When selling in a recession the first priority is to keep existing clients. But often the top reason customers leave salespeople is misunderstood. Marketing Sherpa recently conducted a poll asking both customers and vendors why customers leave vendors. The top answer of these two groups did not agree.
Overwhelmingly, vendors (on the selling side) thought that price was the main reason clients left them but customers ranked price a distant second to service.
Too often salespeople do not get the full story. Once a client decides to end a relationship with a salesperson the fastest way out is to play the "low price card." From the buyer's point of view, think about the time wasting activity that often results when they announce they are leaving; the salesperson's boss might try to meet with the buyer's boss, a bold new proposal is made that requires time consuming review, a ton of extra attention gets paid that requires reaction time to deflect. For the buyer, it might not be worth spending the time on a relationship that is ending. The quick way out is to play the price card.
While selling in a recession notch your customers service up. It will be worth the investment.
Read more on the Marketing Sherpa survey
http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=30719&?=9750#
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