Slippery Slope
Last night during the GOP Debates from Florida, one thing became perfectly clear to me. The more each of the so-called leaders bashed each other, the more the others on stage became more appealing.
As a professional, we need to sell our companies capabilities, service, quality, and all the other benefits of working with them. Even in a problem solving approach to the sale, it’s important to highlight the positive things about your firm that will clear up the problem. What I am finding more and more unacceptable and intolerable, is bashing the competition. I remember as a kid, watching our television shows, and a commercial would come on. It might have been a Coke commercial or some other consumer good, highlighting a taste testing event. During those days, the Red Coke can is prominently placed in the middle of the table, and the other can was covered with a white piece of paper and said “other leading brand”. Over the years, the other leading brands paper was removed, and it was portrayed as a simple Blue can. Now we see a Pepsi can on the other side of the table. Bashing the competition has become acceptable in today’s business. But, is it appreciated? Negative advertising is the way people sell themselves or their services. We as consumers or voters, either pick the one with the least amount of problems, or what we may be missing is the 3rd choice that no one even knows about. While you and your competition are bashing each other’s heads in, are there any other potential candidates at the table? Is some other company becoming more appealing because no one is talking bad about them? If you are a sales person that uses this type of technique, please think about how it’s perceived. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. Do you like this type of presentation? Before someone sneaks in the back door, check your rear view mirror. Take the high road, and go back to sales basics. Sell your products benefits that well meet or exceed the customers’ expectations. During your presentation, point out that you won’t talk about the competitor in a negative way. You will only highlight the features of your company’s products. If you lose a few of these battles, don’t worry, you will win the war. Sales Professionalism is a life long venture, and your credibility and integrity will benefit by taking the more ethical tactic. If you and your team are having difficulties in this area, give us a call at Pinnacle Sales. Let’s look at your products value proposition, you customers wants & needs, and put together the correct sales strategy that will win!
Pinnacle Sales, LLC
418 Main Street, Suite 6
Belleville, MI 48111
(734) 516-0221
Pinnacle Sales is an agency that offers support to clients in any part of the sales & marketing process. From planning to implementation,
business development to training.