When speaking with clients, there are two things they need to be aware of that can both help you to make the sale and also demonstrate your care and attention to their situation.
The first is this: What happens if they do nothing?
If a client doesn’t want to proceed with buying your offering then that’s OK – we don’t want to push anyone to do anything they don’t want to do, but they need to be aware of the law of inaction.
Not weeding your garden is “choosing” the weeds to grow, not working out is “choosing” to be overweight. These “hidden choices” won’t be obvious to your client as there is no immediate consequence through taking no action, so it’s up to you as a seller to remind them of the negative consequences that await.
They can use any supplier to meet their needs, so this isn’t about using you specifically, this is reminding the buyer that they need to take *some* action to address their needs.
Aside from inaction, if they do take action, it can have consequences which again need to be brought to their attention.
This generally applies to clients who want to buy a cheaper alternative or do it themselves.
Do it yourself- will it take longer?
Doing something yourself will almost always take longer than using a professional – that’s why the professionals are in business.
Do it yourself – do you have the skills/resources?
There’s a great saying “you either hire a professional or you become one” which best describes this consequence. A buyer decides to do it themselves but now has to spend time and money learning things or acquiring the tools/resources they need.
A cheaper alternative- does it meet their needs?
Many cheaper alternatives aren’t fit for purpose, they won’t actually meet the needs of the buyer, but the lower price point blinds them to this fact.
A cheaper alternative- will they need to buy anything else?
Many cheaper alternatives need additional purchases or resources to actually meet the needs of a buyer. If you fly BA you pay one price for your flight. If you fly Ryanair you pay less, but food, luggage and a host of other things are add-on charges which means the cheaper flight isn’t the same thing but cheaper, it’s a less effective alternative.
A cheaper alternative- how long will it take/last?
Many cheaper alternatives don’t last as long or work as fast. Cheaper shoes wear out quicker, cheaper laptops break faster and work slower. Cheaper often means slower.
So there you have it, just a few of the potential negative consequences that your buyer needs to consider when they think of opting for a cheaper alternative or doing the work themselves.
…are you ok with that?
These 5 words are the ultimate tool when talking about alternatives and potential negative consequences. It provides a confrontational question that is delivered softly and is more palatable.
So when you tell clients the cheaper alternative won’t last as long or meet their need you can then ask them – are you ok with that?
Need help navigating objections like “why are you so expensive?”
If you need help with closing or objection handling, then we cover these in detail and provide the tools and strategies you need in www.sellingconfidence.com
