You've all heard these phrases: "I only need a small basic sound system." "The band is only playing three songs." "It's only an acoustic act." "It's only a small club." "It's a very important show, but it's only for 100 people." The word "only" when used by a client inquiring about a sound system is usually a code word to let you know that they "only" have limited funds to spend on audio. They mistakenly think that by downplaying the importance of the audio portion of their event, we, the vendor, will give them an inexpensive system. This is a trap that every vendor should learn to avoid. Treat the client the same way that a real estate agent treats his or her clients. Talk to the client and determine exactly what they might need and start by showing them your smaller systems while explaining the system's limitations in regard to the event they are planning. Then proceed to show the client how, for only a few dollars more, they can take the next step up into a true state-of-the-art system. This is a technique employed by salespersons all over the world, regardless of what is being sold: real estate, computers, televisions, automobiles, appliances, the list goes on forever. As knowledgeable and as shrewd as we might be, we all fall prey to this ruse at one time or another because we all want the best bang for our dollar. Fear is the deciding factor in upping the price of the sale and can be the trump card while discussing the price and quality of the sound system a client may need. Timing is also important, especially when introducing fear as part of the negotiations. Similar to a comedian's delivery of a joke, fear should be delivered with the proper set-up and timing.
Car salesmen are extremely well versed in the fear tactic as a sales technique and employ this course to upgrade a sale even after the deal is made. I bought a car, and after much deliberation, decided upon a package I liked and could afford. The salesman was good, and I didn't feel he was pushing me into anything I didn't need or want, but as soon as I sat down to sign the deal, they sent in their closer, who proceeded to scare me into buying all sorts of undercoating, security systems and insurance that I never knew I wanted or needed. Their success in selling me things I would never use rested upon their timing–after all, I did require insurance that all the money I had just spent would not be wasted. What they sold me was peace of mind in product form.
Don't be negative or too anxious to sell one item or another, and try to be knowledgeable about the equipment you are selling. Remember that your clients are not necessarily stupid and will be able to sense if you have an agenda. For example, a few years ago I saw a VCR deck advertised in the paper for a great price and decided to buy it for my mother as a gift. I was familiar with the deck, as I owned the same one and it had performed well for me without any problems. It was a basic VCR deck that recorded, played back and had a clock, the perfect gift for my mother, whose gadget aptitude is on the low side. I walked into the store, approached a salesman and told him what I wanted. He immediately told me that I did not want the deck I specified–what I wanted was another deck for only a few dollars more. I asked him why and he told me that I would be getting more options with the "better" deck. I told him I did not want more options, and finally, as a last resort, he told me that the deck was better because it had three heads instead of two. I asked him why three heads were better than two heads, and all he could tell me was three heads are better than two. "More is better" as a sales tactic is a great ploy, but it is best to be able to back up that claim with some real insight as to why it is better, otherwise one starts to sound like a con man selling swampland. "I know it's a swamp, but look at how many acres you're getting for the price you're paying."
The difference between sound system sales (i.e. rental) and real estate or car sales, other than being a short-term investment, is that the real estate agent is not going to be moving in with the client and the car salesman will not be driving the client around in the car they purchase. We, on the other hand, will often find ourselves setting up and operating many of the systems we sell, and therefore, we do not like to be out in the line of fire unarmed or unprotected. My criteria in regard to how hard I negotiate to enhance a sale is based upon whether or not I will be sending a technician with the system. After all, once the technician is on the job, the client doesn't remember any bit of the conversation they had with me. All they know is that there is a technician and it better sound good. To sell this bigger system, I usually imply fear by reminding them how important their show is and how I can guarantee its success if they use the suggested system, but I cannot make any such guarantee if they choose not to take my advice. People like a guarantee, as it makes them feel safe.
Many prospective clients like to know how many watts a system might be, regardless of whether or not they know what that might mean. All they know is that their stereo system gets pretty loud and it says on the back of the amplifier that it is a 100-watt system. They don't know if that means it is 100 watts continuous or peak, at eight Ohms or four Ohms, stereo, bridged or mono. All they know is that if you are selling them a 1,000-watt system, it must be 10 times louder than the 100-watt system with which they are comparing it. While it is good to bandy about a bit of knowledge, under no circumstance should you try to explain Ohm's law to these clients, since all they want to know is how loud the system will get. As a matter of fact, it would probably be less confusing to tell them that the thousand-watt system gets 10 times louder than a hundred-watt light bulb rather than trying to explain impedance and resistance.
That said, be careful not to underestimate your clients' intelligence, as no one appreciates being hustled. For example, it is perfectly all right to try to upgrade them to a better and more expensive piece of gear, but it's also a good idea to have a decent explanation for doing so. The client needs to know that you are educated in your trade, and even though new and bigger is better, they will see through the tactic for what it is if, for example, you try to sell them an SPX2000 instead of an SPX1000 by telling them that the piece is twice as good. Being a good salesman is similar to being a good poker player–one has to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. While bluffing sometimes pays off, it is usually a losing situation for all involved.
