Shelter Chieza Change management
It is not always easy to get people to believe or buy into in a new product no matter how great it is. This is the reason why most people or companies are reluctant to come up with new products and are more content with improving and updating existing products that already have a buy in. What makes it particularly hard is the manner in which you influence people’s perception and reality to gain support.
Changing an individual mindset is never easy, especially the old guard that is used to an easier way of doing things. For example the campaign towards achieving a paperless office that is being championed these days is not getting sufficient attention because many people are not convinced that you can eradicate paper completely from the office.
The ordinary person finds it very hard to envision something that is different from their current reality.
Recently, a local football club was reported to have launched a mobile application that provides information on club activities such as upcoming match fixtures, the current log standings, history, news and profiles for all the players.
Subscription is limited to access of player profiles. The club has even gone further to integrate major online payment platform to allow their fans to buy or pay for the subscription for $1. The application is financed by the adverts flashing at the bottom of the page. It’s easier for a company that sells irrigation equipment to introduce other farming equipment in their portfolio.
However, if they are to deviate and sell clothing and grocery, it will not be a walk in the park for them. It is difficult to launch a product with little internal support. One manager, who led the introduction of the Courier tablet at Microsoft, said they had to postpone the launch of the tablet because the product plans had been revealed to the media.
That leak cascaded and affected a lot of operations to the point of internal despondency such that the incumbent CEO had to adjust a number of things.
I often get restless with sales reps who stop me at shopping malls to offer a free demonstration of their vehicle sprays. Tiring as it may be to the prospective client, but demonstrating how a product works is one of the benefits of effective convincing.
It is difficult for people who have never experienced the benefits of a particular innovation to recognise its value. That is why a demonstration can have a far greater impact in terms of gaining support than data or studies showing why the innovation makes sense.
Or consider companies that sell cars. Have you ever considered why they ask someone to go for a test drive? It helps get your adrenalin pumping and that increases your appreciation of the car.
Test drives work on your psychology. When you sit behind the wheel, you instantly desire the car to be yours; it does not matter if it’s only for a few minutes. Did you know that possession is 90 percent of the sale? I often marvel at companies that simply introduce big products onto the market without much research. Pilot projects do not require major financial commitment and can garner support for the next big project. It is also a way of gaining support, once many have committed to the research or pilot project; it becomes difficult for them not to support the implementation that naturally follows from its success. I used to have major issues in convincing clients to buy our products until I learnt the art of convincing and the art of gaining support.
If you find yourself facing resistance in your sale, examine your approach. Maybe somehow, somewhere, you might have made a short cut in the process and ambushed the customer to the point they became resistant or reluctant to entertain you.
If you push harder after such a resistance, you will make it worse. When people feel threatened their natural instinct is to defend themselves.
When people feel that a sales person is trying to push, coerce, or convince them to buy, they will become defensive and less inclined to buy whatever product that they are being offered.
Preparation is key to the point of rehearsing it. Rehearsed pitches must be adopted to suit the situation. However, if you make short cuts and deliver a well-rehearsed pitch without taking the time to adapt that presentation, you will always encounter resistance and reluctance. What is important is to engage people in a conversation. It pays to develop a habit of asking high-value questions to determine the other person’s buying criteria, motives, needs and wants.
Gaining support may require putting up a sign at your shop. I once passed by a certain shop that showed that to date they had sold a particular product to 95 million customers since inception, it gives the person reading the notice assurances or confidence that this product has been available for a long time and customers’ duration instinct is immediately tapped into.
Till next week, may God richly bless you.
Shelter Chieza is an Advisor in management issues. She can be contacted at shelter.chieza@gmail.com