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"THE ART OF SELLING"
ARTICLES: The Psychology of Selling Coffee© 2002 Stuart Daw The right psychological attitude you take with you when selling office coffee can be helpful in getting the response you wish from the prospect. He or she is only human after all, and in a largely subjective decision, such as which coffee to buy, it's good to get them on the right track. THE COFFEE IS FREE: One thing that has plagued the coffee service business since its inception is the tendency for operators to think of themselves as selling ground coffee by the pound or case. You see it all the time in the accusation leveled at competitors: "Those guys are just price cutters." In fact at the lowest, meanest price charged by a competitor, it's still a way too high as far as the coffee itself is concerned. Whether that price is $20 or $35 "per case," it is far more than the coffee itself costs at the local price club. It's the finished coffee in the cup that you are really selling, providing the customer with all he needs to prepare that perfect cup. The difference between the cost of the coffee and the price you charge a customer is embodied in that word "service," meaning the equipment and all the other elements that contribute to the cost of running any service business. So what should you say when a prospect asks, "How much is your coffee?" The right answer— "There is no charge for the coffee as such. It comes free of charge within a complete service for which of course there is a modest fee." MY COFFEE SERVICE IS WORTH MORE THAN YOUR MONEY: We've all heard the expression, "I want my money's worth." But in any business, the proper psychology is that you must convince the customer that he is getting more than his money's worth. After all, if all a buyer is getting is the value equivalent of his money, why would he part with it? He might as well keep it. So when he's going to buy something, he's actually looking to trade up to a higher value than that represented by his money. It is important that you portray what you are selling as a complete service, with all the elements that are worthy of that name, not the least of which is the quality of the coffee in the cup. Given the price of a coffee service, the difference between a good and a so-so cup is a matter of pennies. So take the high road. Sell the best and make sure you feel like that is what you are doing. Don't be embarrassed by your price. After all, specialty stores are now getting maybe over $100 per pound, if you must measure by the pound (a tablespoon-full of espresso at $2.00 times, say 60 cups to the pound, would be $120). And all they are doing that you are not is providing a seat in an expensive piece of downtown or suburban plaza real estate, along with other peripheral overhead. So sell with messianic fervor. "My coffee and service are the best, they are worth more than the price you pay and, by heaven, I will not be denied," should be your message.
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