B2B Deposit Collection SOP

Use this on every B2B closing call to collect money — or, when the prospect isn't ready, a commitment-signal deposit that holds the spot. This is the execution layer for the deposit ask. The strategic playbook lives in Sales Process — B2B.

Rule of precedence: where the Mastermind and Hassan disagree, Hassan wins. He has more reps, a larger book, and reviewed the actual call recordings. Ibrahim's deposit-ask from the Mastermind is useful as a stress-test overlay, NOT as a replacement for the value stack.

Step 1: Confirm the front-end is intact before you ask

Before a deposit ask will land, the full Hassan playbook front-end must already be done on this call (or across the discovery + closing pair). Run this checklist in your head:

[ ] Discovery call opened relaxed + permission-based (5-10 min)
[ ] "Everything we do is custom" positioning line dropped early
[ ] Consultative discovery ladder run (current → goal → why → obstacles → label)
[ ] Three pre-handles collected: partner-on-call, laptop/tablet, SMS thumbs-up
[ ] Closing call: flashy no-offer ads shown, AI system walked through, automations walked through, scheduler walked through
[ ] Temperature check before price ("pricing aside, is this going to get you to 15 installs/month?")
[ ] Partnership options side-by-side on screen (performance-based + PIF)
[ ] Close-rate draw-on-screen method used if asked
[ ] Number dropped with stoic composure — no stutter, no over-explain, SHUT UP after

Important: if ANY of the above was skipped or rushed, do not push for a deposit. You'll get a no that you caused. Fix the front-end first.

Step 2: Ask the close question, then read the response

After you've asked:

So out of these two plans, what direction do you want to go in, man?

One of three things happens. Branch to the matching step below.

They pick an option → Step 3
They say "let me think about it" / "send me info" / "I'll get back to you" → Step 4
They go silent or body language says stall → Step 5

Step 3: They picked — go straight to collection

Say:

All right, cool. Let's get you started. I'll send the payment link right now — $[setup fee]. Go ahead and knock that out while we're on, and I'll walk you through onboarding next.

Send the link in the chat of whatever platform you're on (Zoom/Meet). Stay silent while they pay.

If they don't pay within 60 seconds, jump to Step 5 — they were a stall in disguise.

Step 4: They want to "think about it" — run the reservation stress test

Do NOT accept "let me think" as a next step. Reframe with the $100 reservation:

Totally fair — this is a real decision. But before we hop off, let me lock in your spot with a reservation. We only work with one HVAC contractor per area, and I've got [X] calls booked this week. A $100 reservation holds your area while you think — fully refundable if you don't move forward after onboarding. Cool if I send the link?

Two things happen from here:

They agree → they were a genuine thinker. The $100 converts them into a committed prospect. Onboarding becomes the true close. (In Ibrahim's data, this is most of the "I need to think about it" crowd when you ask cleanly.)
They hedge on the $100 → the real objection just surfaced. Go to the objection handlers below.

Why $100 not $50: Ibrahim uses $50 at his price point ($85/appt). For Local Leap's B2B tier (performance-based $350/appt or $7K PIF), $100 is the right anchor — still trivial to a qualified prospect, non-trivial enough to be a real filter. Scale with deal size.

Step 5: They went silent — surface what's going on

Read the signal. If they're looking at the screen but not speaking, give them 10 seconds.

If they're looking away, checking phone, or "uh"-ing, say:

What's going through your head, man? Just talk to me.

Then handle whatever surfaces with the objection handlers below.

Important: do NOT fill the silence with features. The pitch is over. Adding more features now reads as desperation and erodes the price you just dropped.

Objection handlers — what surfaces when you ask for the deposit

The deposit ask is a diagnostic tool. Different deflections mean different underlying objections. Match the response to the handle.

"I don't have my card on me"

A stall, 95% of the time. Everyone has a personal debit card with $100 on it.

Say:

Totally understand — a business card's different, but even a personal debit works. It's just a hold.

If still no, surface the real objection:

So it sounds like the card isn't actually the issue. What's really going through your head?

"I need to talk to my partner/spouse"

This should have been pre-handled in discovery. If it wasn't, it's real.

Say:

Got it — let's get them on. When's the soonest you two are together? I'll hold the spot with a $100 reservation until then — if they veto, I refund the full amount.

"Let me read the contract first"

Real. Send it.

Share the contract on-screen, then say:

Take as long as you need — I'll stay on. When you're good, I'll send the reservation link.

"I need to think about it" (said a SECOND time, after you already ran Step 4)

A polite no. Don't push past this.

Use Hassan's frame:

Honestly man, I think you do need to think about it. Big decision. But we only work with one HVAC contractor per area — if you're serious, let me know by [specific date, 48 hours out]. I can't hold the spot indefinitely.

Then hang up. No more push.

"Can you do a % of close instead?"

A deal-structure rewrite. They don't trust you to deliver volume, or they want you on the hook. Hold the line.

Use Sean's story frame:

I'd love to. Honestly, I've done that before and got screwed over — a client never reported closes and I ate $5K in commissions. Not saying you'd do that, but I can't do it again.

Non-confrontational, but the answer is no.

"What's the close rate?" (asked after pricing)

Already covered in the playbook — use the draw-on-screen method. See Sales Process — B2B, section 3 ("Handle the close-rate push").

Twice-rescheduled protocol — do not let deals go cold

This is the specific gap Hassan flagged when he reviewed Sean's actual calls: a prospect booked onboarding, rescheduled twice, went dark, and Sean didn't chase.

After the FIRST reschedule (no deposit collected yet)

Send within 4 hours:

Hey [name] — saw the reschedule came through, all good. Quick thing: since we're booking real ad spend against your area, I need to lock the slot. $100 reservation covers it — here's the link. If anything changes on your end, just let me know and we'll refund. This way your area doesn't go to the other contractor we've got on the waitlist.

After the SECOND reschedule

No follow-up. The deal is dead. Do not chase.

Put it in a 30-day drip. If they re-initiate, re-qualify from discovery.

Why this rule: Ibrahim's data (two months, zero closes from "follow-up call" prospects) generalizes. Chasing cold reschedules is a worse use of time than one more net-new discovery call.

Never do this

Don't ask for a deposit before the value stack. You'll get a no, and you'll have broken the playbook.
Don't stutter the number. Practice the deposit ask until it comes out flat and stoic. Any hesitation reads as "even he doesn't believe this is worth $100." Same muscle as dropping the main price.
Don't discount the deposit when they push back. If $100 is the ask, $100 stays the ask. If they won't do $100, they won't do the full setup — better to find out now.
Don't apologize for asking. Framing is "locking your spot," not "we need payment upfront." It's a service TO them, not a demand FROM them.
Don't chase twice-rescheduled prospects. See above.

Rollout checklist (Sean, self-execution first)

[ ] Memorize the Step 4 reservation script verbatim. Record yourself saying it 10 times until it comes out flat.
[ ] Add a Stripe / GHL payment link generator to the close-call workflow so you can send the link in <10 seconds.
[ ] Set up the $100 reservation product in GHL with auto-refund eligibility language in the receipt.
[ ] Next 5 close calls: log in a spreadsheet — did you ask for the deposit? What surfaced? Did the prospect convert?
[ ] After 5 calls: review patterns, tune script, then push the discovery-side pre-handles to the B2B setter.

Important: the B2B setter does NOT ask for deposits. The setter's job is pre-handling. Deposits are always on Sean's closing call.

How we know this is working

Track per call:

Deposit-ask rate — what % of closing calls did you ask? Target: 100%.
Deposit-collection rate — of asks, what % paid on the call? Baseline: unknown, will set after 10 calls.
Show-to-onboarding rate of deposit-payers — % of deposits that actually completed onboarding. Target: 90%+.
"Thinker" recovery rate — of "let me think about it" prospects who DID pay a reservation, what % signed within 7 days? If this is below 50%, the reservation mechanic isn't working — revert to Hassan-style scarcity-only close.