The Hard close

This can also be called mode-1 negotiation. The easiest way to explain this is in dating. Which is where you walk up to someone look them in the eye and say; ‘I find you attractive could we go for a date?’.

It is being direct, confident, no ambiguity and in some cases making the other person feel incredibly uncomfortable. The same as dating if you get it wrong walk away with your head held high.

A lot of sales these days preach against hard selling because it can be abrasive. Most people struggle with it but honestly if you can’t hard sell, you’re losing a lot of opportunity.

The salesperson stays in full control of the conversation, blatantly asks for the signature on the contract right now, allowing for no nicety or empathy but the prospect make a cold logical often mathematics-based answer.

Timing is key to this, if you come the heavy hand too early, you’ll lose the deal and the prospect.

Sometimes, you must force the decision to be beneficial to your customer. For example, you have strong product confidence and know the client will benefit from going down this road.

Use statements like

• I don’t know why you are being so indecisive about this you know you need it

• Mate have I got to grab you by your ear and drag you in

• Let’s wrap this up now, here use my pen