Benjamin Franklin's method of closure

Benjamin Franklin's Closing Method has endured over time and continues to be widely used in the sales decision-making process.

Benjamin Franklin, known for being president of the United States, left a legacy not only in politics, but also in money management, invention and entrepreneurship. Through his experiences as a salesman, Franklin developed this method that has influenced generations of sales professionals.

What is it?

Benjamin Franklin's Closing Method is based on the creation of a balance sheet to evaluate the positive and negative aspects of a decision. This technique is applied when the salesperson is faced with an undecided customer and seeks to persuade him or her to close the sale.

In the traditional version, the salesperson would mention Benjamin Franklin as a wise man and ask the customer to list the positive aspects of the purchase in one column and the negative aspects in another. The salesperson was confident that, after hearing the benefits of the product, the customer would find only minor objections, such as price. By counting the reasons in both columns, the salesperson sought to influence the prospect's mind and lead him to make a favorable decision.

The balance sheet

Although the Ben Franklin Method is not used in the same way today, the idea of the balance sheet can still be a powerful tool if it is formulated and phrased in a modern and intelligent way, without offending anyone.

One way to apply this technique is to prepare for the sales presentation. The salesperson can create a balance sheet with two columns: Pros and Cons. On the plus side, the prospect's needs and questions, product benefits and features that may be of interest to the customer can be listed. In the cons column, possible objections can be anticipated and effective responses prepared. This preparation allows the salesperson to be ready to address any interaction with prospects, tailoring the balance sheet according to each specific customer and product.

Addressing objections

Another use of this technique is to help hesitant customers overcome their objections. By creatin