Would you pay $85.00 for a rock wrapped in leather? I suspect it’s not high up on your gift list, but for somebody it sure is. Check this out: Nordstrom is selling a rock for $85.00.
Does that have you thinking, “Who in their right mind would buy that?” Clearly somebody would (and is!), because according to what news sites are saying, it’s sold out.
A rock for $85.00 is a perfect way to show how value is not what we think it is. Value is what the customer determines it to be.
Too many times I see salespeople who are quick to discount a price or throw something else in on a deal, because they feel the offer doesn’t have enough value. Big mistake! In sales our job is to get the customer to see value, but it’s not our job to define it for them.
This example is a perfect reason why I see so many salespeople struggling to sell things they wouldn’t buy themselves. They struggle because they don’t see the value. We need to shift our thinking and not be focused on what we’re selling, but be focused on helping the customer. It’s no different if it’s a B2C sale or a B2B sale. The key is allowing the customer to determine what value means to them.
I’m thinking of posting a screen shot of the rock and the price on my computer permanently as a stark reminder of value. I’ll suggest you do the same. Value means something different to each person. It’s why it’s so hard for salespeople to understand how to sell value.
Let the customer guide you. Let them tell you, and they will if you take the time to ask questions and truly listen to why they’re saying what they are saying. Who knows… your next customer just might be the person who feels a leather covered rock for $85.00 is a bargain they can’t pass up.
Copyright 2016, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.
