This is one of the most popular of all closing techniques. It is used to sell billions of dollars worth of products each year. It is based on letting the prospect touch, taste, feel, hold or try out the product or service.
The name puppy-dog close comes from the strategy developed by pet shop owners to sell puppies to the children of reluctant parents. For a variety of reasons, especially previous experience with dog ownership, many parents do not want to get their child a dog. They are afraid that the dog will poop, pee, shed, gnaw, bark, whine, and a variety of other things. But parents love their children.
At a certain point, the child often becomes fixated on the idea of getting a dog. The youngster then asks about getting a puppy, over and over, until the parents finally agree to go with the child to a pet store, just to “take a look.”
The pet shop owner is aware of this dynamic. He shows a variety of puppies to the child. When the child falls in love with a particular puppy, and the parents are still hesitant, the pet shop owner says, “Why don’t you take the puppy home for the weekend? If you don’t like the puppy, you can bring him back on Monday for a full refund.”
The parents, secretly hoping that the child will lose interest in the puppy by the end of the weekend, agree to take the puppy home. In many cases, they turn out to be right. The child loses interest in the puppy—but the parents fall in love with it. By Sunday night, they want the puppy more than the child does. The sale is made.