Million Dollar Team Principles #94: Teach the Alternative Close Until Proficient
The single most important close you can teach your agents is the alternative close. It sounds like this:
“What works better for you—today at 10 am or would 4 pm work better?”
It’s simple, powerful, and it assumes what we already know: the prospect does want to look at homes, or does want to know what we can sell their home for. The only question left is when.
Why the Alternative Close Works
- It assumes a yes. Instead of “Would you like to meet?” which leaves the door wide open for a “no,” the alternative close puts the client in control of when, not if.
- It respects your agent’s time. They aren’t begging for scraps of attention; they are confidently setting options that work within their own schedule.
- It creates momentum. Appointments move the business forward. Without appointments, nothing happens.
Train Until Proficiency, Not Just Familiarity
Too many team leaders stop training once they’ve explained a technique. But knowledge isn’t mastery. The alternative close needs to be drilled until it’s natural, fluent, and confident.
Think of flight training. As an airline pilot, you don’t graduate after a classroom session or a simulator check. You fly with a check airman—someone who observes you in real conditions, with real passengers, and only then signs you off.
The same applies here. Training doesn’t end when your agents can recite the alternative close. It ends when you can hear them use it live on calls—and use it well.
How to Train It
- Role Play Daily – Have agents practice closing each other until it rolls off the tongue without hesitation.
- Listen to Live Calls – Pull call recordings and listen for real-world application. Did they use the alternative close? Did it land with confidence?
- Give Feedback Immediately – If it’s clunky, coach them. If it’s strong, reinforce it.
- Certify Like a Check Airman – Don’t sign off an agent until they’ve demonstrated consistent, proficient use of the alternative close in the field.
The Payoff
When every agent on your team can confidently deliver the alternative close, you’ll see more appointments, more listings, and more closings. But more importantly, you’ll have agents who know how to lead the client with confidence—without being pushy, and without giving away control of their time.
