Entrepreneurial Selling

Is the 'Sales Killer' Demon Lurking in Your Copy?

Written by Jay Shapiro for Gaebler Ventures

You get customers right to the point of sale and for some reason they just don't click 'buy'. Why? It could be that you've got a Sales Killer Demon resident in your copy.

Why do people get right to the point of purchase and then put away their credit cards?

You know it happens, they're almost there, they even put the goods in the shopping cart, and then they have a change of heart. What's going on?

It might sound fanciful but it's likely you've got a mild case of possession going on. We're talking about the Sales Killer Demon. He's a nasty little character and you need to drive him out. Call in a priest, sprinkle holy water, throw a few incantations his way. Do it however you choose, but get him gone! He's frightening your clients away.

The Sales Killer Demon's biggest weapon is fear. Here's how he uses it.

He makes the client afraid of wasting money. We've all bought things that turned out to be a waste of money. The Sales Killer Demon knows this. He preys on the part of us that is still smarting from having thrown our treasured pocket money at fairground games that reaped no rewards.

He makes the client think they will be laughed at. Remember when you bought those X-ray glasses? C'mon, you know you did! You boasted to all your friends about how funny it would be to be able to see through people's clothes. When the glasses arrived they just made your eyes go funny. Everyone laughed at you. The Sales Killer Demon likes this. He whispers the words X-ray in your ear and you feel like you'll never buy anything again.

He makes the client feel they'll look stupid. When we've been 'done' by not too scrupulous salespeople in the past we feel ridiculous. We should have seen that coming. After all, in retrospect we know that those weight loss tablets probably wouldn't work. Even if we want to believe that a product is good, the Sales Killer Demon reminds us of the time we fell victim to a slick but bad apple salesperson.

See how the Sales Killer Demon works? Not good is it. Even worse is the fact that every one of your prospects is vulnerable to his evils.

So what sort of exorcism is needed to drive him out?

It's not easy but it can be done, and it doesn't have to end up like a scene out of the Omen either.

Fight fear with fear. If you display things the Sales Killer Demon is afraid of it has the same effect as a garlic crucifix to a vampire.

The Sales Killer Demon is afraid of the following seven things: In various mythologies the number seven is significant and it's relevant in this case too.

• Trustworthiness
• Truth
• Honesty
• Transparency of operation
• Credibility
• High-value content
• Common decency

All the content on your site and in any copy your produce must display the seven antidotes. Here's how:

• Include your picture on site
• Give verifiable addresses and contact numbers
• Use anti-hacker technology
• Make sure your FAQs give clear answers
• Post frequently
• Only promise what you can deliver

The Sales Killer Demon won't die quietly but you can kill him and you and your clients can live without fear.

Jay Shapiro is a freelance writer based in the UK. Jay has a particular interest in the emotive aspects of the entrepreneur's character. "Alongside the nuts and bolts of business, the character of the person is often the ingredient responsible for success."

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