Would Therapists Make Good Closers?

I stole one of my favorite closing tools from a therapist.

It’s now my go-to when someone’s on the fence—undecided, unsure, caught between “maybe now” and “maybe later.”

I used it recently with a sales leader who wasn’t sure whether to move ahead with a series of workshops or push it out a quarter. Instead of convincing, I asked four simple questions—each designed to shift the thinking from “should we do this?” to “can we afford not to?”

Here’s how it works:

The Impact of Inaction)

How long has this been an issue?

 (Buying a car, fixing team performance, getting life insurance—it works across industries.)

1. How long has this been an issue? 

(This makes prospects confront how long the issue has been going on) 

2. What have you tried so far?

 (This surfaces the effort they’ve already put in—what has worked and what hasn’t worked.)

3. What would life look like if you solved this problem?

 (Now we’re imagining the win: less stress, more revenue, better sleep.)

Finally, the sucker punch.

4. What would life look like if you don’t solve this problem?

 (This is the moment of truth. What’s at stake if nothing changes?)

That’s it. Four questions.

No pressure. No pitch.

Just helping people think clearly and decide intentionally.

I like this close because it puts the prospect in charge. They do the heavy lifting. They see the contrast. And if the timing’s right, they’ll move forward without an extra push.

If you try it, let me know how it goes.

And if you have a go-to close that works beautifully for you, drop it in the comments. 

Good luck

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