| p>Why do we always want the very thing we can't | | | | want to buy what you're offering. The next step is to |
| have? | | | | "take away" the offer by explaining why you may not |
| Perhaps you've gone to the airport to discover your | | | | be able to deliver in a timely fashion if they delay their |
| gate is the very last one at the far end of the terminal. | | | | decision. Intense desire and commitment is often the |
| After schlepping your bags to your gate and taking a | | | | result. |
| seat, you realize you passed the last restroom two | | | | The End is Near |
| blocks back. Suddenly you have an insatiable urge to | | | | Another approach is to take away a special price or |
| go to the bathroom. | | | | promotion. For example, perhaps you can include a |
| Perhaps you've been scheduled for some medical | | | | special promotional item to the first 100 people who |
| tests that require you to eat nothing beforehand. From | | | | buy. Or, you could have a sale that ends at the end of |
| the moment you wake up that morning until those | | | | the week. While sales and promotions do erode profit |
| blasted tests are over, everything you see reminds | | | | margins, they can successfully move some buyers to |
| you of a doughnut. | | | | action as the popularity of this method attests. |
| The Nature of Now | | | | A third approach may prove especially useful in this |
| This basic human nature can help us sell more | | | | age of Internet shopping. If online shoppers discover |
| products and services if we put it to good use. We | | | | that your product is in short supply, they can easily |
| know that buyers procrastinate. For those of us who | | | | keep looking for a merchant who can deliver. Likewise, |
| grew up in the United States, we have been | | | | if your special promotion ended yesterday, they can |
| conditioned to expect a world of abundance. We | | | | keep looking for someone who's having a sale today. |
| believe we can get whatever we need whenever we | | | | Procrastination continues. To capture these buyers, it's |
| need it. Even when what we're selling is perfect for | | | | important that you not only sell them on your core |
| our customer, they will often delay the purchase to | | | | product or service, but also on one other thing. |
| "think it over" or "sleep on it." The reality is that people | | | | Create a special bonus that you can readily provide |
| who don't buy now often won't buy later, either. | | | | that they can't get anywhere else. Perhaps it's a free |
| Buyers who delay purchases create longer sales | | | | training video, or access to insider information, or a |
| cycles, reduced sales volume, and higher cost of sales. | | | | promotional item you had custom-made to go with the |
| When we let customers assume that our product will | | | | core offer. With a special hook like this, they can't |
| always be available when needed, a sale is rarely the | | | | afford to buy anywhere else unless they really don't |
| reward. | | | | want your special bonus. |
| Gasoline is almost always in plentiful supply, yet even a | | | | One thing YOU can't afford to do is lie. Make sure |
| rumor of a shortage creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. | | | | your product supply or service availability is indeed |
| People run out and wait in long lines to top off their | | | | limited; could you "sell out" if a big order came in |
| tanks and create the very shortage they fear. The | | | | tomorrow? Stick to the ending dates on your sales |
| fear of scarcity creates a buying frenzy. | | | | and promotions. Ensure that your special bonus is |
| You can develop your own marketing strategy to | | | | unique to you. While it's OK to leverage human nature, |
| leverage this basic human nature and create a buying | | | | it wrong to make stuff up to manipulate your |
| frenzy for your products or services. The key to | | | | customers. |
| intensifying desire is to take away something folks | | | | Tomorrow Never Comes |
| believe they already have. | | | | The "take-away" technique has been a selling |
| Know Your Limits | | | | standard for decades. You can increase the power of |
| The first approach is to limit availability of the offering. | | | | this technique and further leverage human nature by |
| After your prospect has sold themselves emotionally, | | | | designing your take-aways into your product marketing |
| you need to help them understand that you may not | | | | plan. Make sure you're supporting your salespeople |
| be able to deliver if they don't buy now. Likewise, if you | | | | with everything they need to help buyers sell |
| sell a service instead of a product, your customers | | | | themselves. Then, before prospects have a chance to |
| can't expect to enjoy your service until your people | | | | say, "Let me think it over," prepare to take away your |
| are available to deliver them. | | | | product or service, your price or promotion, or your |
| The Apple iPhone was heavily promoted before it | | | | special bonus. Or, better yet, all three. |
| was released. Because availability was limited, people | | | | It's foolhardy to assume that just because you can |
| were willing to get to stores early and stand in long | | | | solve a customer's problem today means they'll |
| lines to make sure they got theirs before the supply | | | | actually buy today. Remember that point the next time |
| ran out. Likewise, retail stores routinely offer specials in | | | | your cable goes out and you discover an |
| limited supply on the Friday after Thanksgiving to get | | | | unquenchable lust for that 24-hour Three Stooges |
| people lined up outside their doors at ridiculous hours of | | | | marathon. You can't fight human nature. Fortunately, |
| the early morning. | | | | neither can your customers. |
| Whether you're selling a product or a service, it's | | | | Copyright 2008 Paul Johnson. |
| important to first make sure the customer does indeed | | | | |