insight : luann nigara
5 Steps to Master the Art of the HighTicket Sale
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BY LUANN NIGARA
ou might have started your business for a variety of reasons—to be your own boss, your passion for your product or service, or to satisfy that entrepreneurial spirit. Whatever your motivation, all of us have one reason in common: to make a living and to make a good one at that. To achieve this, we all need to know how to master the high-ticket sale, attract the high-end client and increase our profitability.
Some people view sales as a science, some as an art. In truth, it is both. To be the best salesperson you can be, you must learn the basic skills. Yet, to elevate to that next level, you will need to get creative. The secret to the high-ticket sale is not unattainable. You simply perfect the average sale and add more value to the process you are already delivering. Read that again: Perfect the average sale and add more value to the process you are already delivering. Think on that. You can do it!
way that attracts the high-end client? Of course, you can slap together a website in half an hour, using pictures you snapped on your cellphone. You can post pictures of your lunch on social media or advertise 50% off sales, but if you do, ask yourself, are you going to be able to attract a high-end client with that effort?
The Importance of Building Trust
Instead, invest in something that creates a perceived higher value, that lets the high-end client know you are on their level. And the truth is, you probably are at their level. Expertise and skill-wise, you are a pro. The question is, when they learn about you and look into your company, will they get that message?
If there is something I know for sure about sales, it is that everything comes down to relationships. That means building trust, which starts before the client even meets you.
Whether we like it or not, the way our company looks implies our skill level. You cannot afford to lose clients before you even meet them.
People will make assumptions about your value, your expertise and your ability based on what they see. Here is another secret about high-end sales: The highend client wants to do business with people they perceive to be at or above their level. That means that you have to think about everything you put out into the world. Are you presenting your business in a
Creating the Value Perception Your website is often the first touchpoint between you and the client. If your website fails to impress, the luxury client will simply move on. They are not going to try to convince themselves to work with you. If they do not see the potential value from the get-go, they will not stick around. Make sure your website has a branded appearance that aligns with who you are and who you want to attract.
Your social media channels should also align with your brand. Everything should be cohesive in color, style, messaging and voice. Finally, think of any other visual aspects of your business—your showroom, your headshots, your advertisements. To truly create the perception of value, you need to make sure that everything a client sees is designed with professionalism (and I mean everything).
Luxury Experience from the First Contact The high-end client expects high-end customer service, and that begins long before a contract is issued. Think about your process for responding to inquiries. Can the client expect to speak with someone live on the phone? If not, are you returning messages promptly? Do you have a set system for moving the client into the initial appointment? The little touches in this process make all the difference. An easy-to-navigate online form, an automated appointment confirmation, a pre-appointment phone call from a live human being—all of these steps in the process should be established with the luxury client in mind. That is what the luxury client truly
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