You have a great, truly transformational product or service, but customers just aren't biting. Why not? What to do?
Despite claims they value / want it, few people pay for "clarity" or other abstract ideas, no matter how much it might improve their lives.
I learned this the hard way. Selling was much easier when my products/services had a clear deliverable, such as getting into a top-10 MBA program (2bschool)
We crave the quick (& easy) fix. Today’s tips, hacks, and “one weird trick” descend from yesteryear’s magic words and miracles. And it goes back much further still: think of all the wild animals who will gladly beg, borrow, and steal food from nearby humans. Conserving energy is an innate drive. Madison Avenue didn’t invent it; only improved the harnessing.
Offer clients a quick & easy (and preferably cheap) deliverable. Then, when you understand their deeper needs, find their pain points, you offer them more.
Let's look at this metaphor—literally: Someone has a cut. You sell them a bandage. Or maybe you give the Band-Aid for free.
Even better, you don’t yet walk away. You also offer (at no additional charge) to help them apply it professionally.
So, while they’ve opening the Band-Aid’s wrapper, managing the stickiness, you stop them. “Oh, wait.” You show them the wound needs to be cleaned first. You point this out to the wounded. You may even explain that trapping dirt underneath a bandage is counter-productive to healing.
You talk further and find out that it's not a fresh wound. They should have gotten a band-aid days ago. So, you give them a worried expression and a word of concern. Then you point out (literally! you poke at it) that it's sore, you suspect infection. So, add in some antibiotics into the mix. And schedule a follow up.
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➡️😳 When people pay (even a little) they pay attention.
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So, you're selling them more, but your interests are aligned: you are protecting them from infection, even possible amputation...