What is the Ben Franklin close sales technique Noah Adams described on This American Life?

In a 1976 documentary called The Selling Game, Noah Adams described the Ben Franklin close he learned of at salesman training seminars. It is used on a hesitating buyer. The salesman draws a line down a sheet of paper and helps fill the side for buying today, often with about 20 reasons. Then the buyer is left alone to list the reasons against. The salesman waits in silence and answers whatever objection comes up, so the buyer is talked into the sale.

• Adams was a longtime host of NPR's All Things Considered, said he never had the nerve to use it himself.
• Ira Glass says the close works because walking out would break the social rules of the room.
• Adams said a salesman should be willing to sit in silence for 30 minutes waiting for the buyer's next move.

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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