Ask minor agreement questions throughout the presentation to gauge readiness before going for the major close.
Test Close
Core Principle
Hopkins' Test Close uses small agreement questions sprinkled throughout a presentation to gauge buying temperature. Instead of surprising the prospect with a big close at the end, you build momentum through a series of small yeses. By the time you ask for the final commitment, it feels like a natural next step.
Step-by-Step Execution
Example in Action
Throughout the presentation: You: So this feature automates your entire follow-up sequence. Is that the kind of thing that would save your team time? Prospect: Yeah, definitely. [Test close 1 = yes] You: And it integrates directly with Salesforce, so there's no manual data entry. That's important for you, right? Prospect: That's huge for us. [Test close 2 = yes] You: The reporting dashboard shows real-time pipeline data. Can you see your managers using this? Prospect: Absolutely, they'd love that. [Test close 3 = yes] You: Great. Based on everything we've covered, it sounds like this checks all your boxes. Should we get your team set up for next week? Prospect: Yeah, let's do it. [Final close = natural progression]
Practice this technique with an AI-powered roleplay scenario.