One of the first things I had to learn, when I went into sales as a profession, was to be comfortable when discussing money.
Money is a key element in the sales process, yet many people feel extremely awkward discussing it with a prospective client or customer. They will often explain the benefits of their product or service, and answer any questions the prospective client has, then nervously give their fee. It sometimes sounds like they are embarrassed, and in face-to-face situations, their body language commonly becomes very defensive too.
Talking money
In many cases, it’s necessary to know what a prospective client’s budget is, in order to determine the best option for them. Without this information, you risk potentially offering them the wrong options, or wasting your time speaking with them, when your services are 5 times their budget.
If you are someone, who has struggled when discussing money in the past, you might find the following quick tip useful. It was given to me almost 25 years ago and it really helped me deal with money a lot more professionally.
It is simply to stop thinking about money in terms of cold, hard cash and start thinking of it as simply an element in the sales process.
As I have said many times before, your prices need to match your promises. In other words, if you are promising a great product or a stunning level of service, and you then quote a bargain-basement fee, people won’t believe you. Make no mistake, your confidence and clarity when discussing money is key.
Someone once described a sale to me, as; “the transfer of enthusiasm.” Conversely, it could be said that a great way to ruin a sale, is to transfer doubt to a prospective client.