As Rick attempted to obtain commitment from his prospect, he said: "You stated in our previous visits you were looking for a product that would be low cost, yet also provide long life. As I've shown, our product has the lowest price in its class. And, according to industry reports, our product lasts 20 percent longer than our major competitors. Can I place an order for you today?" This is an example of: balance sheet method Ominor point technique assumptive close continuous yes close direct request (or "direct") method