If you’re looking for one of the biggest ways to grow your sales, it’s right in front of you: your close ratio.
Your close ratio is the percentage of quotes and proposals that actually turn into sales. It’s calculated by dividing the number of closed deals by the total number of proposals sent.
For most B2B companies, the average close ratio is around 30%. This means that if you’re closing less than 3 out of every 10 proposals, you’re leaving serious revenue on the table.
Here’s the good news: If your close ratio is below 30%, it’s not because you’re not great at your job or what you’re offering isn’t good enough. It’s often just one little mistake, and one that’s completely fixable.
The Costly Mistake Killing Close Ratios: Emailing Proposals
At BDU, one of the biggest mistakes we see salespeople make is sending out their proposals. They’ve done all the hard work – networking, qualifying leads, asking great discovery questions, building business rapport – only to email the proposal and wait for the prospect to make a decision.
This is where deals go to die.
Here’s why sending proposals via email negatively impacts your close ratio:
- You lose control of the process. Once they have the proposal in hand, the ball is in their court. There’s no urgency to respond and no set next step.
- You can’t relate the proposal back to your discovery conversations. All those valuable insights you uncovered? There is no opportunity to address them.
- You can’t highlight the benefits and impact. A static document doesn’t connect features to value.
- You miss the chance to trial close. You can’t ask for their business or gauge readiness when there’s no live conversation.
- You don’t get to handle objections. If the client has concerns, you don’t know and they might just drop off due to them.
- You lose the opportunity to set a clear next step. Without a meeting, the deal just lingers.
We see this pattern with our clients over and over again. Salespeople work so hard to get to the proposal stage, then they hand over all their power by clicking “Send” without even getting a time on the calendar to talk it through.
For an even deeper dive into the benefits of setting the next step at the current step, check out “Boost Your Close Ratio: Always Set a Next Appointment”.
Implementing The One Change That Can Skyrocket Your Close Ratio
The one simple change that can dramatically boost your close ratio: stop sending out proposals and instead schedule a time to review them live. It really is that easy.
What if they ask you to just send it over? Your response should be something like:
“Absolutely! I’m happy to send it over to you. Let’s also schedule a time to go through it together so I can answer any questions and make sure it aligns with what we discussed.”
Even if they insist on having the proposal in hand prior to your conversation, always set a review appointment on the calendar.
This step is non-negotiable if you want to:
- Control the process
- Reinforce your value and benefit
- Trial close
- Address objections
- Set a clear next step
It’s not about being pushy; it’s about being consultative. Your job is to help your prospect make an informed decision and that requires a conversation, not just a document.
Why a Proposal Review is Critical to Your Sales Process
Here’s a more detailed look at what a live proposal review allows you to do that an email never can:
- Tie solutions directly to the prospect’s pain points. You can say, “You told me X was a challenge. Here’s how this addresses that.”
- Position benefits over features. Help them see the impact and not just the information.
- Trial close. Ask, “How does this feel to you?” or “Is this aligned with what you were hoping for?”
- Handle objections in real time. Uncover hidden concerns before they stall the deal.
- Clarify pricing. If you’ve performed a solid discovery and discussed budget prior, the proposal won’t be a surprise.
Most importantly, a review ensures the prospect actually engages with your proposal. As BDU’s CEO Lisa Peskin points out in her LinkedIn article: “7 Tips for Increasing Your Close Ratio,” it’s important to have all the decision-makers in the room and to take them through the proposal. Often, prospects will just skim it, focus on price and make a decision based on incomplete information. Your job is to make sure they see the value, not just the cost.
Action Plan: How to Boost Your Close Ratio Starting Today
✅ Never email a proposal without scheduling a review meeting.
✅ Use the review to:
Reinforce value and tie it to their goals
Trial close and gauge readiness
Handle objections
Set a clearly defined next step
✅ Be consultative, not transactional. Relate the proposal back to your discovery conversations.
✅ Focus on benefits and impact, not just features and price.
✅ Remember: The proposal is not the end of the process. It’s just one step in the process.
Final Takeaway: Don’t Just Send—Schedule a Time to Talk
If you want to grow your sales, focus on what happens after you send the proposal. Stop handing over control by emailing proposals and waiting. Instead, take the lead: Schedule a time to review, discuss and go for the close. This simple shift can transform your sales results and help you consistently exceed that 30% close ratio benchmark.
For a visual reminder on this and other ways to boost your close ratio, check out our Close Ratio Infographic.
Ready to Stop Losing Deals and Start Closing More Sales?
If your close ratio is below 30%, or if you know you’re sending too many proposals without securing the sale, let’s fix it together!
Just submit your information below and we’ll schedule some time to review your sales process, identify where deals may be slipping through the cracks and discuss some customizable solutions for boosting your close ratio that you can implement to see results immediately.
