Don't assume anything
Apart from assume the sale in the closing: Don't assume the prospect cannot afford to buy. Don't assume they are too old, too young, too money tight, too stingy, too rich, too unfriendly, too friendly, too sick, too healthy, too anything.
If you have been a long time in sales you start to realise: The person you thought is a sure sale seldom buys and the person you thought is a no sale often buys easy.
The saying goes: Don't assume because if split the word you make an ass out of me and u.
In everyday life I often assumed the wrong thing. The fact is you cannot know what people really think. In one on one presentations I had some prospects listen me out attentively, giving all the right buying signals, saying the right things and when I left without the sale they would bad mouth me and or the product with a loyal customer. The loyal customer would then defend my integrity and the product, put the guy in place and often tell me about it.
Then I also got the prospects who give me the world of scepticism to the point that I rather leave. And some of them turns out into the most happy customers, never to give me trouble ever. Of course it's about overcoming objections. It is about identifying the problems they have. Of course it's about presenting the solution and for filling the need.
The point is yes use assume the sale in the closing. But you need to build the desire to buy before that can happen. Build trust and value right through the presentation and even years after the sale.
So don't assume anything...keep an open mind. Keep enthusiasm and momentum.
I assume you read up to here. Just kidding.
Happy selling
GF