One way to structure the closing section is the conditional closing, a simple but very powerful closing question. In its most basic form, conditional closure looks like this:
If I can do x, you will do y.
Where x you are responding to a potential customer’s objection and there is the prospect who agrees to buy.
The structure of this closing question may seem familiar because people use it in their personal lives all the time. For example, a teen might ask her parents, “If I fill the car up with gas, will you let me drive it Friday night?” Or an employee might say to his boss, “If I finish these reports, can I go home early?”
It’s incredibly effective because it makes a promise to action in exchange for another promise to action: the commitment is built in. Instead of providing the solution and then asking about the business, this closing question links you both together, making it easier for the prospect to say yes.
For example, when price is an issue, the conditional close can be structured as: “If I can fit this into your quote/If I can reduce the price by $200/If I can guarantee this is the lowest price, could I help you?” would you like to come with us?” When prospects commit to that scenario, they are actually committing to the sale (as long as the salesperson follows through on their promise). Or if the issue was delivery time, you could say, “If we can guarantee delivery within the next week, you’ll work with us.”
This is not designed to trap them into buying, but rather to provide a logical flow to the closing process. It also provides a way to uncover hidden objections. In the price example above, if the prospect did not commit to buying even if it was within the budget, there is probably another objection to the sale.
Conditional closing is a powerful tool for any salesperson’s toolbox. Practice it and watch your results improve.
