I came across a Wall Street Journal article over the weekend. It described how a store in Beverly Hills has experienced a steady decline in sales during the recession. It also described how they’ve hired a consultant to train their sales force on how to better move high priced goods out the door.
What is the consultant teaching them? The same principles that have been used since day one in the direct response marketing world. Or in other words, the same principles used to successfully sell anything, online or off, from $9 ebooks to $19.95 as-seen-on-TV gadgets to $35,000 watches.
What are these principles? Stressing benefits over features. Invoking emotions instead of rattling off facts. Emphasizing what the product does for the customer instead of what the product simply does. Offering bonus items to sweeten the deal. And emphasizing value over price.
You’ve undoubtedly seen these techniques used over and over again on the Internet (including on my own sites). Maybe you think these techniques won’t work in your market…that they are gimmicky or unprofessional.
Well guess what. These are the same techniques now being used to sell $35,000 watches to affluent clients in Beverly Hills. Why? Because they work. And because people are people…no matter their income level, education level or status in society. That means they’ll work for your product or service too…no matter who your clients are or what your market is.
You can see proof in the Wall Stree Journal article I mentioned at the top of this post. Click here to read it. It’s an entertaining and educational piece.