The Most Common Closing Techniques

A salesperson’s goal is to close sales and, in doing so, generate revenue. While the importance of closing deals hasn’t changed much over time, the way sales are closed has evolved significantly. In the past, manipulation and high-pressure tactics were common. Today, it’s more about listening and solving real customer problems. Here’s an overview of today’s most popular closing techniques.

Classic Closing Techniques

Classic closing techniques usually rely on psychological tricks designed to give that final push towards a purchase.

Scarcity Close

The scarcity close leverages the fear of missing out. The idea is to present a time-limited offer to create a sense of urgency. Your product might be in limited supply, in high demand, or there’s a special promotion running. The idea is that the prospect shouldn’t wait, or they might miss out on a better deal later.

Summary Close

The summary close involves reminding the prospect of all the product’s features and benefits, and how it meets their needs. This lets the prospect visualize one last time what the product can do for them and helps them project themselves before deciding. This technique is especially useful for long sales cycles, gathering all the elements so the prospect can see the product’s full value and make comparisons if needed.

Sharp Angle Close

The sharp angle close relies on a bit of surprise. It involves answering a prospect’s question with another question that brings the conversation back to closing. During the sales process, the prospect might ask about the product’s capabilities or request a special deal, like a discount. The salesperson responds with a question like: “If this offer meets your expectations, would you be ready to buy today?”

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Modern Closing Techniques

The above techniques can sometimes seem too sales-focused or lack subtlety, even if they work. The following methods take a different approach to achieve the same result.

Question Close

The goal of the question close is to find out where the prospect stands in the buying process. The question should be phrased so the answer is either positive or gives more information about the prospect’s objections. This closing technique lets the salesperson either close the sale or, if not, move closer to closing.

A couple of examples:

“Do you think my offer solves your problem?” “Is there anything stopping you from accepting my offer?”

Assumptive Close

The assumptive close is based on positive thinking. The idea is to act as if the sale is already made, or at least as if the prospect wants to buy. This requires confidence in yourself and your product. You also need to make sure the prospect understands the benefits and has no major objections left. Otherwise, you might come across as pushy and scare them off. Instead of asking if the prospect is ready to buy, it’s better to ask how many units they want or when they’d like delivery.

Take Away Close

The take away close uses reverse psychology. If a prospect is hesitant, you might offer a less complete package at a lower price. The prospect is likely to focus on the features or services being removed rather than the lower price, giving the salesperson a chance to highlight the full offer.

Bonus: Puppy Dog Close / Free Trial Close

As a bonus, here’s a more visual closing technique. Imagine a pet store, pleading children, and parents unsure about getting a puppy. What’s the best way to send the family home with a new companion? Promise they can bring it back in a few days for a full refund if they change their mind. What usually happens? Everyone gets attached and no one thinks about returning the puppy.

The puppy dog close, or simply the free trial close, works this way. The salesperson offers a free, no-commitment trial. The prospect uses the product or service and soon can’t imagine being without it. The sale is won.

Ultimately, all these techniques aim to improve closing, but in the end, improving your closing techniques is about improving your sales training.