This headline has to be a mistake – how can you sell more if you actually do less selling? I have been in sales, sales management, and sales coaching for 30+ years now and I am convinced that “selling” is often the worst possible strategy for the average salesperson.
The alternative: UnSelling, which comes from the same concept that the beverage company who produced the 7-up brand when they called it the “Un-cola.”
Here’s the concept: When a sales person “sells,” the prospective buyer has an immediate negative reaction. When you walk into a clothing store and a sales associate walks (er, runs!) over to you and asks, “May I help you?” What’s your answer nearly every time? “No thanks, just looking?” You see, even if you actually do need help, your first reaction is “no” because you don’t want to be sold to.
Check out another example given to me by a participant in another sales workshop last week when I mentioned this concept:
“I recently went to an auto repair shop fully expecting to be charged an exorbitant amount to fix a problem with my engine. I was called 2 hours later and they explained that the problem was minor and they weren’t going to charge me anything to fix it. I was in shock – because this had never happened to me before! I made the decision that from that day forward, they would be my car repair shop of choice.”
This validates my hypothesis – the less we sell to the average buyer, the more inclined they are to buy. I feel so strongly about this concept that I plan to write an eBook to further explain the dynamics of the theory, complete with real-life examples. Have you seen UnSelling work in the real world? Tell me about it and I may include your story in the upcoming book.
This is how I would love to do business, but my partner would say something like “people don’t appreciated things when just given free like that”.
I want to create that feeling of goodwill that that mechanic offered, but how do you do that without getting taken advantage of? Or is it just something to note of… e.g. “that’s a customer to drop” if they try to push the boundary.
Thanks!
It may different in other parts of the world but I’m convinced that in the U.S., you’d create more loyalty than the risk of people taking advantage of you…and your actions glorify God because it’s the right thing to do!
One of the nicest compliments I received from a client came from a very tough purchasing agent at a local newspaper. She told me, “I enjoy buying from you because you don’t sell to me.” I will honestly tell a client if I can’t be competitive and then tell them where they can get the best deal. That creates the sense that I do have their best interests at heart. Many times I get the order anyway or the client comes back to tell me that their experience just wasn’t the same.
You and I share the same experience Paula – thanks for the feedback!
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