An overstatement, you say? Well, maybe, and maybe not. Those who predict that nearly everything except groceries and your dry cleaning will soon be available on the Internet are gaining adherents rapidly. Professional seminar leaders recognize that customer service, one of the hottest topics desired by corporate training departments, is about dealing with the reality that customers want more than just a good price. Whether you sell products or professional services, learn how to avoid the commodity selling approach of beating the other guy’s price, or instantly giving in to price pressures. Points to keep in mind, according to Salesmanship, a newsletter published by The Dartnell Corporation, Chicago, (800) 621-5463:

• Resistance is natural. It’s the buyer’s job, after all, to get the best overall deal they can. Address objections rather than being shaken by them.
   
• Price is only one factor in a buying decision. Smart buyers consider other factors as well, such as product quality, service, your relationship with them, etc.
   
• Sell value. Good buyers want value more than they want a low price. The best discussion we’ve seen on how to sell value in services is Million Dollar Consulting, by Alan Weiss, McGraw Hill 1992.
  
• Avoid debate on the competition. Speak positively about your product’s benefits, not the drawbacks of the competition. Your objective is to create in the mind of the buyer a vision of how their condition will be better when they buy from you, end of story.