“Two pounds and five ounces, ma’am!  Only a dollar and forty-three cents.  It’s the very choicest part of the loin.  You couldn’t get a cut any tenderer than that, or with less bone.  Would you like to have a little extra suet wrapped up with it?”

[Sidenote:  Three Effects Produced]

The butcher thus combined in his close three effects.  He brought about judgment of the prospect’s intellect, plus increased desire for the goods, plus the impulse to carry the desire into action.

First, by emphasizing, “Two pounds and five ounces!” in a heavy tone, and by depreciating the cost, “Only a dollar and forty-three cents,” spoken lightly, he implied that the value of the steak far outweighed the price.  Thus judgment of the prospect’s intellect was effected.

Second, to stimulate increased desire for the steak, the butcher skillfully put on the favorable side of the scales of decision the weight of a suggestion of excellence.  He said temptingly, “It’s the very choicest part of the loin.”  At this point he also employed contrast, to make the prospect’s desire stronger still.  “You couldn’t get a cut any tenderer than this, or with less bone.”

Third, this skillful salesman prompted the immediate committal of his customer to a favorable decision.  He impelled her to this affirmative action by suggesting, “Would you like to have a little extra suet wrapped up with it?” He put a question that was easy for the prospect to answer with “Yes.”  Once she accepted the suet offered free, she tacitly accepted the steak at the price stated. It is skillful salesmanship to make it easy for the buyer to say “Yes” or to imply the favorable decision indirectly.  The butcher might have been answered with “No” if he had asked, “Will you take this steak?” But he himself nodded when he made the proposal that he wrap up the extra suet.  The woman was thus impelled to nod with him.  The sale was closed, artistically, in a few seconds.

When you plan how you will close a sale of true ideas of your best capability, work out in advance a similar weighing process, followed at once by an indirect prompting of acceptance of the decision you suggest.  Shape and re-shape your intended “close” in your mind until it includes the three effects the butcher produced.

[Sidenote:  Put a “Kick” Into the Close]

Put a “kick” into your stimulation of desire at the closing stage. Paint the points in your favor brightly and glowingly, though in true colors.  Conversely paint all objections to your employment unattractively.

Suppose you are applying for a secretarial position.  It would be good “painting” to close something like this: 

“I am going to learn to do things your way.  You would not want a man in the position who was experienced; because he would do things some one else’s way, not yours.  My inexperience really means I am adaptable to your methods.  I’d become exactly the sort of secretary you want.  For instance, how do you prefer to have your mail brought to you—­just as it is opened, or with previous correspondence and notations attached?”