How did Noah Adams say a customer can get out of a high-pressure sales close?

Noah Adams said a trained salesman can turn any stated objection, such as price, color or delivery time, into a reason to sign. The only way out he found is to drop the role of a reasonable customer. The buyer simply says they do not want the item, with no reason given. With nothing to rebut, the salesman has no reply. Ira Glass adds that Adams's wife, Nina, watched him do this many times and picked it up herself.

• Glass worked as Adams's tape cutter early in his career and credits him with teaching him interviewing.
• Adams died a few weeks before the episode aired.

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on This American Life (2026-11-01). Read the whole episode summary →

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