Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a conversation with a potential client, wondering if the prospect is entirely on board or simply being polite?
This is a common scenario.
One of the biggest challenges in sales is accurately gauging a prospect’s interest and addressing any hidden objections before reaching the final stages of the deal.
Here’s when the trial close steps in. It’s a subtle yet powerful technique for checking the temperature of a potential customer’s interest without pressuring them to make a final decision.
In this blog, we’ll cover the ins and outs of the trial close, how it can strengthen your sales approach, and ways to incorporate it seamlessly into your sales conversations.
You’ll discover different types of trial close questions, learn how to interpret responses and explore tools that can make this technique even more effective.
A trial close is a sales technique that uses strategic questions or statements to gauge a prospect’s interest without directly asking for a commitment.
Unlike a final close, which aims to seal the deal, the trial close acts as a checkpoint, helping uncover hidden objections or concerns early on.
For instance, asking, “How does this solution fit with what you’re looking for?” allows you to assess readiness, fine-tune your approach, and better align your offering to the prospect’s needs.
Now that we know what a trial close is, let’s examine why it’s an essential tool in the sales process.
The primary purpose of a trial close is to act as a “temperature check” within the sales conversation, allowing you to gauge a prospect's interest level and comfort with your offering.
A trial close encourages open feedback by inviting the prospect to reflect on what you’ve shared. This helps you understand where they stand and identify any potential objections.
This approach enables you to tailor your presentation to better align with their needs and makes the prospect feel heard and valued. When prospects feel their opinions and concerns matter, trust builds naturally, creating a smoother path toward the final close.
Understanding the purpose of a trial close is the first step, but knowing the psychology behind it can make your approach even more effective.
The trial close is rooted in psychological principles of commitment and consistency. According to Dr. Robert Cialdini, people are more likely to agree to a more significant request after deciding on smaller ones, known as the foot-in-the-door effect.
In a sales context, the trial close encourages a prospect to make minor agreements, incrementally building a sense of commitment.
This technique gradually reinforces the prospect’s investment, making them more inclined to proceed to the final purchase decision. The approach fosters trust and receptiveness, ultimately increasing the likelihood of closing the sale.
Studies show that trial closes can significantly impact conversion rates. For example, a survey by Gong.io found that top-performing sales reps use trial closes about twice as often as their lower-performing peers, leading to an average of 20-25% higher win rates. The study highlights the trial close as an essential component of effective sales strategies.
Research from the Sales Benchmark Index indicates that using trial closes can shorten the average sales cycle by up to 30%, allowing sales teams to engage more prospects and close deals faster.
In B2B sales, where decisions are often more complex and involve multiple stakeholders, the trial close can help sales reps overcome several common challenges:
B2B sales often involve a lengthy decision-making process involving multiple layers of decision-makers and stakeholders. By using the trial close, sales reps can quickly uncover and address any hesitations before they become obstacles. Trial closes allow prospects to clarify their thoughts and ask questions without feeling pressured.
When you ask trial close questions, 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.
Trial closes give you insight into the prospect's current position, allowing you to adapt your presentation better to suit their needs. For example, if a prospect responds positively, you might conduct more detailed discussions. If they have concerns, you can address them immediately rather than letting them linger.
Trial closes are used at strategic points throughout the sales conversation to gauge a prospect's interest and readiness without directly asking for a commitment. Here’s when they’re typically used:
After Discussing Key Benefits or Features: Once you've explained a feature or benefit, a trial close like, “How does that sound so far?” helps assess if the prospect finds it valuable.
Following Responses to Objections: When a prospect raises a concern, address it, then use a trial close like, “Does that clear things up for you?” to confirm satisfaction and move forward.
Midway Through the Conversation: Trial closes can keep the prospect engaged, especially during long discussions. Questions like, “Do you think this approach aligns with your goals?” help ensure you're both on the same page.
Before Introducing Pricing or Contract Terms: This allows you to confirm interest without overwhelming the prospect with details too soon. Asking, “Would this solution fit into your current strategy?” can confirm alignment before discussing costs.
Near the End of the Call or Meeting: Trial closes help summarize and confirm the prospect's level of interest before a final close. “Is this something you’d like to explore further?” or “Are we heading in the right direction here?” can help ensure they’re ready for the next steps.
This structured approach helps keep your conversation focused, relevant, and responsive to the prospect’s needs at every stage.
Different trial close questions serve unique purposes. Here are the four main types of trial close questions and their roles in a B2B sales setting:
After highlighting the features of a marketing automation platform, you might ask, “Do you see how this could fit into your current workflow?” This allows the prospect to voice any doubts, allowing you to address them before moving forward.
These questions can be used strategically throughout your presentation to measure the prospect’s level of engagement and gain deeper insight into their needs.
Here are some tips to become a master in trial closes:
The best time to use a trial close is immediately after sharing a significant benefit or feature. This is when the prospect has the most information and can respond genuinely. Trial closes at these moments, allowing you to pivot quickly if the prospect shows uncertainty or disengagement.
Your tone should always be conversational and non-pushy. The trial close should feel like a natural part of the conversation rather than an abrupt shift. In B2B sales, where building relationships is critical, an easy-going approach can make a big difference in how the prospect perceives you.
Listening actively and observing non-verbal cues are essential. A positive response might indicate readiness to continue, while hesitation or ambivalence may signal an objection or a need for clarification.
Example
Sales Rep: “With our platform’s customizable dashboards, your team could save significant time on reporting. Does that sound like something that would be valuable to your team?”
Prospect: “Yes, but I’m unsure how it integrates with our current system.”
Sales Rep: “Great question! Let’s dive into how our solution integrates with your existing tech stack…”
Attention to these cues lets you fine-tune your approach in real time, addressing concerns immediately.
Tech can come in handy while improvizing your trial closes. Here’s how:
Modern CRM systems can track where in the presentation trial closes are most effective. By reviewing this data, sales reps can refine their timing and delivery of trial closes. For example, if historical data shows prospects often have questions about pricing, you should include a trial close before this section to gauge interest.
AI tools can analyze prospect behavior in real-time, suggesting optimal moments to use trial closes based on historical data. This approach can help increase close rates by making presentations more personalized and relevant.
A SaaS company used data from its CRM to analyze where trial closes were most successful. They discovered that questions about feature relevance early in the presentation significantly impacted conversion rates. Using this insight, they restructured their sales process, leading to a 15% increase in sales.
Even with practice, using trial closes effectively can be challenging. Here’s how to overcome some common obstacles:
Always frame trial close questions as genuine attempts to understand the prospect’s needs. Keep your tone consultative and curious, positioning yourself as a partner in their decision-making process.
Practice active listening and clarifying responses to ensure you address the right concerns. If a prospect seems hesitant, ask follow-up questions to make sure you understand their perspective.
Use trial closes strategically to guide the conversation, staying focused on the prospect’s priorities. If the conversation veers off-track, bring it back by summarizing and refocusing on their needs.
Sales teams can benefit from role-playing exercises to improve their comfort with trial closes. By simulating various prospect responses, reps can build confidence in interpreting feedback and adjusting real-time pitches.
The trial close is a powerful tool in the B2B sales toolkit. It lets you better understand your prospect, address objections early, and keep the presentation relevant and engaging. By incorporating trial closes into your sales presentations, you can enhance prospect engagement, increase trust, and drive more sales.
The key to using trial closes effectively is to approach each presentation as a dialogue, not a monologue. Trial closes invite your prospect to share their perspective, enabling you to adjust and adapt to meet their needs. Remember to practice, gather feedback, and reflect on your approach after each presentation.