On a recent overseas trip I encountered a DVD shop clearly selling pirate products. I didn’t purchase any but I overheard a really interesting sales technique.
When a customer picked up a copy of “The Social Network” the store worker quickly told him it was a “bad copy – filmed in a cinema”.
When the customer queried other films he was told most of his other choices were “good copies – A1”.
What did the customer walk out with? Fifteen DVDs including The Social Network and one other film he knew to be a “bad copy”.
He chose to purchase those copies despite knowing they wouldn’t be high quality, such was his desire to see those films.
Without the honest approach by the sales person the same sale would have been made, with the customer going home, becoming aware of the poor quality of his “bad copies” and being disappointed.
Instead the same products were sold and because the buyer’s expectations were appropriately set, goodwill and a level of trust were almost definitely generated.
Please note: I do get the irony in talking about honesty as a sales technique in an industry where people are selling illegal goods – but the point, I think, is still valid.
Whatever you’re selling – be it a product, a service or yourself – if you set the appropriate expectations by giving the purchaser all the information he/she needs up front it’s much easier to avoid long-term disappointment.
Kirsty Dunphey is the youngest ever Australian Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year, author of two books (her latest release is Retired at 27, If I Can do it Anyone Can) and a passionate entrepreneur who started her first business at age 15 and opened her own real estate agency at 21. Now Kirsty does lots of fun things which you can read about here. Her favourite current projects are Elephant Property, a boutique property management agency, Baby Teresa, a baby clothing line that donates an outfit to a baby in need for each one they sell andReallySold, which helps real estate agents stop writing boring, uninteresting ads.
James was the editor and publisher of SmartCompany and LeadingCompany for five years. He is now the Australian Financial Review‘s companies & markets editor, and a former BRW editor.
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