I recently went out to buy a pair of sunglasses. As I walked into the optician’s and started looking at the sunglasses on display, a friendly shop assistant greeted me and asked me a question:

“Are you looking for new sunglasses?”
“Yes.” (Isn’t that quite obvious?)
“Do you need corrective lenses?”
“Yes, please.” (Again, something that could have been derived from the glasses sitting on my nose)

Of course, you could argue that the saleswoman was just trying to be friendly and helpful as she did not know exactly what I was looking for. What wasn’t aware at the time was that this was to be the start of a well thought out ‚funnel‘ that would end with me standing at the counter paying several hundred euros for a pair of sunglasses without even realising it.

Some of you may have heard of the simple but effective and widely used technique of collecting „yeses“ from customers throughout the sales process.

The idea is to create a positive momentum that keeps the customer saying „yes“ until the deal is closed. It is based on the psychological principle of priming and aims to subconsciously increase the likelihood of the customer saying ‚yes‘ while making it harder to say ’no‘.

While this technique has been proven to work well in retail and direct B2C applications (and I can attest to this from personal experience), how can you use it in the more complex and often multi-stakeholder tech sales to maximise the likelihood of closing the deal and increase your overall conversion rate?

Mastering B2B Tech SaaS Sales with Microclosures: Getting Clients to Say „Yes“

The B2B technology SaaS process is typically not as transactional as buying a pair of sunglasses in a retail store, and usually involves multiple interactions with multiple stakeholders who cumulatively make up the making decision unit. Securing a deal therefore requires more than a robust product and a compelling pitch. It requires a nuanced understanding of the buyer’s journey and a strategic approach to guiding them to a purchase decision. This means that instead of just collecting „yeses“ throughout the sale, think of this technique as a way to get multiple „microclosures“ throughout the sale – getting the customer to reinforce their commitment at each stage of the sale.

Understanding Microclosures

Microclosures are small agreements or confirmations that you elicit from your customer throughout the sales process. These incremental „yeses“ are used to confirm understanding, agreement and alignment, gradually leading the customer to the final decision to buy. The power of microclosures lies in their ability to create a series of positive, reinforcing interactions that build trust and confidence.

In B2B technology SaaS sales, I found microclosures specifically helpful in:

Confirming the Problem of the Buyer
Affirming the Need of the Buyer
Highlighting the Value of the Solution Offered

Confirming the Problem of the Buyer

The first step in any successful sales process is to thoroughly understand and validate the buyer’s problem. This involves detailed discovery and active listening to ensure you are fully aware of the issues they are facing and to assess whether and how your solution can help them solve their problem.

Example of Microclosures in Problem Confirmation:

Salesperson: „From our discussion, it sounds like your team is struggling with integrating multiple data sources effectively. Is that correct?“
Client: „Yes, that’s a major challenge for us.“

By getting the client to confirm that you have correctly identified their problem, you build a foundation of understanding and credibility. This small ‚yes‘ is crucial as it sets the stage for deeper exploration and solution alignment.

Tactics for Effective Problem Confirmation:

Ask Open-Ended Questions: These encourage the client to elaborate on their issues, giving you more insight and opportunities to secure microclosures.
Paraphrase and Reflect: Repeat what the client has shared in your own words to ensure mutual understanding and gain confirmation.
Summarize Key Points: At the end of your discovery phase, summarize the main problems identified and seek agreement.

In case you should be faced with a buyer that is not open to share that information openly, check out our post on mastering the art of information collection during discovery calls.

Affirming the Need of the Buyer

Once the problem is confirmed, the next step is to affirm the buyer’s need for a solution. This involves exploring the implications of their problem and highlighting the benefits of addressing it.

Example of Microclosures in Need Affirmation:

Salesperson: „Given the integration issues you’ve described, would you agree that streamlining these processes could save your team a significant amount of time and reduce errors?“
Client: „Absolutely, that would be a huge benefit.“

Here, the microclosure comes from the client’s acknowledgment of the need for improvement, paving the way for the introduction of your solution.

Tactics for Effective Need Affirmation:

Highlight Pain Points: Emphasize the consequences of not addressing the problem to make the need more pressing.
Use Data and Case Studies: Provide evidence of similar companies benefiting from solving comparable issues.
Quantify the Impact: Where possible, quantify the potential improvements in terms of time, cost, and efficiency to make the need tangible.

The key point here is to ask the customer to either confirm or correct your understanding of the seriousness of the problem at hand. This allows you to emphasise the importance of finding a solution and to create urgency without being pushy, as you are only humbly asking if your understanding is correct.

Use the information and data you have gathered, either directly from the customer in previous interactions or from similar experiences, to formulate informed, closed-ended questions that aim for a micro-closure.

In addition to getting a „yes“ to move forward in the sales process, having this information confirmed by the client will be powerful when you prepare and present the business case and ask for the decision, because the case is not based on mere guesswork, but on informed assumptions approved by the expert (the client).

Highlighting the Value of the Solution Offered

With the problem confirmed and the need affirmed, the focus shifts to demonstrating the value of your solution. This is where you connect the dots between the client’s need and the unique benefits of your solution.

Example of Microclosures in Value Highlighting:

Salesperson: „Our platform integrates seamlessly with your existing data sources, automating the process and reducing manual errors. Do you see how this could align with your goals of increasing efficiency and accuracy?“
Client: „Yes, that sounds exactly like what we need.“

This type of microclosure not only reinforces the client’s interest but also positions your solution as the ideal choice.

Tactics for Effective Value Highlighting:

Tailor the Demo: Customize your product demonstration to address the specific needs and problems identified during discovery.
Focus on Unique Selling Points: Emphasize the features and benefits that set your solution apart from competitors.
Provide Real-Life Examples: Use testimonials and success stories to illustrate the value your solution has provided to other clients.

If the buyer doesn’t confirm the value of your proposed solution and answers „no“ to your perceived value question, don’t worry.

The „no“ in this case is most likely to be interpreted as „not yet“ and provides you with clear and important information that the buyer is not ready to move forward in the sales process and may have concerns or may not have fully understood the value of your proposed solution.

In this case, acknowledge the feedback and simply ask the customer about their concerns:

„OK, thank you for your feedback. Where specifically do you have concerns about whether this is the right solution for you?“.

Then lead the conversation from the customer’s concern, question, query (call it an „objection“). Once you have explained the point, ask again for confirmation that the concern has been resolved and, if so, whether the customer has any other points that need to be clarified.

Important here: Focus on having a genuine conversation with the customer by adding value and addressing their concerns, questions and queries.

The same applies to other administrative issues that need to be addressed to make the sale happen, such as IT security approvals, legal approvals and so on. Just remember: Every „yes“ gets you closer to closing the deal – one „yes“ at a time.

Following the Sales Process with Flexibility and Natural Interactions

The strategic use of micro-closures is critical and will help you follow your sales process. For example, it is generally good practice to present a commercial proposal for the solution only after the customer’s problem and need have been identified and the customer has confirmed the value of the proposed solution. In this way, you ensure that you cover all the essential steps that need to be taken to make the deal happen, while also ensuring that you only spend your time and effort preparing commercial documents for clients that are likely to actually close.

However, I would like to emphasise that this is only a general „rule of thumb“ and you as a salesperson should have the flexibility to „deviate from the plan“ if the needs of the client and the flow of the conversation require it.

For example, if the customer asks for a price quote in order to involve other decision makers in the process, or because they want to clarify whether they have the budget to make the purchase, you may be better off providing the information to move the deal forward.

Conclusion

Implementing microclosures in B2B technology SaaS sales can significantly improve your ability to guide customers through the decision-making process. As my experience of buying sunglasses illustrates, the technique of collecting „yeses“ builds positive momentum, making it easier for customers to continue agreeing with you and ultimately leading to a successful sale.

In the more complex world of B2B SaaS sales, aiming for micro-closures throughout the sale not only creates positive momentum, but also allows you to move the sale forward without being pushy, validating your understanding and assumptions while gradually increasing the buyer’s commitment to the purchase decision.

Remember, every small „yes“ to a well-phrased and relevant question is a step closer to a successful sale. Adaptability and genuine communication are key to mastering this technique, ensuring that you meet your customer’s needs as you guide them steadily through the sales journey.

Harness the power of microclosures and transform your B2B tech SaaS sales strategy into a more engaging, customer-centric process that drives success, one „yes“ at a time.