Empty-offer Close

Disciplines > Sales > Closing techniques > Empty-offer Close

Technique | How it works | See also

Technique

Make them a very kind offer that they cannot take up.

Offer to do something using a thing you have for sale, and which they might feasibly have but probably do not have.

Then sell them that thing. If they do have one, of course you must complete your offer with good grace - it will still help build social capital for you.

Examples

Shall I fit your spare wipers? ... Oh, you have none. Well fortunately, we have some in stock...

Would you like to come to the race day ... Oh of course, you're busy.

Will you need help setting up the computer? ... Oh yes, of course, your IT people will do that.

How it works

Although the Empty-offer Close does not require that you to giving them something, the rules of exchange means that they still feel that they owe you something in return for your generous offer.