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Unmasking the 'people-love-to-buy-they-just-hate-to-be-sold-to Myth

Written by: Paul Lanigan

Article Overview: It's almost conventional wisdom these days that people love to buy, they just hate to be sold to. Perhaps this is being spun by trainers who want their programs to stand alone from the thousands of selling courses - who knows. But I disagree with the premise, here's why....

Unmasking the 'people-love-to-buy-they-just-hate-to-be-sold-to Myth

I love weekends. Friday evening is my favourite part. There are no more calls to return, my family are all in the same room and we have two whole days to do what we want with them - that includes doing nothing if we feel like it. You see, the weekend for me is about doing what I want to do.

I have only one fear about the weekend. My fear is that my wife will say to me "Paul, we need to buy a (couch/wallpaper/kitchen utensil/holiday/etc.,) - the actual item doesn't really matter.

You see, I don't like buying very much. For the most part I'm buying something I don't care about and in exchange I have to have over something I do care about - my money. Recently I had to buy a new suit. A suit to me is functional. I need it for work. I have never once jumped out of bed declaring "I can't wait to buy a suit"

Buying a suit is a pain. I have to drive to the shop, browse through a rackful of cloth I have no interest in. I get (semi) undressed, try one on, it's too large, I try another one on, the sleeves are too long. I get dressed again. Select some more and go through the same process all over again. As I fit them on I am reminded how much I need to shed a few kilos that have sneaked up on me while I wasn't looking. Now I just feel bad.

Now imagine you need to buy a TV. What are your choices;

• Sony
• Mitshubishi
• Panasonic
• JVC
• Hitachi
• Panasonic
• Philips
• Pioneer
• Samsung
• Sanyo
• Toshiba

This is just a sample. Then you have the LCD or Plasma choice. What size and resolution do you want?. It's would seem easier to perform open heart surgery on yourself whilst simultaneously being attacked by vampire bats than choosing the right TV.

But wait, it's never that hard because the advertisers, brand managers, consumer reports and recommendations from friends have already convinced you that the Sony Mega Rez super plasma model is the way to go. You're being sold to and you don't even know it.

In your business, how many purchases do you make that you really look forward to?

• Buying insurance?
• Buying stationary?
• Buying a backup system for your computers?

Buyingcan besuch a pain.

Imagine you are the IT manager in a large multinational. You've figured out that the business needs to upgrade it's reporting system. But you already have multiple projects to manage and deadlines to meet. Do you really need to spend time persuading the CFO to give you budget. Do you really want to sift through competing vendor offers. What do you do with the concern you have that if you get it wrong, you could be limiting your career.

Buying is no fun

However, what if the salesperson could make the whole process a pleasure. What if you like them and enjoyed their company. What if you really trusted their judgement and advice so that you didn't have to second guess their recommendations. What if they helped smooth out the bumps and hassles involved in getting your purchase off the ground or up and running. What if this is how you viewed selling. Wouldn't you enjoy being sold to?

The problem is that we believe that while we're off running our business, the salespeople who call on us are on a course somewhere across town, learning to become a strained 'killer'. We see them as vultures sitting on a pole waiting for road kill so they can swoop down and pick on our carcass.

I don't know about you but I hate to be pressured, ignored or techniqued. But these behaviours are the preserve of the amateur.

The professional doesn't operate at such a tactical, 'I' centred level. The professional knows better. The professional creates an environment in which youwantto buy and youenjoythe process. That's why I enjoy being sold to by a professional.

I also love buying books on amazon. I enjoy choosing and I look forward to receiving them in the post.

I also like the "readers who bought book X also bought book Y' feature on their website. Is this being sold to? - you bet. But I'm incontroland the cross selling islow pressureand I can handle that.

Isn't that the real issue? Buyers like to feel in control and they dislike being pressured.

So perhaps we ought to stop thinking in black and white terms. Whether you enjoy buying or notdepends. Whether you hate being sold todepends. It's never either or.

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Article Tags: buying, conventional wisdom, myth, premise, selling courses
Referred by: http://www.wall.sandler.com



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