So this is a real conversation I had with a client about 18 years ago – I only recently run in to that client again and she reminded me of it, and how stupid she had been on the day.
So the background to this was I was working in radio sales, we had a limited number of spots available (from memory only 100 spots were available over a long weekend with a particular message tying in with the holiday) – the cost was low, and a lot of people were getting on board with the offer.
I had presented the pitch to this client in the morning, and they wanted to think about it, I made it clear from the start that the offer was only available for a limited time, as we only had a limited number of spots available – so it was ‘first come, first served’, and if she waited too long she might miss out.
It was now 4.50pm, on the same day, and the client called back and wanted to buy.
The conversation over the phone went like this:
Client: “Why can’t I buy in, don’t you have any more?!”
Me: “…because everyone else bought them all, we had limited numbers of spots available and they have all been sold.”
Client: “BUT WHY?!”
Me: “I don’t know… maybe for the same reason you want to buy them?”
Client: “And what reason is that?!”
I couldn’t help myself but laugh, the client stopped, obviously thought about what she had just said and then laughed too.
Anyway, back to the modern day, and the client said to me that, that one incident made her realise something… She really needed to stop and “LISTEN” to what is on offer, all of the details, ALL OF THEM. And… ask questions if you don’t understand.
She had misunderstood and thought that there was only 100 spots she could buy. Not 100 in total.
18 years later she can laugh at it, and remembered the conversation that changed the way she marketed her business. She said that you wouldn’t believe it – she had told the story to countless other people who had all laughed with her.
But with all seriously now: Do you as a sales team member make sure that your clients understand what it is EXACTLY that they are being offered? Do you make it clear that it is a limited time offer? Or something similar?
As with everything you do with your clients, make sure they understand, then they will believe you.
