What is the 3F Closing Technique?
The 3F?s stand for Feel, Felt, Found and this technique has been around forever in sales.
The technique can be used for many different scenarios to overcome the current objection that a prospect presents to you.
Feel, felt, found is a psychological technique which demonstrates empathy with where the prospect is coming from. Everyone wants to be heard and no one wants their opinion or concerns to not be taken into account.
Unfortunately, some salespeople have been known to either not care to listen to their clients or tend to get ahead of themselves. This happens when a salesperson is trying to think of the next move or thing to say and comes across as uncaring. That is why this closing technique is so powerful.
As a salesperson, you will demonstrate you are fully understanding the client?s concern(s), putting them at ease, and overcoming the objection or providing a solution to their issue(s).
How to Use Feel, Felt, Found
As the name suggests, this close has 3 parts and all 3 are essential:
- FEEL: I understand how you feel about (state their objection). This is showing that you are listening to your prospect and also shows you are walking a mile in their shoes by understanding where their concerns are coming from.
- FELT: Many of my clients have felt the same way. This is a form of social proof by putting them in the majority. No one wants to feel alone or that they are being a pain. This is stating that they are totally entitled to feel that way and then you put their concerns at ease by overcoming the objection. Also, this implies that most of your client?s concerns get put at ease by what you are about to say next.
- FOUND: What we have found is (overcome objection). Now it is time to overcome the objection and put the client at ease. The key here, as with any attempt to overcome objections, is to make sure that you are attacking the actual objection and not the smokescreen. If it is a fake objection the great job you do overcoming it will be for nothing.
Finally, don?t fail to ask your prospect to buy after overcoming the objection!
Don?t leave it unasked or wait for the dreaded ?let me think about it?.
Examples of the Feel, Felt, Found Close
- Price objection. I understand how you feel about the price. Many of my clients have felt the same way. What we found is that with our no-questions-asked money-back guarantee, you don?t really risk anything. So, do you want to go ahead with the purchase?
- Spouse objection. I understand how you feel about needing your spouse?s approval. Many of my clients have felt the same way. What we found is we can have you go ahead and lock this sale price in, so you don?t miss out on the savings by purchasing this now at a sale price. Then, when your spouse is available, you can have them check it out and if they are not a fan you can bring it back and return it, no problem. Want to go ahead and do that?
- Time objection. I understand how you feel about wanting to come back to purchase this. Many of my clients felt the same way. That was until they found out that we can have you out of here with the paperwork in under 15 minutes. Since you are sold on this anyway, want to go ahead and just knock it out now and save you the hassle of having to come back?
These are just a few of the different scenarios where the feel, felt, found closing technique can be used. Obviously you don?t have to limit yourself to these few examples.
Notes:
1) Make sure that you keep it within the guidelines of what your company and you can actually perform/deliver. Never lie to get a sale. Integrity is everything in sales so keep things clean.
2) This is a single-use type of close. If your prospect responds with another objection right after you use this technique, best to try using a different one. This one is easy to sound repetitive.