Why you should NEVER disparage your competition
In the course of selling your product or service, your prospects and customers are likely to mention similar products on the market, or ask you questions about why they should purchase from you over your competitors. In this critical moment, you have a choice to make, and all to often I have seen salesmen make the wrong one. It can be tempting to take the opportunity to say ugly things about your competitors in order to make your product seem more appealing, but don't take the bait.
Let's use an example we can all relate to, a car. If you're in the business of selling cars, you would not want to insult the car that your potential customer drove to your car lot. In fact, doing the very opposite is a great way to start. Complimenting their vehicle ingratiates you to the prospect and you have also subtly given them positive feedback for the very act of buying a car in the first place, something you hope they will do again today. If while showing the prospect around your selection of vehicles, they ask you about the features of one of your competitors cars, rather than launching in to a diatribe about what is wrong with the other cars, a better tactic would be to say something like, "Yes, X car is a perfectly fine car, however our sales team provides you with service that extends beyond the day of the sale and our service department is here to handle all of your regular maintenance needs." In that example, you haven't put your competition down, but rather simply lifted yourself up.
If you are a good salesman, you will be capable of extolling the virtues of your own product or service without having to tear down the qualities of your competitors. The atmosphere that is created when a salesman engages in putting down their competition is one filled with negativity and tension, the exact sort of feelings we don't want associated with the act of selling in the first place. When you are able to present your product or service with integrity and confidence, there is no need to disparage your competition and you find that selling in this way is actually far more lucrative in the end. Take the high road, there's more money up there.
If you're looking for a new way to present your product or service, or simply feeling that you could benefit from some help sharpening your existing pitch, consider scheduling your FREE introductory meeting today.
~Kat Jack
