SalesHQ

a former associate was telling me his sad story of trying to get a big wholesaler to buy his product. the objection he couldn't overcome was "we are very happy with our current supplie, why should i change?"

(to me, that sounds like "give me a reason to buy"...

I've had this objection in front of me more than once in the business he is in and it was a simple one to overcome.

mr big, listen, their are many reasons for you to buy this product from me. first, having a bigger %/control of the supply gives you more strength and price control in your markets, it stabalizes the field price (price paid for the product) which in turns increases your customers confidance in ordering and that confidance projects to more sales  (i'd list another 1/2 dozen reasons and than pause...

the biggest reason to buy from me is because I am certain you don't want me to be your competition... (the customer knows i buy directly from the field and their is no way he can compete. )

the only reasonable solution is to  increase your sales to support 2 suppliers or, cut your other suppliers quotas...either are better ideas than not buying from me. you will increase or maintain your current seasonal profits with me, you will lose $ without me.

the few times it "hasn't" worked, as soon as i became the wholesalers competition, they were calling me to buy.. I don't think this is the best advice for everyone but... if you absolutely positively "have" to make the sale and the prospect throws that objection at you and you can't think of a better answer... this may come in handy. (just be prepared to compete)

honesty with your customer is very important.

rich34232 says ...

Gold

  That is so true. A few months back I asked people to give reasons why more people used them . I called; this why do more people use me. I suggested that they write down  on paper every  reason they could think of  that are reasons the clients buy from them. No reason is too small to list even if the competition does them. The difference you the sales professional will be informing the client the comeptition normally does not list  everything that they do for thier client and what  it means to them.

 Being prepared to inform the client why they should change to them is fun when they jump out of your mouth.

well...if they ask for it, you should definately be prepared to give it... I think for me, overcoming that hurdle is best done with passion and from a position of equal's. not salesman to prospect but guy to guy...

I am actually going into a similiar situation in a couple of weeks... and fully intend to do this (almost) exact thing...(it's a  "why you should pay me a higher %" and wht are your benefits of paying me more..." )my mental written list is starting to look like i  can present a decent argument for me getting a fatter cut. I have more than one solid reason: enough to build a solid  case i feel.

I'd be just as happy getting the contract with a lesser cut but, since i have been hanging out at sales hq, I''m inspired to make the "sale of my life" an exceptional one:) something magnmanamous.

and, just for fun andchalenge and  to make it exciting, I'm going to let him know right in the beginning that i will accept his lesser % and at the end, it's my hope to have him volunteer the higher... i don't "just" want to charge more and get it, i want to get it under the conditions i set. having a customer voluntarially and happilly paying me more than they intended and being happy about it everytime they write the check is one of those conditions:)

i just need to solidify the "reason". what one thing do i want this guy to think about everytime he writes a check to me?

Now, to me...that would qualify this as "the perfect sale".

Here would be my response to this objection.

"Wow, that is so great that you have that type of relationship with your supplier. I wish we had that relationship with you. Would you share with me a couple of things that they do really well?"

Let them answer.

"I see how they have been able to capture and keep your business. Would you also share with me a couple of things you think they can do better?"

Let them answer this.

I would then focus all my effort on how the things the competitor could be doing better and how that translates into loss revenues or loss productivity for the prospect.

Then I would present how our product or service solves those issues and then dollarize that benefit over a month, year, etc...

Then close with, "What would an extra X in revenue each month do for your business?" Pleasure.

"Can you afford to leave that much money on the table each month?" Pain.

"Well now you don't have to." Pleasure.

"Let's get capture that loss revenue." Pleasure.

Maximus