No matter how wonderful your product appears, no one will buy it if the purchase is a hassle. Sure, the product itself may be great, but if the means of having it aren't, a person won't risk it. Customers will buy your product ONLY if they see that the benefits of having it in their life will outweigh the risks in buying it.
It is your job to eliminate any fears and risks associated with your product, and to make the buying process comfortable and enjoyable. You may think you have fail-proof practices for reducing these risks, but, truthfully, many of these practices don't work.
Here are some common approaches that actually increase your customer's doubt: Focusing on the status quo
The status quo can be very comfortable for people, making it your greatest (if not only) competitor. However, that doesn't mean that you should focus on making the status quo uncomfortable. Making a customer feel bad about their current situation is condescending; it will destroy any relationship you've made with your customer.
If you want to convince your customers that your product is worth buying, you must show them in a positive way. Use video testimonials that capture your product in action with companies just like theirs. Relating to real customers who enjoy your product will assure them that they are making the right decision. Depending on your guarantee
Even a well-crafted, rock-solid guarantee does more damage than good. The guarantee itself isn't the problem. The danger is in your insistence that it will make the customer happy.
When your customers express concern about your products, don't instinctively resort to your guarantee; this only validates their fears. It shows them that your product may not do what you say it will, and if it doesn't, it will become THEIR job to fix it. Most customers have already had a bad experience trying to enforce a guarantee; they won't want to do it again.
Customers want to know that their life will be better after their purchase. They want to trust you and believe that your product will actually do what you say it will. They want to read the product's credibility in your eyes, NOT in your guarantee.
Showing off your product knowledge
When customers ask questions, they rarely want to know the exact specifications of your product. There are many salespeople who will use this opportunity to show off their product knowledge, even at the expense of making the customer feel inferior and uneducated.
Speaking a language that only you understand will distance you from your customer. Tuck the ego and focus on your customer, not your product. Their uniqueness determines the type of product they need and the type of assistance you should give them.
Boasting about your satisfaction rate
"We have a 97% customer satisfaction rate!"
Well, what about the other 3% of your customers? A claim like this will only increase the doubt in your prospective customers and make them wonder which side of the breakdown they'll fall under after buying your product. Don't just tell them how great your company is—prove it to them!
The best way to eliminate the risk of buying your product is to understand that people buy from people. Developing a friendly, personal relationship with your customer will do much more for you than any other method. Focusing your product and your approach on your customer will make them feel comfortable and excited to make a change to buy a product that they know is right for them.
Tom Richard conducts seminars on sales and customer service topics nationwide. Tom is also the author of Smart Salespeople Don't Advertise: 10 Ways to Outsmart Your Competition With Guerilla Marketing, and publishes a free weekly ezine on selling skills titled Sales Muscle. To subscribe to this free weekly ezine go to http://www.tomrichard.com/subscribe
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