By Martin Limbeck
No matter what business you’re in, you are always in the sales business. Think about it: without new sales, new accounts and a flow of new and continued business coming through the door, you’ll be out of business before you know it. This is true whether you manage a web design agency, software company, shipping business, staffing agency, cleaning service or anything else. Being a good salesman is important no matter what you do.
One of the areas that most professionals have difficulty with is when the customer says, “It’s just too expensive.” What usually follows is some negotiations with both parties giving and taking a little from the deal to make it work for everyone. And there’s nothing wrong with this strategy and sometimes there is no other choice. There are instances, however, when it is appropriate to stand firm on your number.
The next time someone says to you, “It’s too expensive” or “Can’t you do something about the price?” here are some great phrases to fire back with.
– The other offers are cheaper and they deserve to be.
– Discounts are the first signal of bankruptcy. Are you sure you want to go down that road?
– Quality comes at a price and that price includes me.
– If you pay 100%, you get 100%. If you pay 90%, that’s what you get.
– If competence is too pricey for you, then wait until you try incompetence.
– Cheap dreams lead to rude awakenings.
– What would you advise your own salespeople to do if they were constantly under pricing pressure?
– I can assure you, nobody is paying less than you are today.
– Thrift is good, but quality is better.
– Lowballing is not a sport I play.
– You’re also buying our blood, sweat and tears.
– Go with the cheaper option and things will really get expensive.
– The price is a reflection of our experience.
– How motivated would you be working for $10?
– If you want to haggle, try the flea market.
– This is not a yard sale.
– Cutting the price means cutting the quality, and that is not an option for us.
– The grass is always cheaper on the other side.
– Discounts don’t fit in our budget.
– If I give you a discount, you may as well give me a donation receipt.
Be careful: not every phrase is appropriate for every customer or every sale. And the most important thing: the phrase must be delivered with a smile and a slight twinkle in your eye.
Getting the price you want and deserve can sometimes be an uncomfortable situation for anyone to be in, but if you know what to say and are prepared, you can stand your ground while maintaining your pride.
Martin Limbeck is an international sales authority dubbed “The Porsche of Sales” and author of NO Is Short for Next Opportunity: How Top Sales Professionals Think. Visit http://www.martinlimbeck.com/ and http://no-is-short-for-next-opportunity.com