Oldie but goodie…
On a recent call discussing how to show someone the value of one’s products, everyone listed the things they thought made their products special. See previous post here.
Everyone’s biggest challenge seems to be:
How to show customers how great their products are, to encourage them to buy.
They tell about as many virtues as possible, to avoid hearing the dreaded “That’s too expensive.” Or worse, “I can get the same thing at Wal-Mart or GNC, etc.”
After people listed the reasons they thought their products were the best (science, patents, MD support, research, etc.) I told them about the new headphones I’d just gotten the day before – the new (Bose ones – $349)
After the wows and whistles, I asked them what they’d paid for THEIR headphones…
$20-45 was the range.
“So do you think mine are better than yours?”
“YEA!!”
“So why don’t you buy them, too?”
Here’s where the lights went on…
“I don’t need anything that good…”
“I don’t do audio work like you do…”
“The kids will trash anyway…”
Everyone agreed mine were “better” than theirs, e.g. higher quality, noise cancelling, etc.
But did they or would they buy? Even now, knowing these were way higher quality?
Here’s the unpleasant conclusion for all marketers:
The better your product is, i.e. the more wonderful the characteristics are that you talk about, the fewer people will buy.
Yep.
Because:
1. It will take time for the other person to get ‘educated’ about the what and why of your special product – time most people “dont have” if they are not already of a like mind set to yours…AND
2. Special products COST more than the run-of-the-mill ones.
People only pay more when they perceive that they need or want something really good – be it a set of $349 headphones, a professional tennis racquet for $300, or nutritional supplements or health programs that cost way more than anything at GNC or Wal-Mart.
For most high-end products, the typical world view is:
“I don’t need anything that good.”
Quiz: How would you talk about your products now that you know this about people?
Comment below…
Hehehe.
P.S. Another question: Would you continue leading with reasons that you yourself don’t use to make a buying decision? See previous post here.
Practice what you preach. If you can’t stick to the program yourself why bother. How can you be convincing to anyone that way? People will watch your every move. They will not trust your decisions. If you are the recruiter, your downline will disappear. That is why there is the problems with MLM. How can you speak from the heart about your product? The prospect will know it right away. You are a fake. I could not live with that, could you, just to make a buck. Be true to yourself.
Hi Kim,
The secret is to create passionate users. The best way I know how to do that is to tell stories. If the stories are authentic, people will buy your product.
That being said… it’s hard to be passionate about something you don’t use yourself or would not purchase.
For me the secret of marketing is…
Passion: Sell something you love!
Vision: Ask the question… What great thing can your product do to help your customers?
Discipline: Keep going even when it seems impossible.
Conscience: Do what is right!
Congrats on being number one on Seth Godin’s List!
John