|
Home Page
The Company
Tom Reilly
Books & CD's
Training
Programs
Public Seminars
Articles
Articles from
Sales Bytes
Order Form
Contact Us
Bibliography
Tough
Times Report
Links
Whitepaper on Customer Messaging Must have Adobe Reader 8.0
or greater - Free Download Below
Get Adobe Reader
| |
LAST
LOOK IS FOOL'S GOLD
By Tom Reilly, author Value-Added Selling (McGraw-Hill, 2003)
Lo' the number of times over the years I've heard from salespeople: "I'm hoping
to get last look." For the uninitiated, this means the buyer will show you
everyone else's prices and give you the opportunity to lower your price. What a
deal!
Is this really the best you can hope to achieve with a customer? If so, it's not
much. Think through this "privilege." The underlying premise of this approach is
that you have more to give. The buyer who says, "I'll give you last look" is
really saying: "You and I both know that you have something left to give up, but
we'll play a game and I'll use the competition's price to drive down your
price." The salesperson who asks the buyer for the "privilege" of last look is
really saying, "I haven't given you the cheapest price I can, and I'm holding
out until the last minute, so let's dance for a while."
The buyer who shows you others' prices is unethical and not to be trusted. It's
a sure bet that this same buyer is showing your price to your competitors. Is
this the foundation on which you want to build your business? I hope not.
Buyers will continue to play these games as long as salespeople participate. The
next time the buyer promises you last look say, "Why do I need last look when I
give you my best deal to begin with?" Then, you will help stop the madness.
|