Top 5 Funniest Named, but Effective, Closing Sales Techniques
B2B selling doesn’t have to be a somber, serious affair. In fact, I feel the more fun you have, the better you do. Of course, if you aren’t doing so hot in meeting your quota, it’s going to be hard to have fun. But as your success grows, things tend to lighten up.
One of the key ingredients to sales success is having several closing sales techniques in your pocket which you can deliver without hesitation. When you reach a certain level of competence, you can have fun by varying them in each scenario in a creative manner. It’s like watching a basketball player invent an amazing dunk on the fly. He cannot do this unless he’s very skilled and confident in all aspects of his game. It’s the same with salespeople.
With all that being said, there are a few closing sales techniques which have been given some pretty comical names by the competent salespeople who mastered them. When you master them, you also will be able to apply them effortlessly and have some fun while doing so.
The Puppy Dog Close
The puppy dog close is based on the principle that once people have something in their possession, it is very hard for them to give it back. It’s one of the oldest closing sales techniques, and it’s just as viable today as when it was invented.
Imagine being given a puppy to “try out” for a few days. You start to grow fond of it after a while, and your children play with it all day and night. It’s going to be very hard to give that puppy back after a week, so you will most likely buy it.
The same applies with anything a B2B salesperson has to offer. The puppy dog is the basis of trial offers, test runs, and such. It works especially well with office equipment and machinery, such as printers or forklifts. Once the workers get used to the machine, they will usually find it indispensable and demand it stay.
When you have a tough buyer, offer a short trial run with no obligation. If your product truly solves a business pain, you will have a new customer on your hands. That’s the puppy dog close.
The Columbo
As explained in TheBalance.com, the Columbo Close is based on the old TV detective who had a knack for catching criminals off guard. He had a very non-threatening demeanor, and seemed just about ready to give up an interrogation and walk out the door when he would pause, turn to the perp, and say his famous line “Just one more thing…”
When you have reached an impasse in a sales call and are ready to leave, use the “just one more thing” line. The buyer thinks the sales call is over, and will have dropped their guard a little. They don’t imagine you will use any closing sales techniques as you walk out the door. What you ask next must be a very pointed, powerful question which seeks to uncover the real objection that you can then handle.
Some samples:
- Just one more thing…I tried my best but I couldn’t close you. What should I have said or done that would have made you say “yes” today?
- Just one more thing…when are you making your final decision on this?
- Just one more thing…what is more important to you: the lowest price or high quality?