Systems News - Used Office Furniture

Link: http://systemsnews.com/newsletter/2008/Nltr02-25-08.pdf

What Type of Customers Are You Facing?

There are often three types of customer that you will have to deal with. Each has a different interest in the product and may be interested in the product at different times in the sales lifecycle. Depending on the sale, they may all be roles played by one person or may be separate people. Generally speaking, the bigger the sale and the bigger the company, the more likely it is that these are separate people.

Lets look at The Financier

This is the person who holds the strings to the purse. They give the go ahead to purchase the product and effectively sign the purchase order. They are interested in the product early on to make sure they company is not dreaming of too expensive equipment. Mostly, however, they are involved at the purchase decision stage., They may well have a lead role in the negotiations. Their main concern is cost, so don't try telling them how great the product is. The tools of the financier are the offers and price lists of competitors along with independent comparative studies which show ‘best value’. Sell to the financier by showing how low your costs are compared with the opposition. If the product cost is high, show how the cost of ownership is low over the whole life of the product. You should also, of course, how buying your product will save them money and increase their profits. Break even time on the purchase is another good metric to use.