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Coping with the Hard Sell
Creators Syndicate
FIGHT BACK! BY DAVID HOROWITZ
Coping with the Hard Sell
We've all been the targets of a hard sell at one time or
another -- insurance, timeshares, home improvements, personal loans,
funeral plans. These are usually sold in people's homes where the
salesperson can take direct control of the pitch, from the initial
presentation to the final close.
Control is the key in this type of sale. If the salesperson
can maintain control of the situation from be- ginning to end, then
there is a very good chance he or she will make the sale. But if you
are aware of what's going on, then you can protect yourself against
investing in something you don't want or need.
The first thing to remember is that the salesperson is not
there in your home simply to provide you information. The whole
purpose is to get your signature on a contract on the first visit, not
to come back later when you've had a chance to think it over.
In-home sales give the salesperson several advantages. People
tend to be more relaxed at home. The salesperson is a "guest," and
most people will hesitate to argue with guests in their homes. The
salesperson reinforces this perception by acting like a guest, making
him or herself comfortable -- even asking for a cup of coffee. He or
she will usually suggest moving the discussion from the living room to
the dining room, where he or she can lay out the sales materials --
and also watch the buyer's reactions to play off of in the sales
pitch.
The next step is to overcome the buyer's objections to the
deal -- one by one. The entire pitch is scripted, with a prepared
answer to every specific objection the buyer might raise. Remember, he
or she can come up with answers faster than you can think up reasons
not to buy.
The critical moment comes when it's time to close the deal. By
this time, the salesperson has manipulated the discussion so that the
buyer has agreed to the deal point by point -- except for that one
last objection. If the buyer can't afford the package, the salesperson
will show him or her how signing the contract will save the money in
the long run. If the buyer wants time to think it over, other people
are waiting to take advantage of this offer, and he or she must act
fast -- tonight! If there's a worry about a long- term financial
commitment, the salesperson will offer the client an out -- some way
to break the contract at a later date -- which is often difficult or
impossible in practice.
When the last objection is overcome, it's a done deal. By
then, the buyer must either admit he or she was lying about being
interested all along or sign the contract. Most people sign.
How can you protect yourself? Break the salesperson's grip on
the situation. Create an opportunity to get away for a few moments by
yourself and think it over -- take a phone call from a relative or
make one to a friend. Stand up and walk around. That also breaks the
intensity and continuity of the salesperson's control.
Say that you want your attorney to review the contract, that
you want letters of referral from previous buyers and that you want to
check out the company with the Better Business Bureau or local
consumer protection agency (things you should do, anyway). Don't be
specific about your objections. Just say it doesn't "feel right" yet,
and you can't make such an important decision without more time to
consider it. And stick to that line -- all the way to the front door.
Finally, most states have laws that give you a specific time,
usually three days, to rescind any sales contract signed in your home.
Find out if your state has such a law. But even then, take your time.
The product may be something you want. Just be sure of that in your
own mind before you commit yourself to the deal. COPYRIGHT 1994
CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.
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