The 5 Deadly Sins to Avoid when Selling Products at Your Events
There are people who sell more products at their events than I do. So, why should you listen to me? You have a very clear choice when you do seminars and events. You can adopt manipulative selling techniques to get people to buy. This is certainly ONE approach. It is NOT mine.
If you were looking for those, you’ve come to the wrong guy. There are others who will show you “tricks and techniques” to CON people to buy your products. I’m not one of them.
If you want to ethically get people to buy products at your events, here are 7 you must avoid if you want to sell lots of products and services at your event.
1. Going too Slow
If you deliver information really slow, people won’t buy your “stuff.” I THINK I know why, but that doesn’t matter. I just know that if you do it this way, it won’t work.
Does it really matter why? Not in my opinion!
The ONLY thing that really matters is whether or not they buy. AND, people who attend seminars and workshops are MUCH more apt to buy products when the seminar leader delivers information in a rapid fire way.
My suspicion is that they assess people who present this way as much more knowledgeable. And, being more knowledgeable, their materials must be of higher quality. If they are higher quality, then I should buy them says the attendee to him or herself.
2. Appearing Too Slick
You know the guy. He walks out on stage with a custom tailored suit. He has an expensive watch, Gucci loafers and inevitably a RED, power tie. He then speaks with a sliver tongue. He walks around the audience during his presentation and makes sure he touches (only briefly) the majority of folks somewhere on their upper body.
I know you KNOW this guy!
If you’ve been to enough seminars, you’ve seen him. I know at least 4 or 5 people who fall into this mode. I wouldn’t buy ANYTHING from ANY of them. Why? Because they are TOO polished. TOO slick. It doesn’t pass the smell test.
Judging a book by it’s cover? Perhaps. But the book “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell tells us that those split second impressions are often
accurate.
Don’t be this guy! His wardrobe is expensive and his sales tactics NO longer work for the intelligent people in the room. They are onto HIS act and they’ll be on to yours in no time. Be yourself. Don’t put on an act. Do that and you’ll have better numbers.
3. Selling ONLY products NOT Services
Some people love to buy products. I’m one of them. BUT, I’m not my audience. Many people prefer to buy products. This being the case, it is in YOUR best interest to offer both when you do your seminars and workshops.
Here’s what I do and I suggest you follow my lead.
I have a package of my products that I package specifically for a given event. I try and make sure the items I offer compliment the content of the seminar. If I have charged $1000 for the event, I try to price the products at about half that amount. That’s usually a good place to start. I MAY, depending on the “feel” of the group do some discounting, but that’s what the STATED price will be on my order sheet.
The stepped up package will include the products just described but then also include some group coaching. I will open this option of as many people who want to buy it. Since the coaching is done by phone, it doesn’t matter if there are 3 or 30 people on the call.
My most expensive option will be the products packaged with a one-on-one coaching package. I make this fairly expensive as my time is my most valuable resource. As it is YOURS. I also make it so that
the package is limited to under 10 people and that it includes my ability to record and sell the coaching sessions I do with these folks.
Make sure that ANY package you offer gives people the ability to buy both products and services. You’ll make more sales, at higher price points, if you do it that way.
4. Giving People Only ONE Option
Many presenters seem to think that the BEST way to sell products from the platform is to give your audience a single option. They will give you a spirited defense of this position claiming that offering more than one option will confuse people.
I do NOT agree!
This “take it or leave it” approach is one which is obviously is looking to FORCE a choice. I have seen some of the slippery presenters use this technique effectively, but I’ve never seen an ethical
presenter do it and have it work.
My suggestion is to give people choices, but keep the options limited to a maximum of three choices and preferably two.
Giving people more than three choices will be extremely confusing and generally result in people choosing to do nothing at all.
My suggestion is to give people a choice of two or three options. Keep them simple and easy to understand.
5. Doing an Infomercial
Have you ever been at an event where the person up in front of the room finished his or her presentation and you THOUGHT they had delivered content? On closer inspection, when you consulted your
notes, you found that they had given you nothing but FLUFF!
I am sad to say that I’ve not only see this happen at other people’s events, I’ve had people present at my events who did just that. I didn’t invite them back, but I’ve been DUPED myself!
This is a very slick way to operate but it doesn’t best serve your audience. It’s about making the quick sale. Don’t do it and don’t invite people who use this “system” to speak at your event.
I know of at least two well known, high profile seminar speakers who both use an teach this approach. People who go to seminars are getting smarter. They are catching onto this act. It’s not working as well, if at all.
When you deliver high quality information, people WILL buy other things that you offer if it sensible for them to buy and timing is right. You won’t be able to close everyone every time, but you will do a LOT better LONG TERM by delivering REAL value before pitching your products and services.
Conclusion:
Don’t fall for the slimy tactics that used to work for selling products. They are quickly fading as a successful sales approach. If you’ve got great stuff, sell it with the zeal of a BAPTIST preacher,
but be honest! Don’t B.S. people.
Avoid the mistakes listed above and you’ll be on your way to selling more products and services over an extended period of time. The day of the SNAKE OIL SALESMAN in the seminar industry is ending.
His approach may have worked a few years back, but that approach is fading . . . FAST.