Value selling is an important sales technique that relies on building on the inherent value of a product or service. Because customers often use price as the dominant factor in a sales negotiation, sales pros need to demonstrate that sometimes the higher price is actually a better solution -- a higher value.
In professional sales, customers give lip service to value -- wanting the best bang for their buck. But, in reality, when push-comes-to-shove, all they want to do is squeeze salespeople on price. That's how sales pros can get cornered on price issues and where value added selling skills become important.
Additionally, eager to close the deal, salespeople let customers strong-arm them into dropping their prices. Common value selling deterrents may include:
Customers who are shortsighted or in fire-fighting mode who can't see the bigger picture.
Customers whose self-interest may be in direct conflict with their organization's goals.
Customers who are merely the middle-man and not the decision-maker.
Customers, hard-nosed buyers or purchasing agents who attempt apple-to-apple comparisons.
The result -- customers do not get the best deal, if indeed they get a deal at all. They may even downplay it, claiming, "Everything's equal, it comes down to price." To an anxious, floundering salesperson, this can be very defeating. When customers insist on playing the price game, you've got to play it right back at them. Here's how to turn the tables on such customers and enlist value selling.
