Price is probably this single most common objection your clients and prospects have. But you’re not selling bricks and sticks. You’re providing and creating value. And, you make every effort to move them away from price as their primary focus.
As a seasoned salesperson, you expertly navigate the conversation back to benefits and value, right?
Inevitably, though, price will bubble back up to the surface--especially when it’s time to make selections. Of course, the selection process varies greatly from remodeler to remodeler. A design-build firm is going to have a completely different dynamic than a specialty exterior company.
But still, one thing remains: Selections are a great opportunity to upsell. Even if you’ve set an allowance, there may be certain products you’ll want to steer them to because of higher margins. For example, perhaps your crews can install Product X faster than Products Y and Z. This would lower labor and increase profit.
Whatever the reason, there may be certain products you would prefer the client choose, and you can use behavioral economic principles to increase the likelihood that your preferences are their choices as well. Here are four you may not have considered using in your pricing strategy.
Anchoring Anchoring is a cognitive bias that describes the common human tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information offered (the “anchor”) when making decisions. In other words, the first price sets the expectation for what is coming up. And, therefore, if the second price is significantly less, it could actually be perceived as a bargain.
So, how do you sell $2,000 kitchen faucet? Show them an $8,000 faucet first. Suddenly, $2k is a deal!
Normalization This past fall I had to renew my license. As I walked into the Department of Motor Vehicles, I immediately came to a line of people leading to a reception-type desk. So I stood in line. Fifteen minutes later, as I got to the second position, I finally saw the small sign on the counter. It read: Title Transfers.
Normalization is, at its core, the belief that if everyone does it, it must be the right choice. In your case, identifying a selection as “our most popular choice” is an example of normalizing. A stronger way is to include social proof, such as client ratings and testimonials.< Normalizing works because, as the saying goes, "a thousand people can’t be wrong.”
Talk ROI Nobody likes to spend money frivolously. So, showing a selection as an investment is a good way to convince clients that it’s the sensible choice.
For example, let’s say you find a real estate study that suggests homes with granite countertops sold an average of 87 days faster than those without. That’s a strong argument for the added expense. Zonda's annual Cost vs. Value report is an example of a good resource for this technique.
Contextual Pricing When people buy things, they make their decisions based on relative information, not absolute. Let’s say someone wants to find the best value choice for their money. Typically, they have no idea what is a good value unless you put it into context for them. You need to give them a selection of choices that they can compare to one another. You’ve seen this many times before: it’s the Good, Better, Best price table.
But here’s the thing about contextual pricing: You must place the selection you prefer to sell in the middle, or “better” position. Why? Because that’s the choice most people will make.
You see, clients will typically avoid the “Good” like the plague because no one wants to choose the lowest-quality item (the perception of this “lowest-tier” item). However, “Best” is generally avoided as well because it is perceived as the “luxury-top-tier.” They will feel they are being extravagant and overspending. This leaves the comfortable, sensible, middle-tier “Better” option. It’s like Baby Bear’s porridge--juuuuust right.
Please note that you must use three tiers for this to work right.Two options will land everyone in the lower level-one tier, and 4+ tiers lack the “sensible middle.”
What about you? Do you use any of these techniques? There are a number of other behavioral economic principles that can influence your clients selections. Do you use any of the ones I didn’t mention here? Please share your stories in the comments below!
