Three Tips for Selling Expensive Items in Tough Times
The Find: It's a rough economy to be selling caviar and champagne, but if your product is not the cheapest option, there are still ways to persuade customers to buy.- The Source: A post by Sherice Jacob on copywriting blog Copyblogger.
- Show them how much money they'll save. Put into real, concrete numbers how much someone might spend looking for and buying all of the services or pieces needed to get something comparable. The mattress and bedding industries do this beautifully with their more expensive products. They outline how much you'd really pay - not just monetarily, but in terms of poor sleep, nagging aches and pains and chiropractor's bills.
- You might think you can't afford it, but--By telling them what they expect to hear right from the start, your potential buyer will let down their guard a bit. This works especially well when you show them how easily they really can afford it. For example, paying in installments or taking action quickly to get a cheaper price are all sales tactics you can use to project your offer as an investment in themselves rather than a one-time purchase.
- Compete with the cheaper alternative. Resist the urge to put the competing product in a negative light as this will only reflect poorly on your offer. Instead, adding a phrase like "Isn't it worth a little extra now to avoid _____ later?" is a good way to point out the quality and assurance that your product brings versus your competition.
The Question: Do those readers currently facing the Herculean task of selling high ticket items have any other tips to share?