Do You Think Elimination Is a Legitimate Buyer Strategy?

I’ve heard it countless times: “Buyers go out looking to eliminate options.” Maybe. But maybe not.

At the start of the search process, a prospect can look for solutions anywhere – there is rarely a predetermined allegiance. The problem is that there are simply too many choices. Thus, elimination seems like a logical strategy.

But there is a conflict here, and I will share it with a quick anecdote.

Two years ago, my wife and I were looking to move, but we couldn’t find the right home in a market that was very tight on supply. We looked for new listings every single day, and we when we found one we liked we called our Realtor immediately to arrange a viewing.

In all those viewings we never – NEVER – went out with our Realtor thinking, “Man, I sure hope we hate this house. I can’t wait to cross if off the list.”  Elimination was never our pre-determined strategy. Quite the opposite – we went out hoping to fall in love.

What do we do with that? Is elimination a strategy, or is it not?

Yes, there is a need to eliminate, but that need only arises as a matter of comparison between viable choices. If I have already narrowed down my choices to products A, B, and C, a strategy of elimination makes sense.

It is important to note that I do not begin with the elimination strategy in mind. It is simply a convenient mental shortcut once I am deep within the process.

That being said, the objective of the salesperson during the sales presentation is to avoid future elimination. We must build such a compelling value argument that when it comes time for the prospect to pare down their choices we are not on the chopping block.

The elimination strategy is real, but it is not the first thought on the customer’s mind. Your job is to influence the customer with tremendous value, so that future elimination will be very, very difficult.