If you’ve done everything properly and you know in your heart that your product or service is truly good for your client, but you still sense hesitation, try using an assumptive close — that is, act and speak as if the customer is going ahead with the purchase. Here’s an example of an assumptive close:
After you complete this beauty regimen for a week, you’ll see wonderful results. Your skin will be softer, and your loved ones will ask what you’ve been doing differently to take care of yourself. You’ll look better and feel better about yourself, too. By the way, did you want the basic cleansing kit or the enhanced beauty system?
Notice how the salesperson doesn’t give the customer a choice of whether or not she wants the beauty products. With this assumptive close, the customer just needs to decide which package she’ll walk out the door with.
The assumptive close has also been called the secondary question close. If the customer agrees to the secondary question (in this case, basic kit or enhanced system), the first part (ownership of your product) is automatic.
Following are a few tips to help you master the assumptive close.
State the major or primary decision in terms of benefit to the client.
Avoid pausing between the benefit statement and your secondary question.
State the secondary question in the form of an alternate advance question (a question with two answers where either answer moves you closer toward the decision to go ahead with the sale).
Keep your attitude casual.
