Business Articles - Sales

What if price was no object for customers? Isn't this the dream of any business with a product or service to sell? While no one has unlimited money to spend, as a contractor, you can most people would prefer to think beyond price. If you can get your customers to the point where price is not the issue they are considering, you have made a tremendous leap toward closing the sale. When a business has a product or service that customers desire for the value, comfort, satisfaction, or convenience it can provide, the obstacle of concentrating only on price has been overcome. Market those needs. While your background and the features of your product are important, they are not the information to lead a sales pitch. Win your customers' attention and business by appealing to their emotional desires.

'Can I afford it?' is a necessary question, but not the only consideration. People prefer not to think in those terms. Take advantage of this fact. Selling breakthroughs come when your potential customers are asking themselves, 'Wouldn't it be great if I had it?' Consider the best way a kitchen remodeling contractor can take hold of a customer's motivation for a renovated kitchen. It may seem unrealistic, but a brochure that includes maple cabinetry and a professional gas range can be a great in. It doesn't matter that cabinets made from engineered wood would be just as functional, or that the homeowner will never use the full capacity of a Viking range. If a customer is thinking of how much more they will enjoy their kitchen, or the great impression the new kitchen fixtures would make with friends while entertaining, objections to price have been put on the back burner.

Help Customers Help Themselves to the Purchase
Let customers' desires give your marketing its momentum. When you tap into and encourage customers' own emotional desires for your products and services, you're not only on the right track, but the track is all downhill from there on out. Don't push the customer toward your own goals, help them find their own. A flooring contactor could replace the carpeting in a living room, but what if he suggested how the homeowner could take advantage of the great light that comes into the room by displaying a new hardwood floor? The homeowner no longer thinks in terms of home upkeep by dealing with carpet wear and tear, but instead they can now consider enhancing their home in a way that they may not have even considered. Take advantage of the new enthusiasm your idea has sparked in your customer.

Remember, price is not the reason people buy anything. Price is just a consideration during the buying process, which the buyer expects to end with greater satisfaction than they had before the purchase. Focus on that ultimate satisfaction. Pride, comfort, fear, image, security, and excitement are a few of the emotional issue that motivate a potential buyer in their purchase. Security systems are installed to protect families, not based on the best deal. A backyard game court installation is not about price, it is about your customer's desire for fun with family. Many contractors dread the issue of pricing because it is very often the biggest obstacle in any sale. However, if your sales pitch consistently motivates emotion from the beginning, price may become just another routine step in a solid sales formula.

Don't Put a Price on Value
Value is more important than price. The value, or worth, of a product or service is a crucial consideration because it is a much better way to judge purchase satisfaction than price. While a modular shower stall may cost less than a tiled bathtub, a contractor can make a straightforward case for why the greater initial expense will be worth it in the long run. Ask a customer about the priorities they have for their bathroom. Let your questions prompt the customer to realize in their own mind that durability and attractiveness are important to them when it comes to bathroom fixtures. Shift the conversation to benefits of the purchase and many customers will be able to justify the sale all on their own.

The great news is what you and your customer have in common: Ultimately, neither of you wants to have to dwell on price. Guide your customers to realize that price is just part of the process, and that benefits are the ultimate goal of the purchase. Harness the powerful emotional urges that truly motivate sales. As a contractor, the solid products and services that you offer are important, but just as important is how you frame the sales pitch with the customer. This way, price doesn't need to be the issue.