Selling The Sizzle And Not The Steak

I’ve been in sales for 35 years. Most of that time I worked as an advertising consultant for the Yellow Pages beginning with Mountain Bell in the eighties. I went to a plethora of sales meetings and seminars and was privy to advice from top sales people throughout the company. Although I had to sift through all that input, I tried to boil it down to a few basic principles that I can now pass on to the next generation of sales people. It begins with this simple premise. When you are out in front of the customer, you are trying to do one thing: sell the sizzle and not the steak. Let me explain.

Whether it’s shoes, plumbing contracts, or life insurance, you must appeal to the emotional rational of your customer. Therefore, when you tell the person that the shoes are priced low or will last a long time, it is relatively meaningless. On the other hand, if you describe the feeling of comfort they provide throughout the long business day and how admired you might be for having fine Italian leather on your foot, you’ve now got their attention. Describing the benefits of ownership is the way to seal the deal. Describing the product is not.

People love to imagine. That’s why advertisers on TV display cars in fantastic situations. They are not supposed to be real but rather they transport the driver into another world. The act of driving a car is far too bland. Taking it on an adventure is the goal and the dream. Let’s get back to our examples. The plumbing contract that offers a year-round protection of the pipes from leaks assures peace of mind. So allowing the buyer to picture a water-filled house if they fail to buy the contract is a strong negative. Then, showing how that same house could be clear of any potential moisture damage for the coming year is far better than harping on the inexpensive payments and credentials of the business.

The insurance salesman can do far more to advance his cause than just using charts and graphs of different age groups and the risks involved. Rather, he should paint of picture of family security and the benefits to the surviving members by having financial planning in a time of need. Mentioning the children’s college expenses and a safe home environment is a superior method to describe the affects of adequate insurance when compared to looking at pages and pages of amendments.

By now, you get the message. When I was selling Yellow Page advertising, I ignored the ad size and placement and focused on how much the business could grow by reaching a target audience. I also told the advertiser to zero in on how the consumer could benefit from the product or service. I explained how they should show a happy outcome after using the things they were offering, rather than a typical description. I was selling the sizzle. I was recreating the delectable aroma and the savory juices rather than the brown, lifeless piece of meat. Instead, I was appealing to the senses and the emotions. That’s the fine art of selling and so, how does that taste? By the way, if you would like to learn more about how I sold over 25 years with the Yellow Pages, you can buy a book of my years in consulting. Go to www.poweradbook.com and see the link to amazon.com where it is sold.

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He has authored 6 books and a novel, "Pursuit of the Phoenix." His latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages" which can be seen at his website, www.poweradbook.com Currently, he is the Marketing Director for www.thenurseschoice.com a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.

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