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. As 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 please add your comments at the end!
*
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 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 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’l 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 and $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 ahold 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.
*
