5 Classic Recruiting Closes to Seal the Deal

In my previous blog post for the Top Echelon Recruiter Training Blog, I discussed the “Top 5 Reasons Recruiters Don’t Close the Deal.” That post leads us effortlessly to my next series of blog posts, which deal with the types of recruiting closes that you can use.

I call these recruiting closes “classic closes.” That’s because not only have they been around for a while, but they’re also incredibly effective . . . if implemented and executed properly.

5 classic recruiting closes:

#1—Order Blank

This close comes from the real estate industry, automotive industry, and major appliance industry. The salesperson pulls out a form and starts filling it out and as long as you don’t stop them, then you are buying. If you try to stop them, they will say that they merely use the form to keep their thoughts organized. Then, when they are finished, they turn the form around to you and ask you to okay it and they will submit your offer.

In our business, this would be a send-out slip, a job order form, etc. It is best to use this close in person, but this is not always possible since most of us work over the telephone. An invoice worksheet works very well when using this close.

#2—Alternate of Choice

This close comes from the egg industry. Apparently in the Midwest in the 1920s and 30s, there was a malt shop that was selling more eggs than anyone in the country. So, the head of the egg industry visited the malt shop to find out why. When questioned, the malt shop owner said that he never sold any eggs with his malts until he changed his sales approach and started asking the customers, “Do you want one egg or two in your malt.” The customer would then choose between the options, and the malt shop’s egg sales soared.

In our business, this is a way to avoid close-ended questions: those that can be answered by responding “Yes” or “No.” Many of you, when presenting your candidates for interviews, use this close. “My candidate is available to speak with you on Monday or Tuesday. Which day is better for you?”

You don’t ask IF they want to see your candidate. You ask WHEN they want to see your candidate.

#3—Puppy Dog

This close comes from the television industry in the 1940s and 50s in New Jersey, when color TV was just becoming a reality. Customers would come into the showrooms and look at this new format. One TV outlet that sold more color TVs than any other would have their salespeople say, “You can’t really tell what this TV is going to look like until you see it in your own front room or den. Why not take it home and try it out? If you like it, then you can buy it. If you don’t, we’ll pick it up.”

Then, in about a week, the retailer’s color TV technician would show up at the customer’s house to see if the reception was still okay. No close on this visit. The retailer said that usually within another week, the father figure would come back to the store and ask how much the darn TV was. You see, he couldn’t return it now. He would look like the biggest villain of all time in the eyes of his family if he did. Indeed, if you ever have a puppy that you want to get rid of, just ask a friend to watch it for a short time. After your friend names the puppy, they’ll never give it back—thus, “The Puppy Dog Close.”

This is sometimes used when you arrange “creative send-outs”—when you are arranging demonstrations where no real job order exists. You can also use it in the form of early project work or temp work to engage your clients and candidates when a long start date is anticipated.

#4—Ben Franklin

This is also called the “Ben Franklin Balance Sheet Close.” Sometimes it’s called “Baconian Empiricism through Enumeration” and is actually still in Poor Richard’s Almanac. This is apparently how Ben Franklin would make his decisions. When faced with the need to make a decision, old Ben would take out a blank sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle. Then he would write down all of the reasons for doing something on the left-hand side of the paper and all of the reasons for not doing something on the right-hand side. Then he would add up the columns, and the column with the highest number determined his choice.

In recruitment, this is great for either a candidate or a hiring manager who has a lot of information. Their thinking becomes cluttered. By itemizing the information, you help clarify their thinking. Then you help them with the choices in the column you want them to pick (keeping in mind that they have to say it—not you—in order for it to be true). Once you finish with your column’s choices, you refer them to the other column and now you don’t help anymore—i.e., shut up! If they can come up with more than just a couple of entries, it will be a miracle. Then you add up both columns and, hopefully, your column wins.

#5—Negative Yes

This is sometimes called the “Is It . . . Close.” This is for the candidate or hiring manager who is the opposite of the ones we just talked about. These folks give us no information. They are just not sure of what the problem is. Trying to get information out of these people is like attacking an amorphous mass, a cloud. So what we are going to do with this close is to attempt to isolate the real objection.

Let’s say that we’re trying to close a hiring manager. This is what we say: “Okay, June, but just to clarify my thinking, what is it that bothers you about Jim? Is it his education?” You don’t hesitate after you say “What bothers you about Jim?” or the hiring manager might say “Everything,” and you are right back where you started.

So go right into your series of “is it’s” without stopping.

At this point, the manager will usually answer “No,”—thus the “Negative Yes” or “No Means Yes” recruiting closes.

Then you follow with, “Is it his professional background?” She says No. “Is it how he interviewed?”

She says “No,” etc.

See what you’re doing? One by one, you’re taking away the objections and determining what really is the final objection. Then you can attack that objection.

Have you used any of these recruiting closes? If not, how could they benefit you the next time you have to close a candidate or hiring manager?

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Bob Marshall of TBMG International, founder of The Marshall Plan, has an extensive background in the recruiting industry as a recruiter, manager, vice president, president, consultant, and trainer. In 2016, Marshall is celebrating his 36th year in the recruiting business. He can be reached at bob@themarshallplan.org or at 770.898.5550. Marshall’s website is www.themarshallplan.org.