Salesmanship University

Sales Techniques – The Powerful Give-Take Close

The give-take close is one of the most powerful sales techniques we humans know. It employs a powerful psychological tendency to strengthen your prospect’s desire for your product. Instead of begging him for his business like other salesmen do, you will now have your prospects running to you.

In order for this technique to work properly, you must make adequate preparations.

First, you must know what is valuable to your prospect and what they want most. Then package your offer in such a way it comes in line with your prospect’s main desire. Alternatively, you can create this valuable item (as a bonus) to go along with your main offer.

This step is crucial, for a prospect won’t bite at your initial offer unless it is desirable. So take pains to make sure this is done.

As you present your product or bonus, get him to experience the pleasure of having it in realty (or at least in his mind). Or get him to feel the pain (physical or psychological) melting away into relieve.

As soon as he starts enjoying the moments of pleasure in his mind, take it away from him. Then throw an obstacle before him. If he retorts and wants the shiny object badly, make him jump through hoops to get it…let him to do some work to have it.

As he fights for what he (in his mind) is about to lose, you can use this momentum to bring the sale to a close. But don’t drive your prospect too hard, or he might get frustrated and walk away disappointed.

Here are two examples of how you can use the technique:

1. “…oh yes, this is what you were looking for, isn’t it? (Wait for his response, then get him to experience the benefits in his mind…) But I remember Mr Kingslee has ordered the last piece and this product range has been discontinued…”

2. “…what you’re talking about, sir, seems like something we have in our store…let me show you. (Again, wait for his response, then get him to experience the benefits in his mind…) Unfortunately the stock we’re left with has been pre-ordered by a client from New Jersey.”

Immediately after this, allow him to fight back and perhaps even get a little insecure. After a while, give your prospect some assurance by telling him you’ll turn things around for him. Also say, “no promises”, so it’ll keep him in suspense.

Five minutes later, you’re back with papers in hand, announcing the good news. Smiling from ear to ear, Mr Prospect promptly begins to sign on the dotted line and eagerly whips out a cheque to make payment.

Some salesmen have this technique backfire on them when their client finds out later what they said wasn’t true. So for this technique to be effective, everything you say (discontinued product line, last piece in the warehouse, whatever…) has to be true. Otherwise your customer will feel cheated and promptly ask for a refund.

What makes this technique so powerful is it appeals to the fear of loss in every human being. Most people will do anything to prevent a loss but will do absolutely nothing to make a gain. Most sales techniques show prospects what they can gain, but few do the opposite. This is one of them.