Managing expectations is the secret to strategic account management and client retention. Too often a salesperson will paint a picture that is rosier than reality in order to get the sale. When these lofty expectations are not met, the customer becomes dissatisfied and comes to feel that the company doesn t care about them. The way to prevent this is through clear, upfront agreements as to what is expected of one another, periodic meetings to seek out potential problems before they have the opportunity to manifest, and an escalation policy to prevent molehills from turning into mountains. Although your prospects may tell you that, price is rarely the only issue.
People buy emotionally.
A salesperson s job is to help the prospect understand why it is in their best interest to buy what you have by helping them get in touch with their needs and concerns on a personal, emotional level. Price is an intellectual issue, not an emotional one. When price seems to have center stage on whether a prospect will buy from you, it means you haven t done a good job of uncovering the prospect s emotional needs and concerns to buy what you have. Most people go to a doctor who really seems to understand their illness or medical problem. The implication is that if the doctor really understands their medical problem and the effect it is having on their life, he or she will know the cure and have the best odds of making them well again.