Selling comes in all forms. Some people sell lawn mowers while some people sell the production process in which the lawn mower is even made. It is often neglected that selling doesn’t always include selling a product. Selling sometimes involves selling an idea or movement. This blog will look to understand the differences and the different strategies that are employed when selling products versus ideas. It’s important to recognize differences in each in order to truly employ the best strategies.
Selling an idea provides its own challenges that are not necessarily faced with selling a product. Some of the main differences include selling a product requires a description of product functions. The sales process is much more tangible. This makes the selling process more difficult because understanding of product characteristics is more tangible. Selling ideas forces more attention to creativity and visualization of what you’re selling. Selling a product also is different in a sense that physical products have stores to sell them. While selling ideas don’t necessarily take place in the same fashion that products do. This makes it more difficult because retail locations allow people to feel and see the product, ideas and movements are left up to the salespeople.
Its important to recognize that products and ideas can actually be sold with the help of each other and are often utilized in unison. What do I mean by this? Often when ideas are sold, products are used to help bring to life those ideas. And when products are being sold, ideas are employed to help move the product and convince customers to buy it. What has been abundantly clear is that sales of ideas and products are not two separate entities but strategies that are most effectively employed together.
Without products and idea is just a figment of someone’s imagination. For example if a local resident is trying to sell the idea of building a new park in town he can try to explain the benefits but showing a model of the park. On the other hand if someone is trying to sell a toothbrush, ideas can be employed to help sell the product.
BoweryJE22
i COMPLETELY AGREE. Like most things selling indeed comes in multiple different forms. Knowing those different forms and identifying them can help you become a better salesperson. It is indeed hard to sell people on ideas but that is how growth happens. Overall great post and an interesting read.
I totally agree with you. When we are selling we are not just selling the item but we have to paint a picture as to why this is beneficiall to peoples lives. If you have a good story you can sell anything!
This is a fantastic topic. We sell the WHY not the WHAT. When we work for a company one day it is important to be passionate about what you are doing. If you do not like what you do you will not sell the IDEA you will sell the PRODUCT. This is cause for concern as this will ruin a business.
Great post Luke! The fact that selling an idea and product are intertwined is often overlooked. Selling a product without selling the idea is not the right way to approach sales.