Tips to Handle the Price Issue

Price is tricky. Today sales trainer Sam Manfer shares some ideas to help you get past the price issue and really find out what your customer wants.

Price could be what s/he wants if everything else is the same. Price could be what someone tells you when they want to get rid of you. Price could be for a resell and the final seller only knows how to sell low price. Price could be what a subordinate thinks the boss wants, as in, "Get us the best deal." Price could be in this range, or within my budget, or what I can afford. Price could be, "We're big and we know we can squeeze you."

So here are some tips to handle price.

1. Learn what's most important to the buyer relative to your product or service. He'll say "Price," but then you say, "What else?" Keep drilling down to understand his vision about what your service or the end result will do for him. What's he afraid of? After he tells you, ask again, "OK and what else is important?" What's he worry about? What does he want to accomplish? This will provide ammunition later.

2. What's she expect to be in the price? Don't be afraid to ask even if there is a spec. Terms and assumptions can be misleading. She wants it delivered on time. When exactly is that? She wants good service. What constitutes in her mind good service. Ask her to define good service. Do this term by term because there may be things she doesn't care about as much or not at all, yet they're in the specs. Or, you think it goes without saying. Many times the buyer will say, "Give me the same as last time or what we have, but cheaper." Don't assume that all the components of last time are critical to this buyer.

3. Be prepared to offer some ideas that you think should be important just in case he says, "Price and that's all." i.e. you might say, "Well, what about delays?" or "What about approval from the insurance inspectors? Or whatever you know should be a concern. Be careful however. What you think he should value, may not be what he values. Your job is to find out what he values and would be willing to pay extra for.

Since 1995 Sam Manfer has been speaking, consulting, writing and leading seminars in sales and personal development. As a keynote speaker and seminar leader Sam has addressed thousands of new and experienced sales people and managers all over the world in all types of businesses and industries. Learn more at www.sammanfer.com