How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Diagram Close

Disciplines > Sales > Closing techniques > xx

Technique

Draw a diagram, a doodle, a picture or something visual that explains what you are selling or some critical aspect of it that will lead the customer to closure.

If you can, sit next to the person while you are steadily drawing the picture on a clean sheet of paper. Use different colors of pen if feasible, to help clarify and make the diagram more attractive. Talk steadily through the drawing process, narrating the story as you are drawing it.

Things you can draw include:

Diagrams of how the product works, with parts, movements etc.
Pictures of how to use the product, with drawings of people, process flows, etc.
Conceptual diagrams with circles, arrows and so on, showing how emotions, perceptions, ideas and more can work together.
Graphs of how customer costs will go down, revenue will go up and so on.

Think out beforehand a range of possible pictures at your disposal. Practice drawing and talking through these. Pictures can include explanations of small points as well as major descriptions that lead the customer inexorably towards the close.

Examples

A person selling photocopiers, draws a simple diagram showing how the new patented paper path system leads to less jams.

An electric car salesperson shows in a graph how the initial higher outlay is recouped over time.

A person selling an IT system draws a diagram showing integration with the existing customer systems and how much it can replace. They also show a flow of the service process and how this is now simplified.

How it works

When you draw a picture, it grabs attention, pulling the person in and preventing them from getting distracted by other things and thoughts. Narrating a story as you draw also keeps them interested as the picture and description unfolds.

Many of us think visually and a picture, as they say, is 'worth a thousand words'. Drawing rather than just showing a picture is an engaging process and helps the learning process. If you just show a picture, the person will likely glimpse quickly at it and not get the fuller meaning. If you try to narrate an existing full picture, the person may be racing ahead trying to understand other parts of the picture and so not listening to you.

Drawing also seems like more effort on your part which creates an exchange dynamic, obliging the other person to respond positively. When you show you care, they have to do likewise.

If you are doing a presentation from the front of the room, drawing can be done on a flipchart or even on a computer system with a tablet and projector. Drawing creates a richer and stimulating variant from slides.

Diagram Close

Technique

Examples

How it works

See also