak finally appears within reach, exhaustion and second-guessing can creep in, tempting even seasoned climbers to forget their training. In sales, when the finish line is close, it’s easy to slip into habits that undermine all the progress made along the way. Without realizing it, teams can let fundamentals slip, become complacent, or lose focus, often leading to mistakes that cost them victory right before the summit.
Mistake #1: The "Hope and Pray" Close
You wrap up your proposal. Your delivery was on point, informative, confident, and precise. Then comes a pivotal moment: you turn to your prospect and ask, “What are your thoughts?”
The prospect hesitates, tossing up a delay. They need to “think things through.” Suddenly, you find yourself camped just below the summit, waiting for signs of movement. Days pass as you send reminder after reminder, but that last step never seems to come. Before you know it, all the momentum you built up the mountain has dissipated, and your influence fades away like your footprints in a snowstorm.
How to Climb Past the Plateau: Don’t end your pitch without plotting the next stage of the journey together. Instead of leaving your prospect to linger at the ledge with a vague, “What do you think?”, help them see the path forward. For example: “Given everything we’ve discussed, it seems this approach could really tackle your main challenge. Before we dive into the specific solution, do you have any questions about what the next steps might look like?”
Mistake #2: The Desperate Push
When momentum stalls near the top, it can feel like the air thins and doubt creeps in. Instead of steady, patient steps, some climbers start scrambling, they anxiously shout up the trail, send a flurry of messages back to base camp, or toss supplies at fellow hikers in hopes of speeding things along. The pressure builds, but rather than moving forward, everyone just backs away from the ledge. Pushing harder in these moments rarely makes the climb smoother; it often leads your prospect to dig in their heels, hesitating on that final ascent.
Sensing an uptick in urgency, the prospect starts to retreat instead of moving forward. If they were genuinely ready to summit with you, they’d already be lacing up for the next step. When you push too hard, bombarding them with calls or emails, they stop climbing altogether, digging in just short of the peak.
How to Regain Your Traction: Stay steady on your ascent. Approach each stalled deal with calm, constructive determination. Instead of bombarding your prospect with urgent follow-ups, check in with intention: “Hi [Name], I know you’re balancing several options right now. Is there any additional information or support I can provide to help you move forward? If now isn’t the right time, when would be best for us to reconnect?” This lets them catch their breath and signals you’re there to guide, not pressure, them up the final stretch.
Notice how you frame your approach, when you talk about “making the best choice,” you’re gently pointing your client toward your recommended route up the mountain. Framing your solution as the natural next step can guide them onward, signaling that the path you’re offering is the one that leads straight to the summit.
Mistake #3: Ignoring Buying Signals
Just as your customer ties their boots and looks ready to crest the final ridge, an eager seller keeps hiking right past them, missing that they’re actually ready to take the next step together. Instead of pausing to celebrate that readiness, the conversation trudges along unnecessarily, and the precious opportunity to reach the summit side by side slips away.
They overlook crucial cues from buyers, those moments when a client asks, “When could we get started?” or “Is there a guarantee?” Instead of seeing these as signals that it’s time to pause, plant your flag, and celebrate progress, they keep forging ahead, missing the clear opportunity to finish the climb together.
The Fix: Become attuned to those subtle cues that tell you your client is ready to take the final step. When someone on your climb asks, “What kind of support comes after we reach the top?” it’s not just idle curiosity, it’s a signal they’re imagining the view from the summit. Meet them where they are: “That’s a great point, it sounds like you’re picturing what happens when we succeed together. Let’s talk through how we help you settle in once you’re there, and look at timing that works best for your team to begin this new journey.”
The P.E.A.K. Performance: A Closing Framework That Works
If you want to reach the top reliably, you need more than grit, you need a route plan you can trust. Just as mountaineers follow a proven path to avoid the hidden dangers near the summit, salespeople need a step-by-step approach that guides their clients through those last, dizzying meters. When doubts set in, when objections like "let me think about it" or concerns over budget threaten to halt the climb, lean on this structured five-step method to guide everyone safely up and over the peak.
Step 1: Reconfirm the Problem
Bring your client’s focus back to the heart of the climb, the core problem that sent you both up this mountain in the first place. A great way to do this is to recap their main struggle and the real cost of leaving it unsolved. For example: “Let’s make sure we’re on the same trail, your main challenge right now is [that specific issue], and it’s impacting your business by about [tangible result]. Is that accurate?”
Step 2: Reaffirm Your Solution
Bring the conversation back to the agreed route to the top. “From what we’ve discussed so far, it sounds like this approach will help you overcome the toughest stretch and reach your intended goal. Does that line up with your expectations?”
Step 3: Address Final Objections
Remove the last obstacles from the trail. Ask your client directly, “Before we tackle the final stretch, are there any hesitations or questions still on your mind?” This way, you clear up any concerns that might stop you both from reaching the summit together.
Step 4: Create Urgency
Help your client understand why the final step matters now, not later. Try: “Considering your timeline and the impact of waiting, beginning this journey by [specific date] puts your goal within reach. Shall we take that next step together?”
Step 5: Assume the Close
Take that final step and secure the summit. Say, “Fantastic, let’s get your onboarding scheduled so we can make this vision a reality. Which date works best for your team to kick things off?”
3 Closing Techniques You Can Implement Today
Now that you’ve mapped out the route and checked your supplies, it’s time for the practical tools, the ropes and carabiners that help you crest the summit. These three closing strategies are like your essential climbing gear, giving your buyers the support and security they need to take that final step to the very top.
1. The Alternative Close
Think about how kids cleverly ask, “Can I have my treat now or after dinner?” It’s a trick that works wonders in sales as well as at the table. Rather than posing a simple yes-or-no, help your client take that final step by presenting two clear, positive choices: “Would kicking off implementation next week fit your schedule best, or would the week after be a smoother climb?” This way, you keep the ascent moving, you’re not waiting at a crossroads, but guiding them up the trail with confidence and intent.
2. The Summary Close
Summarize all the points where your client nodded in agreement during your shared ascent. You might say, “You’ve confirmed that this feature will boost your team’s results, this benefit solves your main concern, and the pricing aligns with your needs. With all that in place, what would you like our next step up the mountain to be?”
3. The Assumption Close
This is where you secure your spot on the summit, assuming you’ve properly prepared for the climb. Speak with confidence, as though the decision to move forward is already made. Try: “Let’s set your delivery date, what day gets us to the top together?”
The Bottom Line: Give It One More Push...
Don’t Abandon the Climb at 95%
Reaching the summit in sales isn’t about forcing your way through or relying on pressure tactics. It’s about guiding your client to make the right decision, helping them reach their own mountaintop with clarity and confidence.
You’ve overcome the toughest trails and weathered the steepest switchbacks. Don’t stop now, don’t let those deals slip away just steps from the summit, with the peak in sight and all your effort behind you. What separates the best sales teams from the rest isn’t simply raw talent, it's a commitment to keep climbing, with a system and steady determination that carries you all the way to the top.
The most successful climbers don’t abandon the climb at 95%, they reach out and secure the summit, they don’t wait for the view to appear on its own. Are you leading a team that takes that final, purposeful step, or do you see would-be mountaineers pausing near the peak, hoping success comes to them?
Are you poised to help your team reach the peak instead of stalling on the final ridge? If you’re seeking energizing, one-on-one guidance to finally scale that last, stubborn stretch, it’s time to map out a new route. Let’s examine your current approach, pinpoint the unseen obstacles slowing your ascent, and craft a tailored strategy that keeps everyone moving toward the summit.
When you’re just steps from the peak, don’t let fatigue or uncertainty keep you from that final ascent. Reach out to Marty Jalove at Master Happiness for guidance that will help you and your team conquer the last stretch. Ready to stand at the summit? Visit WhatsYourBacon.com to schedule your free 30-minute strategy session and discover how we can scale new heights, together.
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