I want it…

A while back I wrote a little ditty about financially justifying the purchase of technology. (See Cost or Value).  Since I spent 40+ years in technology sales, I felt comfortable with my credentials in discussing sales justification. 

In that write-up I mentioned that there are "justifications" and then there are "justifications".  The main difference between the two is those deals where the customer "needs it" (usually to alleviate some sort of business "pain"); and those where the customer "wants it".  Which motivation do you think is more powerful? 

Have you ever spent more than you intended on something because you, or a loved one, not only needed it but wanted it?  Permit me to offer this little story about the power of want. 

When my younger son was 10 years old he was in his second year in a youth horse riding program. I have written about the Westernaires often.  Feeling confident in his commitment, my wife and I decided to buy him his own horse.  (He had been renting a Westernaires' string horse and needed his own to advance in the program.) 

We learned about the Bureau of Land Management's wild horse adoption program out of Canon City, Colorado where a Mustang could be adopted for $125.   Following adoption by properly caring for the horse and passing the BLM's inspections, you would receive ownership papers after two years.  I'm thinking… my son needed a horse; we could adopt one for $125; the investment justification seemed straight forward. 

Interestingly, the BLM adoption center in Canon City was located on the federal penitentiary grounds known then (and still today) as "Super Max".  It housed some of the most infamous criminals of modern times.  The "Una Bomber"; "El Chapo"; and other "worst-of-the-worst" killers.  But I digress… 

We went to an adoption event at the prison one spring day.  We were escorted by two armed guards the entire time.  I thought we were "just looking" for a horse.  After all, it was our first "presentation of a solution".  What I didn’t understand is that my wife, and more importantly my son, were there to "buy".  It was a little gray mingled among a herd of some sixty Mustangs that caught my son's eye.  The four year old horse had the coloring of a blue roan.  It was at that very moment he decided this was the Mustang he wanted. 

Silly me…  I'm thinking well it's only $125.  And if that was the horse to make my 10 year old son happy, then it was a pleasure to buy him a horse of his very own.  It was easy for me to "justify" the $125 "investment".  Well within our "budget".  Little did I know how the money works when it comes to horses. 

Within the first three months, here's what we actually spent for adopting that $125 Mustang: 

90-day training with feed, farrier, and gelding           $   600

Bridle, bit and reins                                                    $   250

Big Horn cordura saddle                                            $   400

Saddle blanket                                                            $     75

Halter and lead rope                                                    $     45

2-Horse, horse trailer to transport the horse                $2,500

Chevy Suburban (used) to haul the horse trailer        $6,000

                                                             Total cost        $9,870

That was a cost overrun of 7,896%!  But for the horse my son wanted?  Worth every penny.

Sooo, when selling to a buyer, it's nice to justify their spend based on what they need.  It's much more powerful to sell based on what they want.  Don’t you agree? 

                                                            GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.