Could Your Prospect Relax With A Naked Price List?
In the old days I actually remember being ordered by my sales manager to go buy a briefcase. Cost me a fortune too. Even twenty years ago I knew they were the past.
Whatever vessel you use to carry your kit along to meetings, it’s not too old school to suggest that among the essentials (such as order forms and contracts) somewhere in there should reside a price list.
A chap deep inside purchasing confided in me the other day that he entertains. And when he does, he always asks the restaurant for a menu without prices on.
It turns out he has any of three reasons for doing so.
a) to ensure that people order what they want without any inhibition
b) to stop any possible disrespect from automatically ordering the most expensive items, or (where occasionally applicable!)
c) to slightly shroud the fact that the eaterie may not quite be of the calibre expected (no-one wants to be mis-labeled a cheapskate!)
Who cares if they genuinely order the most expensive or cheapest? Simply choose and eat.
(Although his favourite spot is the local curry house so perhaps breaking the bank is never quite an option…!)
Apparently it leads to a more relaxed environment.
Sadly he cites expensive restaurants in the West London des-res of Kensington as being the only places with such a device to hand. Although strangely one high street Italian chain also had (“Ask”, nr Gloucester Road tube).
He did mention though that with a bit of notice, management always seem happy to generate one on request.
This concept of a naked price list intrigues me.
It strikes me as pretty easy to create a price list sans prix.
Where would it apply?
Near the beginning of a deal, before any need is fully formed, prior to the true value being understood. It can be useful to introduce options.
Similarly at the other end. It could be a below-the-radar way to bring out the complete wants.
In either case, there may well be an obvious objection. Buyers loathe feeling the salesrep is hiding the price from them. ‘When are they going to give me the bad news?!’ You ought pick your forum wisely. In complex bids I used to talk in terms of a range of monetary numbers if pressed at a time I considered too early.
There’s several factors at play, naturally. Including the old adage that the real buyer never asks the price.
Still, for such a simple piece of collateral to produce, it could prove a winning tool to pull out your sales bag one day soon.