By Sean D'Souza

Do you know why your customer won’t buy? You’ve given her the best price, possibly even the best options. Yet she fidgets. Maybe, maybe not, she ponders.

You stand by the wayside and sweat, praying the sale will go through. Then almost inexplicably, it slips out of your hands, and you don’t even know why.
You curse, rant and rave silently at her indecisive nature. Yet ironically, the fault is all yours.

Don’t agree? Hold your horses and you’ll learn a simple, fundamental psychological factor you’ve been missing in your marketing strategy, and how you can
rectify it in a flash.

Why The Trees In Our Front Yard Are Still Looking For a Barber

Let me tell you a story about our front garden. Any time now, I’m expecting Tarzan and a couple of chimps to swing merrily by. Like something out of a horror
movie, the foliage has spread its tentacles, and now hangs menacingly over several parts of the house.

Yes I know we need an arborist to lop off those branches. And yes, we have called in at least half a dozen. Incredibly, we haven’t made up our minds on
whom we should choose. Like deer caught in the headlights, we’ve been frozen in indecision. One itty-bitty factor would have made it easy to decide, but
it has eluded us completely.

I Know What You’re Thinking, And It’s Not Price…

Oh boy! We have estimates up to our ears. One quote is as high as $800 (aaargggh!), while the other one blushes at $250, and all the rest do a merry dance
in between. You’d think the cheaper quote would get the thumbs up right away, wouldn’t you? Well it didn’t.

In fact, it has added to the confusion because we can’t understand why there would be such a huge difference for what is essentially the same job.

And Here Is The Reason Why We Can’t Decide...

It’s a factor called the Full Story. While every single one of those arborists provided us with quotes, not one of them gave us a single reason to choose
them. Any reason would have been better than none. Ten reasons would have clinched the deal, even with a higher price.

This is one of the main reasons why most deals seem to disintegrate before the eyes of most business owners and sales people. We fail (and fail miserably)
to educate our customers about the unique advantages of working with us.

It’s An Impossible Puzzle If It Doesn’t Have The Pieces

People need to be gratified psychologically. Our brains are dying to know more about the companies that bid and all we get are terms and prices. The arborists
should have educated me about the quality of their cutting, their comprehensive insurance policies, their warranties, their skills, and their service guarantees
in detail. I needed to know anything and everything that would help me decide in someone’s favor. Not one of those bids included that kind of information.

Look at yourself. Let’s say you hire someone for your firm. How little would you like to know about him? Or say you go out on a date. How little do you
want to know about your partner? Every piece of the puzzle is absolutely necessary. Don’t forget to give your customers a reason to buy from YOU. Tell
them about yourself. Provide all the juicy details, and you will leave your competitors crying in their beer.

What Is The Psychological Reasoning Behind The Whole Story?

The strong, silent type is the one our mamas told us to watch out for. We instinctively trust people less who tell us less. Even if we do like the person,
we want them to open up. If you want people to trust you, you have to tell them about yourself.

This instinct of distrust is hardwired in our brains, and you’d do well to pay attention to it. A lack of adequate detail doesn’t help to build trust, which
is why customers go from hello to sayonara very quickly. Once you have their attention, stop saying stupid things like, “Buy from me,” and start giving
them all the reasons WHY they should buy from you. Read the articla on "The Power of Why".

Add spices to your marketing strategy curry, and your customer will be captivated by the aroma. Churn the gastric juices in their brains. Make them salivate.
Get them to drool. And when they’re ready to eat, feed them well.

Ta-Ta Risk

Telling the Whole Story eliminates a big hurdle called risk. The less your customers knows about you, the more they are frozen in indecision. When faced
with this scenario, they resort to the only thing they know—price. Just like you, they make a decision on the cheapest, trashiest option available… because
that’s all you gave them!

Abolish the hazard of your customer choosing to buy solely on price. Give her a first class education about why she needs to buy from you.

The worst thing you can do is leave her hanging without sufficient info.....

Love it

Vinnie

customers indecisive?..... Im not sure about that, well, maybe I am, it could be....NO, hang on, Ive changed my mind......... could somebody please tell me what to do!! heheheh

I must be a dream customer.... If I cant make up my mind - say between a few pairs of shoes - I simply buy them all!!

Kaz, you're a woman it's expected, and it's shoes!

However, I'll be willing to bet you wouldn't hire 5 double glazing firms to do one job? If you do you're obviously making too much money DJing

Darren

Going out on a limb here...(as we were talking trees), this is where human~to~human discusion between you and the potential client holds benefits over an internet page, newspaper advert, or business card pinned to a village hall (or hotel duty managers) notice board. Its down to "Timing".

If I'm talking to a potential hirer, I can go through all the usual low impact, shrugable stuff, like PAT/PLI, top audio gear, nice lights etc...however I keep a couple of things back, in readiness, as "mind maker uppers" or "Clinchers".

A great clincher is mentioning that I put request slips out on the guests tables...Request slips arent unique, but its very rare and it usually gets the hirer nodding at their partner...

Also, if a potential hirer has arranged to "eavesdrop" one of your gigs, try making an announcement to your audience reminding them to let you know if anyone is finding the music too loud, or "just fine!"... time this announcement during the potential hirers visit, and its another "brownie point" for you.

Personally, I believe that a "clincher2 can be down to the perception we have of the person selling the "whatever".... Good scenario by dazza..... At my old house, I chose the bloke to do the windows purely on his personality... the companies who quoted all offered basically the same, gave the same assurances etc..... but I gave the job to him because i liked "him"!

Hi

Kaz has a great point...

Personality counts for a lot.

If you can be nice when the wweather isn't, and be nice wen other people aren't, chances are you'll get the job.

People are so often coming across service suppliers that give less than good, friendly service, that they will ofer you extra brownie points just for smiling wen you talk to them.

Darren