Membership Overview
Learn what being a member does for you
The Seller Styles
NASP Programs
Catalog
See a summary of all our programs and certifications
Online Certifications
Certified Professional Sales Person(CPSP®)
Develop your potential as a certified sales professional
Certified Professional Sales Leader(CPSL®)
Grow your impact as a certified sales leader
Certified Master Sales Professional (CMSP®)
Join the elite group of sales professionals and leaders
Certified Master Sales Trainer (CMST®)
Online Programs
Advanced Sales Influence (ASI)
Take your influence and leadership to the next level.
Certified Professional Sales Associate (CPSA®)
Learn foundational sales behaviors, strategies, and skills
Power of Contact Marketing
Learn from marketing expert and author Stu Heinecke
ProSeries Programs
Join the top 1% of sales professionals in the world.
Next Level Virtual Coaching
Sales Mastery
Join our ongoing dynamic virtual coaching community
Career Center
Explore job postings from some of the best companies in the country looking for sales professionals
Training Resources
Daily Dose of Influence!
Enjoy our video series of influence tips and strategies
Leads To Growth
Dig into our podcast featuring industry leaders and experts
Coaches Corner
Learn from our high-level sales coaching video series
Women of Sales & Influence – Facebook Live Series
Be inspired by our Facebook Live series spotlighting top women influencers
Women of Sales & Influence – Video Blog
Enjoy valuable, high-level sales strategies to empower your sales goals
Sales Resources
The Growth Quotient
You’ve heard about IQ, but what is your GQ?
Our Commitment to You
We are here to help your approach to sales, how you interact with others, and how you perform and execute
Articles
NASP Sales Blog
Learn from our member-submitted articles for sales professionals
About Our CEO
Standards of Conduct
Testimonials
Common Questions and Answers
Contact
by Mark Hunter
Price Cutting is for SissiesSales is all about closing the deal, and in order to achieve that goal, a purchase price must be agreed upon. All salespeople, at one time or another, have had their price challenged. What do you do when that situation arises? As much as everyone in sales would like to consider themselves “great closers,” in reality, many are sissies when it comes to this important skill. They often boast about never discounting their product, but when they’re suddenly confronted on price, they fold faster than a cheap umbrella on a windy day.
Consider the following scenario you may have found yourself in. . . .You’re on the verge of closing the biggest deal of your career. Doing so will put a nice, fat commission check in your hands and you’ll soon be receiving kudos from everyone in the company. Now comes the curve ball. You discover that the customer is looking to you for a price discount and, to top it off, you find out about an equally qualified competitor that is willing to undercut your price. While you are under the pressure of being in the middle of the hunt, you are left with only two options. You can hold the line and not cut the price to keep your profit potential in tact. Or, you can cut the price and be willing to take a lower margin for the sake of landing the big order. Which do you choose?
In a situation like this, your self-assurance is critical. Be confident in what you say and, more importantly, ensure that the customer is certain of the benefits they will receive by working with you. The cheapest price might be what everybody is looking for, but what good is a low price if it doesn’t deliver on what it is supposed to?
When the customer requests a price discount, respond by asking them about how they intend to use your product/service, and what they expect to gain from using it. Your goal should be to get them to express both the pain they will experience if what they’re about to buy doesn’t help them accomplish what they want it to and the need they have for your type of product/service. Then you can explain how your product/service can alleviate that pain and best fill that need.
How can you establish a high level of confidence in your price? One of the best ways is by having a full sales pipeline. This means that you have prospects and customers at each phase of your sales process so you don’t have to worry about closing every sale. Your assurance comes in knowing that you’re making the right decision by not discounting because you “have” to.
To overcome this problem, salespeople need to understand, in real terms, the buyer’s perspective of how they can benefit from the product/service. For example, if I’m going to take a trip and my destination is 1,000 miles away, I have several options as to how I can get there. I could hitchhike, which would cost me virtually nothing, but wouldn’t guarantee when I’d arrive. I could drive my car, keeping my immediate costs to only the gasoline (assuming the car does not break down), but my travel time could take several days. Or, I could fly, which would probably have the highest immediate cost, but would, undoubtedly, be the fastest.
Because your goal in selling should be to help ensure the success of your customers, you can see from this example that the cheapest approach is not reliable, nor would it save time. In addition, most people wouldn’t want to take several days to drive to and from the destination. Therefore, because of the time it will save, the best option is to fly, even though it’s probably the most expensive. Since time is of the essence in many industries, its value is worth the extra money. Keeping that in mind, cutting the price is clearly not the most beneficial or efficient. Besides being unable to confidently communicate their price, another common reason salespeople give in when challenged is because they believe the misconception that by offering a discount on the initial order, they can make it up on the next one.
Think of it from the following perspective: Would you believe a promise from your boss that if he/she were to hold back your next raise for a year, it would be made up to you later? We often kid ourselves into believing that we can get the higher price out of the customer on the next order. Finally, when a customer requests a discounted price, it is important to remember that giving one is an immediate reduction to your total profit.
Maintaining pricing integrity is a challenge. It starts by being self-assured and it extends not only to the service you deliver, but also to the expectations of the customer. Don’t entertain their requests for a discount. Be confident in both your price and the product/service you offer. Ensure that your sales pipeline is full by spending adequate time developing it at all phases of your sales process. Consider how your product/service can help ensure the future success of your customers. Don’t believe the lie that you can make up your initial price cut on the next order. Without confidence in your price, you can say good-bye to your profits.
Price cutting is for sissies!
About the author
Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, is a consultative selling expert committed to helping individuals and companies identify better prospects, close more sales, and profitably build more long-term customer relationships. He is also author of “High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price.”