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Every now and then we run an article from a guest author, and today we are delighted to re-print 'The Goop Guy' written by Robert Middleton, one of our colleagues and associates. While you read it, have a think about the principles involved and how they relate to your business and the way you do your marketing – then we'd love to hear your comments on our blog!
Happy reading (and learning!)
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Imagine sitting in the middle of a swanky shopping center, a male cosmetologist hovering over you, with goop slathered all over your face. Not a pretty picture. But that was me on Friday.
How in the world did I get into such a situation?
Well, it started innocently enough. I was in San Francisco for Mac-World and stopped by the upscale downtown mall to pick up a few shirts at Nordstrom's and find a Valentine's day gift for my wife.
As I was wandering aimlessly through the mall, I noticed a number of young girls handing out a sample drink of some sort. I was thirsty, so I grabbed a dixie cup of the elixer and gulped it down.
Before I could blink he was talking to me. I say "he" because I don't think I ever got his name. He was totally focused on me for the next half hour.
Have you heard of the goji berry? he asked innocently enough. Well, no I hadn't. Oh yes, it's one of the world's most powerful antioxidants, and the company he worked for, "The Secret of the Himalayas," was the purveyor of all things goji berry.
Before I could blink he was looking at my hands and commenting on how dry they were and asking what I used to moisturize them. Me, I'm a guy. We don't think about that kind of stuff. But before I knew it, I was rubbing my hands with an exotic product called Hunza Apricot Treatment.
It felt kind of like wet sand. I rubbed it in and then he rinsed my hands ever-so-delicately with a spray bottle. Next was Body Butter, a light moisturizer that smelled like coconut and apricot.
How did my hands feel now? he implored seductively.
Well, by this time I thought this was pretty nice stuff and would make a nice Valentine's gift for my wife. I was sold. OK, now let me outta here.
Not so quick!!
The Body Better was followed by the exotic Goji Peel, then another moisturizer and toner which he proceeded to rub into my wrist as he regaled me with the superior qualities of these sublimely divine body products.
OK, OK, enough already! I'll take the Apricot Treatment, the Body Butter and the Goji Peel. My wife would be happy and I could get back to MacWorld.
But wait, he was willing to give me the dispenser of special moisturizer for only $50 and throw in the toner for free. How could I possibly say no to that? I pulled out my credit card $240 of my new-found products were wrapped up and ready to go.
But just one more little thing.
He looked soulfully into my eyes and asked me what I was doing for those bags so strategically placed beneath them. Bags? I have bags under my eyes? Apparently so.
And before I knew it I was sitting on a stool being slathered with eye goop. By now I was having fun. This guy was such a consummate salesman I couldn't believe the path he was taking me down.
Here I am, a guy, considering goop to put under my eyes every day! When would it all end? Then I realized it. It would never end. As long as he had my attention he would continue to sell.
Then he showed me the prices. $175 for the eye rejuvenator and $275 for the collagen cream. Yeah, how on earth did we live before collagen? And don't forget the mask that was now spread over the right side of my face.
He gently wiped off everything with delicately moisturized cotton puffs and then had me look in the mirror. Did I notice the difference? Well, actually I did. My right eye was now definitely less baggier than my right one. Wow, this stuff works!
But at that price? You gotta be kidding me!
But suddenly I learned that, for a very limited time, and just for me, he could give me the first two products for a greatly reduced price and throw in the third for free.
Well, I finally got a hold of my senses and thought... There is no friggin' way I'll use this eye stuff for more than a few days, feel like an idiot and regret my purchase. My sanity took the upper hand and I told him firmly, thank you, but no.
An average salesperson would have moved on. But not Goop Guy. I think he used about five more closes (don't you care about your eyes? was the most heart-rending) before I took off.
Nevertheless, as I gathered my bags and walked away and down the escalator to freedom, I looked back and still saw him enticing me back to his parlor of lotions and potions, never really giving up until I was completely out of sight.
My only regret was that I hadn't pulled out my Flip Video and recorded him in action. It was in my pocket, but as I contemplated returning, I knew I probably wouldn't get away without buying that damn eye goop.
The Bottom Line: If most Independent Professionals had one tenth of the focus, persistence and charm of this guy, they'd be making ten times the income. No, you really don't have to manipulate, but certainly you'd know exactly what to say to make your services compelling and valuable. You'd have a great answer to every single question your prospects asked, and always have another way to move the sale forward, no matter what.
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©Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Please visit Robert's web site at www.actionplan.com for additional marketing articles and resources on marketing for professional service businesses.
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ISSN 1756-350X
Volume 3 Issue 3
10 March 2010
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