This story appears in the
June 2005 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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The height of frustration is when prospects read your sales
pitch, have it genuinely pique their interest and then do nothing.
Grr!
It's called consumer inertia--the disposition to do nothing.
You might even experience it yourself sometimes. You sincerely like
an item, but nothing compels you to buy it.
So how does one tweak a prospect's core impulse to buy? Have
a bunker-buster of a closing argument. In-home salespeople are
usually armed with a final, penetrating closer if a prospect
hasn't already said yes. ("I can offer you 25 percent off
if you're able to sign tonight.") They know if they leave
without a commitment, the sale is usually lost. The same holds true
for TV or radio spots and "silent" salesmen--ads and
mailings (paper or electronic).
Wise advice on the subject comes from the classic Robert Collier Letter Book, in which the late
Collier exhorts, "You must hold over his head a 'Sword of
Damocles,' the thread of which may be cut at any moment."
Indeed, we're so calloused by the constant onslaught of sales
messages that such measures are required. A strong offer can do it.
So can pushing an emotional button. One online dating service
closes with: "Enroll now . . . or walk away from this
opportunity to finally meet the woman of your dreams." Yikes!
Where do I click?!
Jerry
Fisher is a freelance advertising copywriter and author of
Creating Successful Small Business Advertising.