Corrupt Honesty

On a recent trip overseas I passed by a DVD shop that was clearly selling pirate products. I didn’t purchase any, but I did overhear a really interesting sales technique.

When a customer picked up a copy of “The Social Network” the store worker quickly told them that it was a “bad copy – filmed in a cinema”. When they queried other films they were told that most of their other choices were “good copies – A1”.

What did the customer walk out with? 15 DVDs including the Social Network and one other film they knew to be a “bad copy”. They chose to purchase these copies despite knowing they wouldn’t be high quality, such was their desire to see those films.

Without the honesty approach by the sales person, the exact same sale would have been made and the customer would have then gone home only to find their “bad copies” and have been disappointed.

As it was, the same product was sold, and yet because the expectations were appropriately set, a goodwill and a level of trust was almost definitely gained.

Please note: I do get the irony in talking about honesty as a sales technique in an industry where people are selling illegal goods – the point, I think, is still valid though.

Whatever you’re selling, be it a product, a service, yourself if you set the appropriate expectations by giving the purchaser all the information they need up front it’s much easier to avoid disappointment long term.

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments