| HOW Much Did You Say? |
|
Low, Low Prices! When you hear the expression above, what is the first thought that comes to your mind? Does it start with the word "bull" and then rhyme with "chip"?
Low, Low Prices! When you hear the expression above, what is the first thought that comes to your mind? Does it start with the word "bull" and then rhyme with "chip"? Recently I picked up a new client who sells a free service. That's right--no tricks, just a free service to get customer's to subscribe to a service that the other sales organization can then use to sell their products and services to. You may think this is crazy, however, in their advertising revenue model, this works. One would think that giving free stuff away all day is a walk in the park. However, if it were so easy, why do you think they hired me to train their organization to sell the service? There are two reasons: 1. Customers don't see value when something is, indeed, free 2. Just because the service has no cost attached, there is a time investment required In short, just because it's free, doesn't mean it's easy to sell. So if you are sitting there thinking, "Renee, I don't have free stuff to give away. We charge good money for our products and services." Then I say, "great!" because we do the same. But what if your competition is selling for far less than you? Do you know how to counter the price objection, BEFORE it actually comes up? Let's look at a 5 different suggestions to think about: 1. Set up the pricing before you actually bid. Tell your customer that you are at the higher end and you will justify that as you move forward in the sale. Your company hasn't earned a stellar reputation in your field by selling "cheap". That's good. 2. When it comes to price negotiations, come in from a position of strength--not weakness. For example, never cough, rub your nose, or hesitate when it comes to fee discussions. Say the numbers proudly and with confidence and conviction. It helps your customer know that this is what everyone else is paying, too. 3. Never provide a price or a range without sufficient information. It's the best way to get yourself into price trouble by throwing out a number willy-nilly. You will either scare the customer or else under-bid and end up cutting your profits. Wait until you know EXACTLY what the customer will require before discussing what your price is. 4. Avoid saying that your price is "competitive" when asked. That's so lame and says that you are a "me-too" company with "comparable" products. How ho-hum is that? Again, my advice is to ask, ask, and ask. Only then can you intelligently address how unique your offerings are. 5. Don't be on the "price defensive". I have a friend who sells top of the line health kits and the entire industry knows that they are THE gold standard. However, their company President decided that they need to keep their prices low so as not to "gouge" the customers. When it comes to selling premier quality products, who says the customer is being ripped off? Be offensive about pricing. Now you have it. Do you want to sell cheap, or do you want to gain your reputation as having a top line product at the right price? It's all in how you present it. Want to know more? Go to: www.salespeak.com and find out. Or, email me at:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Happy Selling! |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|