This question of customers only caring about price is one that comes up time and time again as I work with sales people. This week it was Raj who asked me, while we were up in KL this week doing some seminars on Confidence and Fear of Rejection for the investment sales teams at Walton International Malaysia.
As it was just a casual conversation over coffee at The Coffee Bean on the ground floor of Wisma Genting (why do I mention these guys? Because they have the most friendly attitude and helpful customer service I have experienced in one of these stores for a long time. They actually seem to enjoy working there. If you want to discover what service attitude in your retail outlet should be, go to KL and try this one), anyway back to Raj. I didn't even find out which company he works for, so I can't give him a mention here.
So, why do customers seem to care only about price? Because features and price is usually all we give them to choose from! How often do you go in and start doing your "company pitch"? You talk about your product before finding out what they need or why. Now this may come as a shock to many of you, but the stuff your marketing department gives you as a great pitch on why your company and product is unique, is pretty much the same story that everyone else uses!
So the prospect is hearing the same features from everyone. All the product options seem to be the same. So what can they choose on? PRICE. It's all they have left! And let's face it, given two apparently identical products, who would buy the most expensive?
Oh yes, and for those of you who I can hear muttering, "but we talk about benefits, just like our marketing brochures say" Sorry, products don't have benefits. Benefit is what someone gets if they need it, buy it and correctly use it.
If your customers ask about price first it is because they have been "trained" by sales people over the years. Because we don't move the conversation in a different and better direction!
If you have a question about this in your industry, email your question in. Be sure to give as much information as possible about a real situation, not just theory or a fear you have about asking questions. Let's work on real stuff.
Do tell me who you are and what you sell. You will not only get answers, but also a link to your website. You never know when a prosect might be reading here as well.
Good selling
Tony Latimer
Asia's Sales Coach
