Thinking about my experience buying a suit has made me think of other sales techniques to use the ‘ego extension’ tool to make people have a sense of ownership over what they are about to buy.
This thinking failure can be used any time the sales process engages peoples’ sense that they already own the product. Whenever they start to make decisions about the product / service and what it will ultimately look, feel and be like, then the sale is much closer to being made.
For example, this technique is used when you go to buy a car and, rather than discuss the price, they ask you what ‘extras’ you want in the car. This involves you deciding what features your car is going to have and the eventual price you are going to pay is eventually dependent on it.
It is also used by good salespeople when you are looking at a house. They should , if they are good, ask questions / posit scenarios where you start to imagine you are already living in the house.
The greater the emotional sense of ownership that is induced by the sales process, then the greater the likelihood that the potential client will become an actual client.
How do you let your customers customise your products or services? And if you do, are you asking them to change their eventual product or are you asking them to change your product?
