How to Pitch Your Unusual Product or Service

eCommerce
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When it comes to promoting (and eventually selling) your product or service, you must understand that you need a story in order to establish a human connection. If the product and/or service that you are trying to sell is unusual or complex, you will really need to have an approach that is buttoned down.

 Taking the right approach

Unfortunately, when it comes to selling your products and/or services, if what you are selling is unusual, you will need to establish a connection with your potential or existing client that compels that person to buy from you. In short, you need to make the person feel that he or she can’t live without that particular product or service. You may be wondering how you go about accomplishing that. The answer is that you have to share a story that reaches the person on an emotional/human level. You need to communicate with he or she in a way that makes them relate to what you are saying and what you yourself have experienced. It is a matter of building a foundation with your prospective and existing clients.

One essential fact that you should always bear in mind is that the information that you share with your clients will not be remembered unless you have a hook that doesn’t allow them to forget it. Unfortunately, humans have only so much capacity to retain information. You want to make sure that yours is at the top of the list (top of mind). It has been shown that the most effective approach is to make three or four clear, concise points (and bullet points work very well). However, not all content can be squeezed into a few bullet points. So, what do you do if that is impossible to achieve?

  • Crafting the most effective story possible: When it comes to your unusual product, it is important to understand not only that you need a compelling story but that you need  a story that will touch the other person in a profound way. Your story will lay the foundation and the other person will draw his or her own conclusion from that. Remember never to deliver the “hard sell” to the other person. There is probably no person on earth who wants you to “sell” him or her on anything at all. You don’t necessarily have to make it obvious that you are presenting a story. You are merely speaking with the other person on an emotional level. One human to another human. It is critical that you make the other person understand that you have had that particular experience and that you have felt those particular feelings. Additionally, you need to make it clear that you have the ability to solve the other person’s problems. You should be driven by the concept of WIIFM (What’s In It For Me?). No matter how amazing you and your business happen to be, all that is important is that the other person wants and needs are satisfied by you. If you have an unusual product and/or service, your story may be more complex than it would be if you had a simpler product and/or service.

  • The decision-making process: When it comes to your client actually getting to the point of making the decision, there are some concepts that may come to mind.

    • The decision may or may not be the right one but the person’s instincts say that it feels right.

    • The decision feels right in the person’s gut but his or her head says that it may not be the right one.

In that case, you may wonder which of those two scenarios the client will choose. The answer is not always simple. Both of those may apply at different times and under different circumstances. If your story is effective enough, you will get more positive results. If you present a story that truly fits the uniqueness of your product and/or service, your client will be able to relate to it in a deep way. If that person can relate to it, he or she may be able to empathize to the point of wanting to buy what you are selling.

Conclusion

The truth of the matter is that selling even the simplest of products and/or services can be a daunting task and one that requires a great deal of effort and some good luck. If you have an unusual product and/or service to sell, you may find it even more challenging. Of course, there are many factors involved in successful selling and one of those factors is whether the client has a strong sense of what he or she wants or needs. You should remember to drive the point home to the client that the benefits of your unusual product and/or service far outweigh the disadvantages. With the right strategy in place, you will hopefully accomplish what you set out to do and bring your business to the next level.

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Author

  • Carolyn Cohn

    Carolyn Cohn is the Co-Founder & Chief Creative Services of CompuKol Communications. Carolyn manages CompuKol’s creative and editorial department, which consists of writers and editors. Her weekly blogs are syndicated globally. She has decades of editorial experience in online editing, and editing books, journal articles, abstracts, and promotional and educational materials. Carolyn earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo.

5 Responses

  1. Jeff Futrell says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Small Business & Independent Consultant Network
    Discussion: What Angle Do You Use to Promote Your Unusual Product or Service?

    I’m with you 100%! Our unique financial group offers several proprietary solutions “that sound too good to be true” (of course they are not) but sometimes it’s hard to get someone that could benefit by what we do to see that!
    By Jeff Futrell

  2. blogging tips says:

    Hi Carolyn,

    People should keep in mind more often, how they would act in real life before acting in social media.

  3. Bernie Otis says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Succeed: Small Business Network, Powered by Staples
    Discussion: What Angle Do You Use to Promote Your Unusual Product or Service?

    Your comments are always very on target. I do however take issue with you when you say that selling is a daunting task. I find it to be the most exciting and interesting simple process.

    You do not have to know anything about computers to sell them. Nor do you require a PHD to sell simple or complex products—-All you have to know is how to locate the person(s) who make the decisions to purchase the product(s) or service(s)you sell, listen to their needs and develop a trusting relationship with them.

    Our job as revenue generators (that’s is what we do) is to lead the client to water and make them thirsty—not to sell them something.
    By Bernie Otis

  4. Dr. Brian Monger says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Dr Brian’s Marketing Network – Magical Marketing Ideas for Top Marketers
    Discussion: What Angle Do You Use to Promote Your Unusual Product or Service?

    Focus on the Benefits. Know that all Products are (from the important perspective of the consumer) What They Will Do For Them. Thus you are providing a Service (with some tangibles to carry that service/benefits to them.
    By Dr. Brian Monger

  5. Frederick Held says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Dr Brian’s Marketing Network – Magical Marketing Ideas for Top Marketers
    Discussion: What Angle Do You Use to Promote Your Unusual Product or Service?

    The hardest unusual products or services to sell are those that satisfy in a big way latent needs. A letent need for this discussion is one where the buyer does not know they have this need and may take some time before they realize they have this need. Examples in the past:
    Twx to Fax to Email to Chat
    Thomas book of maps to GPS navigation systems
    Chat rooms to social media Chat room have been around since 1995.
    soap to body wash for men
    It takes a compelling campaign to get the early adopters to really turn on.
    By Frederick Held