Is Price an issue with your Prospect?

Had an interesting sales training a few hours ago.

A participant in my class insisted that price is the main issue in his industry and country (in this case, Singapore). In other word, he believes that everyone is competing on price and consumer is mainly looking at price.

He is entitled to his opinion, of course.

I always advise my students that price is never an issue in the selling process, unless you are selling a product or service that is not differentiable. It is the sales people that make an issue out of price.

2 challenges will arise if you think and believe that price is the main concern when you are selling.

1) You will not look for ways to differentiate yourself, since price is already the main subject.
2) You will not ask for more compensation if you are running your own business. You are afraid that you will lose on price.

I believe that it possible to differentiate ourselves, at least in most cases.

Some of you may remember in the 1970s in Singapore, bread were generally bread. Everyone seems to be eating the same kind of bread. While some bakery attempt to put their brand name on the packaging, non were able to stand out from the crowd.

Then, in the late 70s, a company called Gardenia was started. The rest was history.

While I do not know the founders of this great company, I believe they never tell themselves that consumers were buying based on price and the only way to get them to buy (or buy more) is to reduce price.


A friend of mine owns a car rental company. Her cars are mostly quite unique and her target customers are wedding couples.

Recently she approached some bridal shops to explore possible collaboration. In one shop, the owner told her that her cars were great! Many of his customers will love to rent them. Ironically in another shop within the same street, the owner told her that no one would like such cars.

She asked me why 2 companies in the same industry in the same location could have a totally different view on the business. My answer was simple: It all boils down to belief system.


Whether you believe that price is or is not an issue in your industry, you are right.

teck beng
www.coachme2sell.com