The Power of the Preclose: How Top SaaS Sellers Win Before the Final Ask

Holly Bossert
Aug 5, 2025
3 min read

You’ve built rapport. Delivered the demo. The buyer is nodding. It’s time to talk pricing but before you do, there's one more step that separates the pros from the rest: The Preclose.

Preclosing isn’t pushy. It’s not awkward. Done right, it’s the smoothest move in your sales playbook. In fact, it’s how the best SaaS sellers secure buy-in before the contract ever hits DocuSign.

Let’s dive into what it is, why it works, and exactly how to use it.

What Is the Preclose?

The preclose is a strategic question that checks for readiness before revealing pricing or moving to the formal close. It sounds like this:

“If the numbers make sense, would you feel comfortable moving forward?”

This simple question does three powerful things at once:

Tests buying intent
Surfaces hidden objections early
Sets a positive expectation for the buyer to say yes

Think of it as a pressure gauge. If the buyer says yes? Green light. If they hesitate? You’ve got work to do before the money talk.

Why the Preclose Works in SaaS Sales

B2B buyers, especially in SaaS, are savvier than ever. They’re doing 70% of their research before ever talking to sales, and they’re used to demos.

So by the time you're in front of them, your goal isn’t just to inform it’s to move.

The preclose is a soft commitment. It de-risks the final ask. It removes the awkward leap from “Here’s the product” to “Let’s sign.”

And here’s the key:

If they say “No” or “I’m not sure”, they’re not objecting to the price.They’re objecting to value.

Which means you still have discovery work to do.

Use the Preclose to Prevent Pricing Pushback

One of the biggest mistakes SaaS sellers make? Rushing into pricing without knowing where the buyer stands.

That’s how you end up with:

“Let me think about it…”
“That’s more than I expected.”
“We’ll get back to you.”

By using a preclose question, you avoid dropping the price into a vacuum. Instead, you drop it into a context of alignment.

How to Say It (Without Sounding Salesy)

Here are a few high-converting preclose phrases you can use today:

“If we could align on the right numbers, would you feel confident moving forward?”
“Is there anything that would prevent you from moving forward if the pricing fits your budget?”
“Assuming the numbers make sense, do you feel this solution could meet your needs?”

Pick one. Make it yours. But keep it natural, confident, and conversational.

Preclose vs. No Preclose in SaaS Sales

Scenario	Without Preclose	With Preclose
Buyer Engagement	Pricing feels abrupt and risky	Buyer feels aligned and in control
Objection Handling	Comes after pricing is revealed	Surfaces objections before pricing discussion
Close Confidence	Hesitant, unclear next steps	Confident, qualified signal to proceed

The Prophet’s Push

Don’t fear the close—forecast it.The best sellers get a soft yes before the hard numbers.

At Your Sales Prophet, we teach sellers how to lead conversations with confidence. When you preclose like a pro, you eliminate surprises and accelerate the sale.

Pro Tip: Use Preclosing Throughout the Process

Preclosing isn’t just for the final pricing moment. You can use it at key milestones:

After the discovery call:“If we can solve X, does this feel worth exploring further?”
Before a stakeholder meeting:“If your CTO is on board, would this move forward?”
Before demo recap:“If this checks your boxes, are you open to next steps?”