It is very easy, within sales, to second guess what a prospective client is looking for. To ascertain what the facts are requires a more developed relationship. Then begins a two way process; either you start moving towards the sale or have to go back and develop your product so that it meets their requirements. Keeping good sales records and then being able to define what is happening in the field is vital to any organization. This document by the IOD is very interesting on covering aspects related to closing the deal.