Hey, Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today’s edition only takes 2 minutes.
If you never ask, you’ll never get.
Today we’ll cover
- Story Time
- Direct Close
- Script
Storytime
I have worked with a client on and off since 2021, and they are killing it!
We started when they were turning over mid-six figures. By this time next year, they’ll be just under eight figures in run rate.
The strength of their sales org comes from the immaculate packaging of their offer and onboarding.
Every buyer gets a free trial, and when a buyer says “Yes“ to the 30-day free trial, it kicks off a process where my client’s team does:
- All the work (writing scripts, creating workflows, setting up integrations, etc)
- Collects a credit card upfront, but doesn't charge it (yet), and
- Starts providing the service
All before the buyer starts paying.
The free trial is structured so the buyer gets all the value, with no vendor, contractual, or other risk. The buyer's only cost is the time they invest in implementation.
Then, at the end of the trial, the buyer doesn’t have to take any action to start paying and become a customer.
More than once, after the 30-day trial, a buyer has ghosted the sales team while still using the service and becoming a customer for years, which I find hilarious.
And the founder has a brilliant line to end his sales calls.
With the same cheesy grin on his face, he asks every buyer the same question:
“So, name, do you like more 'key value metric', and do you like 30-day free trials?”
On the page, it’s gallingly cheeky, almost salesy. But when the founder delivers it, he has earned the right.
And it works.
Today we’re talking about the Direct Close technique every elite seller needs in their repertoire.
Direct Close
The Direct Close is exactly what it sounds like. At the end of a sales meeting, as directly and overtly as you can: ask for the sale.
Most sellers will feel uncomfortable with this technique at first.
Like ripping off a band-aid, or jumping headfirst into a cold swimming pool, the initial shock is far better than dragging the sale out and missing a potential customer.
Because of childhood programming and societal norms, a buyer will rarely ask if they can buy; they expect the seller to ask.
By being ruthlessly direct, you give the buyer space to be just as direct.
It won’t always land, but you will always be better off for having asked.
Script
“We’ve been speaking for a few weeks now. You’ve said we solve A, B, and C. We’re at that stage - are we doing this or not?”
With the Direct Close, less is more. Try it out this week.
Until next week,
Scott Cowley
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