Learning how to create and pitch your unique selling proposition requires thought and practice.
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Some sales people assume that price is always the deciding factor in purchasing decisions. In fact, these decisions are often based on a variety of factors, such as:
Convenience of use: One of the major attractions in buying any item is what kind of difference it makes to day-to-day life. People will spend money on any number of things to simplify their living situation.
Convenience of purchasing: It may be that a high-value item is just out of a customer’s reach in one payment. In such a case, being able to offer a payment arrangement will often make the difference between the customer signing on the dotted line and them refusing to purchase. Flexibility in other areas is also beneficial.
Special features: Any customer will be keen to get the best they can from a deal, and there are several “informed” customers who will be keen to make a set stipulation before agreeing to a purchase. Offering them a few extras on the item which will increase the benefit to them is a good way of encouraging them to sign.
Availability of service: The customer doesn’t just want to know that they have got a good deal; they also want to know that it will stay that way after they have taken the product home with them. Whether it is in terms of a competent helpdesk telephone number or a dedicated technical department, this is something that will convince the less technically-minded.
Need for training to use the product: More of an issue in terms of corporate sales, but not specifically limited to that field. The more “ready to go” a product or service is, the more immediate the benefit and the more likely the customer may be to purchase it. However, if training is necessary, this can still be a way in to make a sale, as the training can be bundled in with the purchase of the goods at a considerable discount as a way of convincing the customer.
Reliability of the product: An in-store demonstration is as far as you can go to “prove” the reliability of a product. However, guarantees can be given in the shape of a warranty or another; similar agreement which covers the customer should the item not live up to their wishes.
Reputation of the seller: The best demonstration of reputation is word of mouth, but most companies will have promotional literature, which can refer to easily checkable statistics or include testimonials from past customers. Knowing that customers tend to go away happy sets many people’s minds at ease.
Friendliness of the salesperson: It is a cliché, but nonetheless holds true the vast majority of the time. People are far more likely to make a deal with someone who makes them feel as though they are being taken care of. A salesperson who says “Hello” and introduces themselves, and then gives any information in an unfussy, respectful way is far more likely to get a sale than someone who asks “Can I help?” and gives all the appearance of hoping that the answer will be “no” before launching into a very cursory and jargon-filled sales pitch.
Of course, price is important. It will frequently be a deciding factor in a purchase, but bear in mind that most people start out with a set budget in mind when looking to make a purchase.
Therefore, as long as the item you are aiming to sell falls within that set budget, you should give as much time to other concerns such as those listed above. Your goal is not a simple, straightforward matter of persuading them to buy from you, but also a matter of persuading them not to buy from someone else.
To make the point clearer, a customer’s objections to buying something are not the opposite of their reasons why they should buy it.
It is, therefore, not the case that you can just reel off a list of reasons why someone should buy something and imagine that this cures their objections. In reality it is more complicated than that and you need to highlight the positive aspects of the item while dealing with any negatives.
You should also be ready to “sweeten the deal” with reference to many of the above terms. If there is room to maneuver on payment terms, this may persuade the customer that they are getting a good deal. If you can give them a discount on peripheral equipment to increase the benefits of the item they are interested in, this may also work.
Pdtraining delivers 1000’s of professional development courses each year in Wellington, Auckland, Napier, Christchurch, Hamilton, Dunedin and Tauranga, so you can be assured your training will be delivered by a qualified and experienced trainer.
All public Sales Training courses include am/pm tea, lunch, printed courseware and a certificate of completion. Customised courses are available upon request so please contact pdtraining on 1300 121 400 to learn more.