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Comparing with the competition

by socialentry
5 replies
Hey there,

I sell cell phones in telemarketing. I have good quality/price, but I do know there are companies that can lowball us on price.

One of the really common stall I get is "I need to shop around." or "I need to call my provider to negotiate, I've been wtih them 18 years"

So far, I usually don't mention other plans. I tell them it's the best that they'll have (which is true with the features that they get) and then I just sell them that I'm a trustworthy individual.

It works OK if the client trusts me and hasn't been looking around but not so well if the client HAS been shopping around so I was thinking maybe of changing it to something like.

"I have all my competitors' plan in front of me right now, this is the cheapest rate on the market right now with XYZ competitor. Do you think they'll take away features if you get it at that price? That's right. You get 1/6th of the internet/You don't get internet (insert disadvantage here) I've had clients double their phone bills with those "cheap" plans and don't even get me started on long distance"

Is there a better way to phrase it or should that work?

Thanks
#comparing #competition
  • Profile picture of the author isaacsmithjones
    Originally Posted by socialentry View Post

    Hey there,

    I sell cell phones in telemarketing. Basically the same thing you'll see in retail.
    I have good quality/price, but I do know there are companies that can lowball us on price.

    One of the really common stall I get is "I need to shop around." or "I need to call my provider to negotiate, I've been wtih them 18 years"

    So far, I usually don't mention other plans. I tell them it's the best that they'll have (which is true with the features that they get) and then I just sell them that I'm a trustworthy individual.

    It works OK if the client trusts me and hasn't been looking around but not so well if the client HAS been shopping around so I was thinking maybe of changing it to something like.

    "I have all my competitors' plan in front of me right now, this is the cheapest rate on the market right now with XYZ competitor. Do you think they'll take away features if you get it at that price? That's right. You get 1/6th of the internet/You don't get internet (insert disadvantage here) I've had clients double their phone bills with those "cheap" plans and don't even get me started on long distance"

    Is there a better way to phrase it or should that work?
    I wouldn't get into the specifics of what competitors are doing unless the prospect actually asks. Otherwise, you're just putting ideas in their head... The kind of ideas you don't want them to have.

    You need to make your package/product/service incomparable. Think of bonuses that you could give to the client. Specific bonuses. Such as special customer service: NOT in a vague way though.

    Something more like: "And in the rare case that there are any problems, I will make myself fully available to you, to make sure it gets sorted. No busy tones. No being put on hold. No being passed from one department to another. PLUS: When you're ready to upgrade, I've got your back. I will do the research, give you insider knowledge and pull strings to make sure you get the absolute best deal on the market to match your needs. NOBODY else will do this for you. I give you my personal guarantee..."

    Rather than making other people sound "worse", make yours sound "better".

    I had an RAC guy trying to sell me their services, and he kept mentioning AA, and how bad they are...

    I was thinking "Calm down, I didn't even ask". It's not very classy, but it could just be my personal opinion.

    But on the other hand, I did end up making a purchase lol.
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    • Profile picture of the author socialentry
      Originally Posted by isaacsmithjones View Post

      I had an RAC guy trying to sell me their services, and he kept mentioning AA, and how bad they are...

      I was thinking "Calm down, I didn't even ask". It's not very classy, but it could just be my personal opinion.

      But on the other hand, I did end up making a purchase lol.
      I agree in general it's not classy to put down the competition.I usually mention the market in general.

      "Usually, you'll get it around X$ range"

      when they give me stalls, I just probe more and try to see what I missed during qualification. Then I re-pitch them with a bit harder meat this time.

      but some people just seem dead set on not buying on the first call. As if it was a point of honor or something.

      I thought maybe it would sound more credible if I mentioned specific examples?
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      • Profile picture of the author isaacsmithjones
        As I said, I'd wouldn't think it'd be a good idea to get too specific unless people ask.

        But I haven't tested it, so I can't really know that. So I would recommend that you test it and see.

        Part of the reason why I'd avoid it is because you're bringing 3rd parties into your sales situation, at least in the mind of the prospect. And it might just encourage them to go off and do some research.

        If you do say, "I give X benefit that you won't find with other suppliers"

        And the prospect says "But don't Y-supplier give that benefit?"

        Then fair enough... Explain why you do it better. But without them mentioning specific examples, or asking you for them, it's probably not such a good idea.

        But as I said, I haven't tested it. You might test it and prove me completely wrong.

        So I encourage you to try it out.
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Never mention a competitor when selling. If they ask, I just say "They are a good company, as far as I know"..and move on.

          Bashing a competitor is a very "beginner" technique. It almost never makes a sale.

          Bashing a competitor is bashing your industry. Do doctors tell you about how bad other doctors are? Never. And neither do top selling salespeople.

          You might say "Why do you think I decided to work here? I did my research. They treat their employees well, and their customers well".

          See? If you "did your research", it implies that they don't need to spend their time researching..because you already did.

          And "They treat their employees well, and their customers well"? Aren't your prospects... employees somewhere? Won't they identify with that? And the fact that they treat employees and customers well...doesn't that just feel good to hear?

          And it doesn't sound like you're really selling. You can drop it in, at any time in the sales process.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    "Is price the ONLY thing you'll be looking at?"
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