Negotiation Skills Training - Ben Franklin's Power Close

One of my favorite negotiation tools is rich in USthat told him what to do.
history. It was developed from something one ofIn my negotiation skills training I teach negotiation
the founding fathers did.skills that create win-win outcomes. It is sales
In his autobiography Ben Franklin tells of a tool hetraining with integrity. The reason I like what is
developed to help him make important decisions.referred to as the "Ben Franklin close" is because
Sometimes he was faced with a choice betweenit creates a win-win by getting to truth for the
two different courses of action to take.customer.
When he wasn't sure which course to take heIf your prospect is hesitant about his buying
would first get out a blank sheet of paper. Nextdecision I like to tell them about Ben Franklin's
he would draw a big "T" on the paper. On the topdecision making tool. Then I suggest we try it to
of one side of the "T" he would write the wordhelp come to the right decision.
Pros and on the other side he would write Cons.If you did your fact finding, product selection and
Next he would then brainstorm and write down allproduct demonstration correctly the Ben Franklin
the pros he could think of for going ahead withclose confirms for your customer the truth that
the decision. Then he would write all the cons heyou selected the right product for them.
could think of for not going ahead with theYour negotiation skills training action item:
decision.The next time your prospect is on the fence
When he was done with that exercise he said hisabout a buying decision my sales advice is use the
answer as to what to do was clearly there rightBen Franklin close. This will help your customer
on the paper. The one side would have a lot moremake the right decision.
items than the other side and that was the side