Edwards and his disciples–Tommy Hopkins, for one–taught that “A close is any question the answer to which indicates the customer has bought.”
For example, “Did you want 5,000 shares, or would you prefer a stronger position?” is a classic forced choice close, in which you, the macho–or macha–salesperson, force the cowering prospect to choose between something you want to sell (5,000 shares) and something else you want to sell (a whole lot more than 5,000 shares).
“Did you want the income monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually?” is a Secondary-Question Close. The ever-manipulative salesperson tricks the ever-resistant client into a purchase by forcing a choice on some secondary issue. As soon as the prospect chooses, the sale is a done deal.
A variation is the Assumptive Tie-down, such as “You would prefer the income monthly, wouldn’t you?” in which the all-powerful sales professional rolls the still-objecting prospect right into a commitment.
Slick, right? Right! In fact, too slick–*way* too slick!