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The
Price Question
by Ann Barr
Has this ever happened to you?
You call a prospect and introduce
yourself, your company and your products. But before you have a
chance to ask qualifying questions, the prospect asks:
"What's your price?"
One of the biggest mistakes new
salespeople make is quoting price too soon.
If you quote a price too quickly, you
risk losing the sale.
It is the customer's job to get the
best solution at the best price, and if this is your objective for
the customer, you and your customer will be working toward the same
goal.
Focus on the customer's issues, then
put the price in the context of the value and quality solutions you
provide.
How to answer the "What's your
price?" question
(Without quoting your price too
soon.)
—”I can quote the best price for you
when I know more about your situation," or ...
—". . . when you tell me what
results you are looking for," or . . .
—" ... how many you usually buy," or
. . .
—" ... whether you are looking for
branded or generic," or . . .
—" ... which type of service you are
looking for."
This way, you will learn what their
needs and objectives are, and you can talk about the value they will
get with your solution …
… BEFORE you quote the price.
When you think about it, we buy
things because the price we pay for something is perceived as being
less than dollar value we attach to the result.
Whenever you give someone a price
quote for anything you should know at least two things:
—"What is your criteria for making a
decision on this?"
—"If we meet that, will you buy from
us?"
You don't want to waste your time
with price shoppers. What is important is building relationships and
getting repeat business. Ask questions like, "Aside from price, what
else are you considering in your decision?"
Beware of serial price
shoppers
If you find you are dealing with a
real price shopper, be willing to walk away. If the sale is based on
price alone, the buyer will stay with you only until s/he finds
someone who is willing to quote an even lower price.
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Ann Barr is a
consultant and sales trainer who has
written eight
books on sales and marketing
available on her web site
www.sellingsupplies.com |
