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Jumping Off the Bandwagon 

Phew! Boy, are things getting pricey. If we don't feel it, at least we've noticed it. Food is more expensive because delivering the food has become really expensive because gas prices are insanely inflated because we're heading into summer so that fear of scarcity is being amped up and . . . well, it's pretty darn complicated, isn't it? My point, things are expensive.

And yet, we're not being asked to conserve or pull in the reigns on spending, tighten our belts so to speak. We're being told it's our patriotic duty to engage in this economy by buying more, more, more. And people are spending, true, but much more conservatively than in times of plenty. Price comparisons, coupons, internet deals, et cetera, are all culminating in sales professionals getting pinched. And as a former sales professional and trainer of sales professionals, I feel it. Most fortunately, for me and for the sales professionals I work with, our products and services are geared toward an affluent clientle and the affluent are not necessarily feeling the pinch like the non-affluent. Because of this, there is absolutely no need to gear our message toward the bargain shoppers.

Our message as we persuade and influence our affluent prospects and clients indeed must not be in the same universe as 'discount' or 'price comparisons'. It must be our intention to set the frame immediately that these concepts (no matter how thrifty our potential customers may be) are inferior, substandard, gauche, and bound to disappoint.

We must instead frame ourselves and our products and services as luxurious, practical, elite, superior, and maybe even throw in that patriotic bit with the stimulating the economy argument. We are working on this higher level and so must market the experience of luxury by attaching that feeling with their highest criteria. If our prospect is an "away from" orientation, we can appeal to a fear of scarcity, but keep in mind that like attracts like and if we put out fear and scarcity, that's what we get back. Instead, by approaching money as the energy that it is, we can guide them to get into continuing to stay in the flow.

So how do we do this? We first of all maintain our premium prices while everyone else is slashing theirs. Do not engage in undermining yourself. We also must maintain the individuality of what we have to offer. As persuaders, we are incredibly unique in that we know exactly what our clients' hot buttons are and how to marry those triggers with our services.

Focusing on word of mouth and referrals as a result of the experience of working with us, is key. We have special knowledge as persuaders, and can most definitely deliver the emotional experience that people are craving in a business (or social or other) interaction. Keeping in mind that everyone, EVERYONE, rich, poor, in between, man, woman, child, EVERYONE wants to feel understood and everyone wants to feel special.

So it is my fervent hope that you will begin to understand that you are worth what you charge and once you believe it, your affluent clients will have no choice but to also fall in line.

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

Kenrick Cleveland teaches strategies to earn the business of wealthy prospects using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion strategies. This article is available as a unique content article with free reprint rights.

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