How to Use the Puppy Dog Close (And How it Will Make You More Sales)
What is this well-kept sales secret?
You can look back at that cute puppy up top.
It’s a nice stress relief and it’ll put you in a good mood. Now that you feel good and were able to take a nice break from life, let’s get into it.
What is the Puppy Dog Close?
The Puppy Dog Close is a technique that pet stores have routinely used as a clever sales trick. It’s simple but effective.
When customers were unsure about whether or not they should buy a puppy, the pet store salesman would offer them a trial period.
He would tell them that they could take the puppy home and spend the night thinking it over. If they decided they didn’t want to keep the puppy, they could return it the next day with no questions asked.
Guess what? When the customers brought the puppy home, 9 out of 10 kept the puppy.
Very few people ended up coming back to the store the next day asking for their money back.
Why is the Puppy Dog Close Important for You?
If you read the above paragraph and own a business, you should already have an idea of what the answer is.
It’s pretty much a free trial and guaranteed money back approach that many companies use today. You have most likely seen this tactic used more times than you can count.
It’s just looking at it in a different light.
The key difference or thing you can learn from this is that you need to make your offer safe enough that people won’t mind buying in the first place.
“Make them an offer they can’t refuse,” as Don Corleone would say.
If you can implement this into your business, your sales will increase twofold.
There is some additional information and things you need to know.
Is it that Easy?
If you a bad product or give the customer a bad service, they will ask for their money back.
The Puppy Dog Close works because it gets the job done for the client. They are happy and content with the deal they have made.
If the puppy was aggressive or had some other serious issue then it would be much easier for the customer to come back the next day and return it.
Your product or service doesn’t have to be the best thing since sliced bread. It just has to be good enough that it is easier to keep it than go through the process of getting their money back.
Make it more trouble than it’s worth for them to get a refund. Not because you ignore their request for money back or try to swindle them out of it, but because what you gave them is good enough to keep.
The Emotional Pull
The emotional pull is a huge piece of the Puppy Dog Close.
When giving customers a limited time to get their money back, they won’t realize all the work it takes to raise a puppy.
The first night, it’ll be all good. They'll come home with the puppy and be infatuated with it. It’ll make it so much harder to bring him back the next day.
They’ll feel bad for the puppy if they bring him back.
If they have kids, forget it. The moment they see the puppy, there’s no way the parents will be able to bring him back.
The kids won’t allow it.
You need to get your customers to have some kind of emotional connection with what you are selling to them. In doing so, they will think twice about returning it.
Key Takeaways
- Offer a one-day trial with a 100% money-back guaranteed. No questions asked.
- Make your offer or service good enough that the hassle of getting a refund is not worth going through.
- Make an emotional connection with your customers when they buy from you.
These steps will help you increase your sales and get more traffic for your product.
The Puppy Dog Close used by pet stores is often overlooked. By being aware of it and how to use it, you will be one step ahead of your competition.
Use your newfound knowledge wisely.
