Thursday, October 2, 2008

It's all about life style

Get real, and stop selling on price!

Too many times I see sales people, who work with small businesses, talk about savings; and it just doesn't work.

First of all, most of the businesses that we sell to are small businesses. The owners maybe concerned about savings, but in reality, how much are you going to save them.

For the small business owner, it is about their life style not about profit. It is about their boat, or car or house. They are happy with the status quo, and when you start talking about modest savings they push back and really never react.

Now, you are right, you can not say to them they can buy a new boat with the savings.

And you should never do the dumb thing such a saying "What would you do with the time you would save?" I had that asked of me once to prove that I would save 10 minutes a day with a better machine.

What you need to do is make a good business argument of why your product will help them run their business better than before. If they don't see that, they will not buy.

This idea of "think of the savings" doesn't cut it.

Good selling,

Steve

2 comments:

JKyle said...

I've always found that when I discuss price, it takes the conversation down a path where they're comparing me to other options. That's because there isn't really anything else to do with the numbers other than "thinking of the savings," which actually just gets them thinking about the money that they are about to shell out. Not to mention the hassle of changing to my company.

It's better to think about how the person can use the product so they can rationalize it in a frame of positive purpose and excitement.

Stephan, you should know that I hold your system up to all others as the paradigm. Thanks, much!

Anonymous said...

How can i contact you?
There are somethings id like to talk to you about.
Email me
gary@martindaleintl.com

Iv read most of your books