Sales pitch

created by dannye

(idea) by weasello (7.2 mon) (print) ? (I like it!) 1 C! Sun Jan 26 2003 at 16:59:54

A sales pitch is what a salesman... saleswoman... er... salesperson says to...

(A) Convince you to buy a product
(B) Inform you about a product
(C) Keep you in the store
(D) Keep you out of the market

This can be done in a variety of ways and attitudes, mainly dependant on whether the salesperson is on commission or not.

Most pitches are designed on a well-known working model. First, the salesperson will ask you several key questions to narrow down what it is you need. Then the pitch will turn more towards demonstration - touching the item(s) in question, running over the major differences between the narrowed-down selection, and helping the consumer decide which one is best for them. While running over the product features, the salesperson is supposed to mention warranties and other add-ons that you may wish to purchase. By bringing up add-ons at the end of a conversation, they seem more like extras that are unecessarily added a the end... In some cases, they are actually worth getting.

If the customer indicates they aren't buying today, the salesperson will try to keep the customer in the store and keep them purchasing. This can be done with a variety of ways - offering discounts if they purchase "RIGHT NOW," showing them flyers of other stores to prove this is actually the lowest price, or asking key questions like "do you really want to drive that old car around for another week?"

Failing to close the deal, it is then the salesperson's job to keep you out of the market. Customers like to drive 40 miles to save $2 on a television, so the salesperson has to convince them not to trust other stores, or to overtly trust theirs. A common tactic is saying "There's an awesome sale coming up in a few weeks. Why don't I call you?"... Now the salesperson has your contact information, and of course, there's a giant sale every few weeks. Now the customer won't shop around because noone else (apparantly) has a huge sale going on.

It's all a very tricky game of perceived value and the type of salesperson. I have personally found that, while working at The Brick, if I keep my pitches nice, truthful, and helpful, non-pressuring and relaxed, the customer is more likely to return. I've had customers say "The other store had it for $5 off, but you're such a nice guy I decided to come back. After all, you spent an hour with me for a $25 shelving unit."

And in three weeks, the customer comes back ... They just purchased a new house. They needed $20,000 in new furniture.

It pays off to be nice... at least for a commission salesperson.

He shoots... Nodesave! The crowd goes wild!

printable version
chaos

Commission sales	You'll earn a fortune	The Brick	Why sales guys make all the money
salesperson	Moments that make parenting a joy	Bestseller	Contradiction
Prospect	Draw	Outside sales	Saleswoman
salesman	perceived value	Collectables Customer Service	salesmen
January 14, 2003	Primerica

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