For as long as documented records exist, there have been traders, or as we are called in the modern vernacular, sellers. People want things. People need things. Considering that there will always be a public demand for something, there will always be a need for vendors! It has been said that “Nothing happens until someone sells something.” This is absolutely true. The sales function drives every other aspect of a modern business. Sales must come first, because without sales, there is no need for marketing, accounting, manufacturing, human resources, etc.
Ask almost any average salesperson what their biggest problem or objection is and chances are you’ll hear the word price. “My prices are higher than my competitors” or “Our prices are too high” are often the mantra or excuse for mediocre sales numbers. Ask a top salesperson though, and I suspect he’ll actually find that he’s learned that price is rarely the real issue. Consider for a moment the acronym PRICE: Preceived R.reality Yoinvestment againsthost myexpectation.
perceived: Sales is usually a process that involves perception or perceived value. Our job as professional sellers is to sell the value of our goods and services. Once the customer sees that the product or service offers more value than the asking price, the sale is made and the issue of price never really became an issue.
Reality: Let’s face it, very often sellers use the excuse of price as the reason why a sale did not take place. Assuming you’re dealing with a qualified prospect and you’re wasting your time if you’re not, the reality is that your prospect needs to learn exactly how your product or service fills their need, closes the gap, and fulfills their requirements in a timely manner. way way That is the simple reality.
investment: You need to show the customer that by buying from you, they are making a smart investment and not simply incurring additional expense. Buyers are not interested in increasing their costs by spending more money. They are interested in solving your problems. They want to make profitable decisions based on insight and education.
cost: As a professional seller, interested in meeting and exceeding the expectations of your prospects and customers, you should always keep in mind that price simply does not equal cost. Remember the old axiom… “Beware the cost of the lowest price”. Cost of ownership, payback time, and problem resolution are the real issues a professional buyer is really looking for.
expectation: Today’s customer assumes quality. They assume service and delivery. Your buyer expects that the products and services you offer are presented with their best interests in mind and that they meet their needs. That is the starting point. Don’t be fooled when a buyer asks you about the price. If they can maximize its value and get it at a lower price, they will try to get it, but they will buy at its stated price if the expected value exists.
To make things even easier, remember that the customer makes the purchase decision only once. The money allocated to purchase your product or service is generally spent once for each purchase decision. For every purchase, the company must deal with the reality of that decision. The purchased item is then put into service within the buyer’s company structure. After this point, various employees and internal departments, such as engineering or maintenance, must grapple with that particular purchase decision. Often there will be ramifications of each purchasing decision within other departments within the company. The true cost of each purchase decision will show itself over time. Cost issues continue to present themselves for the life of the purchased product or service, long after the purchase has been made.
Cost and price are, in fact, two very different concerns. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking otherwise. The best salespeople have learned that hard lesson at some point earlier in their careers. Do what all the best sellers do; shorten your learning curve by acting on this new information. Move your career into high gear by accelerating your learning of these higher principles.