A Trial Close In Sales Can Boost Win Rates: Here's Why

BY Jessica Helinski
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Sellers have many options when it comes to closing a deal. One popular technique is the trial close in sales. This type of close has many benefits, and it’s also one that provides clear value to the buyer. 

And as SalesFuel points out, it’s a non-​risky approach to a close. 

[It] relies on buyer sentiment to guide the rest of the process.”

If you’ve never used this technique, it’s time to learn about its effectiveness and how to put it into action.

What is a trial close in sales?

A trial close tests a buyer's interest by asking for their opinion. This in turn helps sales professionals gauge readiness to buy. It differs from the traditional ask.

Traditional closing techniques depend on asking a customer to decide on their purchase,” explains the professionals at SOCO.  

A trial close is a process of asking for incremental commitments to gauge how likely a prospect is to buy.”

Rather than directly asking for the sale, sellers instead ask for the buyer’s feedback and opinions.

What are the benefits?

You may wonder how this technique is better than asking outright. While each close strategy works well in different circumstances, trial closes can give sellers an idea of buyer sentiment. This can be especially helpful in a situation with a hard-​to-​read buyer.

Trial closes can uncover objections or questions. It clues sellers in to what challenges still stand in the way. Issues like budget, timing and authority are all obstacles that can come to light through a trial close.

Identifying these now can help you immediately address potential deal-​breakers and keep moving forward. Thanks to the insights from your questions, you can address objections directly and turn them into opportunities.

Trial closing reveals obstacles early, giving you the chance to adjust and highlight solutions the customer may have missed. This helps drive the final buying decision.

A trial close in sales also helps you understand how the buyer is feeling.

It’s often difficult to determine how a customer feels at any given time during your sales activities,” SOCO writes.

This is why trial closes benefit you from achieving this without being obvious.”

Additionally, the discussions that follow strengthen your relationship with the buyer. They also contribute to building empathy, which is a vital soft skill.

As Deepti Mittal writes, “You demonstrate active listening and a genuine interest in your prospect’s thoughts.”

This approach is less aggressive and more conversational, which can increase rapport and trust—two crucial elements in B2B sales.”

Start the process with questions

Putting a trial close into action requires sellers to ask multiple open-​ended questions. And the unique thing about trial closes is that they can begin at any point in the sales process. 

Sellers can use it as a gauge to measure the buyer’s readiness, and adapt their strategy accordingly.

Sprinkling open-​ended, thoughtful questions throughout the process also keeps things moving along. Specifically, Mittal recommends devoting time to question-​asking after these key moments:

  • After introducing benefits and features
  • When faced with objections
  • At the midpoint of long discussions
  • Before introducing pricing and contract details
  • During the final call or meeting

Once they’ve given responses, sellers have a big opportunity to pivot if needed or maintain their current strategy. It’s important to actively listen in order to recognize the buyer’s perspective. And then respond in a way that is thoughtful.

You have to be ready to respond regardless of whether they ask a question themselves, share their opinion, or make an outright objection,” SOCO adds.

As sellers continue the process of question-​asking and responding, they’ll likely find a smooth path to a deal. And, they’ll develop a strong relationship and build trust, which may not have happened with a traditional hard close.

A trial close in sales helps sellers more deeply understand prospects, address objections and keep the sale moving. They encourage collaboration with the prospect, allowing adjustments along the way to better meet their needs.

Photo by Gabrielle Henderson


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