Use the power of contrast to let the customer feel they’re getting a good deal, and you might just end up selling the higher price option.

It’s amazing how few times I see this approach being used by salespeople.  What is great is it works in most selling situation whether they are B2B or B2C.

The strategy is simple.

You have your proposal ready to present to the customer, but at the same time you also have a much higher price option they might be interested in.

Keep the higher-priced option in your mind, and regardless of whether you discuss it or not, you still have to have it with you.  Even if you don’t present it, you still want the customer to see the proposal sitting on your desk, in your folder or on your tablet as you turn it on.

Here’s how this sales strategy works.

You’re meeting with a customer and you’re about to show them your proposal. At that moment you open a folder up and the first item you and the customer see in the folder is the higher-priced option.  You then move it to the side, allowing it to still be seen face up as you then show them the lower-priced option.

In a very subtle way, what you’re doing is you’re using the power of contrasting prices to get the customer to feel comfortable with the lower-priced option you’re offering.  The beauty is there will be times the customer will show interest in the higher-priced option and even buy it.

Either way you win.

You either wind up increasing the probability of closing the sale at the price point you expected or you win big by selling a higher-priced option.

Copyright 2013, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.