THE THREE FUNDAMENTALS OF SELLING
Everybody sells something! As long as you are earning income, you are selling something valuable to someone. Every day, we sell our knowledge, time, money (yes, banks sell money), products, and a whole lot of other things for profit. Since we are all salespeople, the big question we need to ask ourselves is why some people/organizations tend to make far much more selling the same products than other competitors in their industry. One viable reason is that these successful individuals/organizations understand the three most important fundamentals of selling. If you play outside these rules, you are limiting the sales potential of whatever product you are offering. Without further delay, let’s dive into the three fundamentals of selling.
FUNDAMENTAL ONE- PEOPLE DON’T LIKE TO BE SOLD
If you take a minute to observe the marketing behaviors of the biggest brands in the world today, you would quickly notice that you have to ask a few questions or follow some leads on the internet before you get the price of their products. There is no successful advertisement that immediately asks potential customers to commit their hard-earned resources. It doesn’t work that way because people don’t like to be sold. If you come off as desperate, people will instinctively run away from you and you want to do everything you can to avoid that situation. Before you sell any product, the prospect must first be interested in how that product can benefit his/her life. Nike is the best company to illustrate this essential fundamental of selling. The “JUST DO IT” brand motivates people with an athletic instinct to get their products and enjoy that rush of energy when they play their favorite sports. There is no need for users of Nike to worry because all they need to do is enjoy every moment while wearing the best sporting products. Bottom line, don’t sell people, sell fantasies!
FUNDAMENTAL TWO- PEOPLE BUY PRODUCTS FOR EMOTIONAL REASONS
If you don’t believe this assertion, please take a look at luxury brands. Why would anybody want to buy a branded Gucci Shirt for ten thousand dollars when the entire manufacturing process costs only about a thousand dollars? Please make it make sense. The funny thing is you could get an unbranded item for way less than that and still feel physically comfortable in your outfit. The only explanation for this is people buy feelings. They want to know that your product will make their lives better in some way. Wearing expensive shirts or using the latest car is associated with social prestige and people will pay a whole lot just to feel better than others. When next you want to sell any product, think of how that product will make the life of the prospect significantly better and your sale is closed. Never sell the product, sell the enjoyment and benefits that come from using the products.
FUNDAMENTAL THREE- PEOPLE JUSTIFY THEIR EMOTIONAL PURCHASES WITH LOGICAL REASONS
After you have won your prospect over by explaining all the things he will miss out on if he doesn’t get your product, you have to show why your product is the absolute perfect fit. For example, after you have successfully convinced your prospect that having a Lamborghini will make him feel like a don everywhere he goes, you also have to explain to him how the car goes at — -miles per hour. You need to show that the special features of the car and what makes it special. When this prospect is explaining to his friend why he bought a Lamborghini, these are the reasons he will give. However, the main reason why he bought that car is to feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. The speed limit, interior, drift capacity, and other technical features are what I like to call Justification. In the prospect’s mind, everything becomes a win-win situation and you (the marketer) walk away with good money.
Summary
When next you are trying to sell anything (and I mean anything at all), try to make sure that you tick off these essential fundamentals of selling and watch your revenue consistently skyrocket.
Ebenezer Adeleye is a direct response copywriter and a creative genius.
