Making the Sale in Shifting Markets

Perhaps the ultimate challenge for making the sale in 2023 will be successfully responding to volatile markets. What do we mean by this? Well, for many individuals and families, our world has changed dramatically; it’s less stable and more unpredictable than we might have imagined.

Over the past couple of years, consumers have responded to this lack of stability by also becoming less predictable. At once they can be impulsive and deliberate; prudent and reckless; extravagant and cheap; nostalgic and pragmatic; cynical and trusting; logical and emotional.

Such inconsistencies in attitudes and perceptions have made the buying process, whether for products or services, very different from what it was just a few years ago. These conflicting mindsets have turned the design and furnishing markets into virtual quicksand and made the selling process more confusing and complicated.

Taking as a given that emotional appeals are often the key to making the sale (as most marketing experts agree), we can’t help but ask: How is that possible when today’s consumer of luxury furnishings seems to be riding an emotional roller coaster?

Successful Selling Requires Creativity

Solving problems for your clients has always been the foundation of successful selling. Yet, hitting a moving target (as in your target audience) requires creative problem-solving, with ingenious strategies for resolving your client’s and prospect’s pain points. But those keep changing too!

Ultimately, you must be the rational influence in your client’s lives, divining their needs and offering the types of creative solutions for which you’ve been trained. Doing this will require almost infinite patience and a very personal experience that will make their lives better on both a practical and emotional level.

It has never been more true that there is no one-size-fits-all (or even most) approach to making the sale in today’s shifting markets. “If you want to stand out in the market, you must personalize customer and prospect interactions … According to research by Instapage, more than 60% of consumers are annoyed by generic advertising messages, and 80% prefer doing business with companies that provide a personalized experience.” (Business.com)

In short, your sales pitch must be solution-focused, value-driven, and creatively tailored to the needs of each client.

If that isn’t enough to make you view the new year with a jaundiced eye, stay tuned to this blog for more from the experts that will ensure making the sale will be even more challenging in 2023. Fear not, however, for our guide and mentor, Ted Fall, remains available for business consulting to the trade. Feel free to… Get in touch with TD Fall today.