Marketing Hard to Sell Products

Marketing Hard-to-sell Products 1

Introduction: Customers do not want to buy something just because the organization thinks it is

worth, they want to buy what they think is worth. We often see this scenario in the retail

business where after buying a car the dealer pushes you to buy an extended warranty plan.

Customers don't care what the organization thinks unless it's in line with what they think.

Huskins, P., writes that “Marketing is usually focused on sales to the customer/retailer. The

traditional trade marketing role is intended to own the shopper, but is usually the 'buck-stops-

here' point of contact” (p.30, 2011). To excel in marketing it is important to study the craft, and

master the art of serving your customers quickly and eloquently. Customers resist such pushy

marketing techniques today more than ever. But there exists certain products which the

customer may think he does not need but with constant education of the perils of not possessing

one may eventually change his mind. Health related equipments such as sugar level monitoring

and blood pressure monitoring products fall into such a category.

Uncertain Customer relationship during the Initial Stages: Companies present a certain

marketing plan to sell their goods and services but often the needs and demands of others are not

similar in nature and therefore make sales & distribution a very challenging process. Marketing

techniques which push a particular product or model or option without detailing its value often

results in the customer walking away from it. When marketing a product which is not an easy

sell, the marketing manager must divide this kind of customers into a different market segment.

Mullins, J. W., Walker, Jr., O. C., define market segmentation as "distinct subsets of people with

similar needs circumstances and characteristics that lead them to respond in a similar way to a

particular product or service offering" (p.17, 2010). The marketing personnel should be trained

to quickly recognize such customers and target them with a non-traditional marketing approach.


Lee, T., states that “companies that can accurately segment their customers based on their

behavioral characteristics will earn a better return on its marketing campaigns than competitors

that cannot” (p.51-61, para7, 2011). In today’s world, It is getting more difficult and expensive to

market products and services, (especially complex ones) using traditional advertising

approaches. In the absence of proper training to recognize such target customers, the result

would be dwindling sales and demoralized workforce.

Formulate Strategic Marketing programs and Ideas: In such cases where complex

products needs to be marketed, multi-step marketing can be promoted to both educate your target

audience and establish yourself as a trusted advisor. This trust is the foundation for any

meaningful communication between two people. Honor your customers trust by making their

best interest your first priority. You cannot sell anyone anything without this trust and rapport.

If they don't feel connected, and trusting of you, then they are all on their own in the buying

process, and you have no say in the matter. Allow your customer to lead early on in the phase

when they are explaining why they do not want to buy this product. Andrea V. Hernandez states

that such a technique, “gives you a profile of the customer. It gives you an idea what their needs

are and what their future needs will be” (p.1, 2007). Have them point to the product that makes

them feel good and ask them, what do you like about this one? Allow then to choose the product

that they feel good about, getting to know your customer and their taste, and uncovering their

real motivation. Rather then ask prospects to buy immediately, you want them to come back to

you after you put them through a sustained education process. The information you provide

shouldn't be a marketing pitch. Its purpose is to educate prospects about your product or service

and common problems to avoid. Guillermo D'Andrea, David Marcotte, & Gwen Dixon Morrison


state that a marketing department can “Turn your stores into centers of learning, where shoppers

can fill the gaps in their product knowledge” (vol. 88, 2010). Help the customer make an

informed purchase decision. Spear, K., agrees that “shoppers recalled seeing and interacting with

retail marketing, and then went on to increase their spend significantly after interacting” (p.25

2011). Establish yourself and the organization you represent as an expert in the field. Position

your team as a trusted advisor who can assist with making the right purchase decision. Follow

up leads in a systematic fashion with phone calls or mailings. Now you have moved beyond the

stage of talking to a prospecting customer to a live one.

Conclusion: Since the marketing process is broken into smaller chunks, and supplies the

customer with enough information at each stage, it makes it easy for them to proceed further. A

high hurdle has been converted into a series of smaller steps. Such a marketing technique

involves more perseverance than the traditional but when you consider that it can become your

entire lead-nurturing process, it's worth the effort. Many brands have made a big name for

themselves in the industry through constant perseverance. This sounds simplistic, but by this

point the right plan of action should be apparent. Such perseverance strategy should be

summarized in an active, concrete, specific and powerfully worded paragraph. A marketing

strategy is loaded with make-or-break implications as it guides your company's entire marketing

plan. From this summary, a marketing plan should be developed, or a marketing calendar, which

describes the critical path for each element of the strategy. Vicki Gerson in her article states that

“a marketing plan states what will be done, who will do it, when they will do it, why it will

be done, how it will be done” (p.38-44, para 6, 1998). Follow the plan. And at regular intervals

review it based on feedback. Continue to hone your plan, but look at it as a long-term


proposition.

References

Andrea V. Hernandez. (23 January). Got a good marketing plan?: A marketing plan will grow

your small business to a target audience. McClatchy - Tribune Business News,1.

Retrieved May 13, 2011, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 1199906461).

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?

did=1199906461&sid=2&Fmt=3&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Guillermo D'Andrea, David Marcotte, & Gwen Dixon Morrison. (2010, December). Let

Emerging Market Customers Be Your Teachers. Harvard Business Review, 88(12).

Retrieved May 13, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 2203285131).



Huskins, P.. (2011, February). Same story...so don't expect a different answer! Retail World,

64(3), 30. Retrieved May 13, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:

2311031861). http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?


Lee, T.. (2010). Head or Tail? An Integrative Analysis of Customer Value and Product Portfolio.

International Journal of Business and Management, 5(12), 51-61. Retrieved May 13,


2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 2225191331).



Mullins, J. W., Walker, Jr., O. C. (2010). Marketing management: A strategic decision making

approach (7th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin. ISBN: 9780073381169.

Spear, K.. (2011, February). Shoppers under the influence: how in-store marketing increases

shopper spend. Retail World, 64(3), 25. Retrieved May 13, 2011, from ABI/INFORM

Global. (Document ID: 2311031831). http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?


Vicki Gerson. (1998, September). Arming yourself with a marketing plan. Bank Marketing,

30(9), 38-44. Retrieved May 13, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:

34665606).

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Marketing Hard to Sell Products