9 effective sales techniques

Often, in an attempt to win the sale and not lose the customer, businesses employ specific sales techniques. Some of the most basic techniques, which salespeople have applied to us, the customers, without us necessarily knowing it, are the following:

sales-techniques

Bait and Switch: The product is advertised at a very low price to attract customers. When the customer asks about the advertised product, the salesperson tries to "push" a more expensive one by telling them him it has sold out or by simply exaggerating its low quality and suggesting something better.

Foot in the Door: A technique aimed at persuading the customer to initially agree to a "small" request, increasing the likelihood of agreeing to a second, "larger" one. In other words, you ask for something small, and when it's given to you, you ask for something bigger. For example, the salesperson asks for the user's email and later sends them promotional messages.

Door in the Face: In contrast to the previous technique, the salesperson deliberately presents the most expensive product first (big request - e.g. the most expensive face cream), knowing it will likely be rejected, with the aim of making the subsequent and seemingly cheaper product (small request) more easily accepted.

Labelling: The salesperson assigns a "label" to the prospective buyer, expecting their behavior to be in line with that characterization. The customer is flattered, persuaded, and more easily accepts what the salesperson proposes. For example, "responsible parents like you usually buy this car seat, which is safer."

That’s Not All: The product is offered at a given price. Before the potential buyer can think about it, the salesperson "sweetens the deal" by emphasizing additional features and offers of the product, making it more attractive. For example, the salesperson quotes the price of a coffee machine and then after a short pause emphasizes that the price includes 20 free capsules.

The Lowball Technique: The salesperson misleads the consumer by hiding some terms of the agreement. The customer enters the store and wants to choose a low-cost life insurance program. However, they soon realize that, due to hidden charges, the program is more expensive than initially presented.

Cross-Selling: The salesperson promotes additional products/services that might interest the customer in order to make them spend more money during their purchases (e.g., "these shoes go really well with these socks" or "would you like something to drink?").

Up-selling: The salesperson encourages the customer to spend more money than they originally intended by suggesting a more expensive version of the product (a common practice, like the previous one, in many restaurants). For example, a salesperson at a car dealership promotes the most expensive version of a model.

Razor and Blade: The initial product is usually cheap (e.g., printer, coffee maker, mobile phone), sometimes even offered for free, unlike the complementary product (e.g. ink, capsules, long-term contract), which is disproportionately expensive and generates the most revenue for the company.

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