The Puppy Dog Close (And Why It Still Works)
I grew up on a farm.
We always had dogs. Proper farm dogs. Sheep dogs, cattle dogs. They lived outside, slept in kennels, and had names that only made sense to my father.
They weren’t pets. They were workers.
Fast forward a few years, and I’ve got two young daughters.
One day, they decide they want a puppy.
Now, every parent knows… that’s not really a discussion. That’s a decision that’s already been made.
So off we go to see a breeder with a litter of poodles.
And here’s where it gets interesting.
The breeder says,
“Why don’t you take one home for a couple of nights and see how you get on?”
Now, as the so-called sales guy in the family, I knew exactly what was happening. I am onto you, mate!
This was the classic puppy dog close.
No pressure.
No obligation.
Just take it home… and see what happens.
Of course, what happens is predictable.
You fall in love.
You name the dog Bruno.
And there’s absolutely no chance it’s going back.
So what’s that got to do with sales?
Everything.
If you truly believe in what you sell, you should be willing to let people experience it.
Not hear about it.
Not sit through a pitch.
Actually experience it.
Because when people feel the value, selling becomes unnecessary.
That’s why this works so well:
- Car dealerships offer extended test drives
- Software companies offer free trials
- Some businesses call it a guarantee
- Others call it an irresistible offer
Call it what you like.
It’s simply removing risk and letting the product do the work.
Here’s the real question
Would you be confident enough to let your customer “take the puppy home”?
If not, that’s worth thinking about.
Because the strongest offers in the market all share one thing in common:
They’re easy to say yes to.
What I’m doing right now
I’ve been using this exact principle with my Sales DNA assessment.
So here’s the deal.
I’m giving away a small number of assessments for you or your team to try.
No pressure.
No obligation.
Just experience it and see what it tells you.
If it helps, great.
If not, no problem.
I’ve got three complimentary assessments available this week.
If you’d like one, just reply to this email with “PUPPY”, and I’ll send you the link.
Have a great week selling your stuff.
Mike