As businesses seek to widen their client base and establish loyal customers, a wide variety of tactics are available to them (although not all common sales methods are effective or ethical).
For example, using fear as a tactic.
In her blog, Debbie LaChusa notes: “[Fear] tactics prey on the client. They do not serve the client. Yet, they’re marketed as being of total service to the client. Helping the client get out of their own way and push through fear so they can reach new levels of success. In my experience…these tactics are designed to get you to make a big financial and life decision when you’re in a vulnerable emotional state.” (https://www.debbielachusa.com/using-fear-as-a-sales-tactic/)
Pushing a client to make a decision in the moment (and not allowing them time to go away and think about it) may result in the quick sell of a product or service, but it leads to dissatisfaction later for the customer. In fact, these kinds of sales tactics place the seller and the customer at odds with each other when they could be working together. It makes sense when you consider the fact that manipulation by fear is a way to prey on the client instead of serving the client. And, let’s face it: few people willingly return to sales representatives who make them feel bad if they’re not ready to take action. It’s just bad business.
Of course, as Debbie LaChusa also points out, mindset issues can hold clients back. However, there are other solutions available to help push clients out of their comfort zone. For example, you can point out these issues and help a client work through them instead of using fear or manipulation to force them through it.
The benefits of avoiding fear tactics are obvious. If your service is really the right step for your client, your future customer will walk away thinking about it and questioning whether they should invest. And when they decide to commit to your service, they are likely to go into it ready and committed, because they know it’s the right decision. Not because they were pressured to say yes. And if they find your service or product effective and helpful, they’ll keep coming back for more because you have built trust.
Here at Affordable Bookkeeping and Payroll, we believe that a reputation as an honest and reliable company is the recipe for success. By being trustworthy, we believe we will continue to enjoy the long term benefits that come from serving the small business owners we partner with. Through hard work, attention to detail, mutual respect for others, solid business practice, and high ethical standards, we have grown steadily every year. And we hope the same for you and your businesses as well.
