Takeaway selling turns sales conventions upside down. Instead of chasing prospects, make them chase you. Learn how one counterintuitive technique taps into psychology to boost conversions.
Introduction to Takeaway Sales Strategies and Why They Work
Takeaway sales strategies have become an integral part of modern sales techniques. But what exactly are they, and why are they so effective? In this introduction, we’ll unpack the psychology behind these strategies, trace their origins, and outline the key benefits that make them a go-to approach for salespeople across industries.
A Straightforward Definition
In simple terms, a takeaway sales strategy involves temporarily taking away or withdrawing an offer or opportunity during the sales process. This creates a sense of urgency, exclusivity, and desire for whatever is being “taken away.”
The salesperson may start down the standard path of pitching their product or service. But at some point, they suddenly switch gears and say they can no longer offer that particular deal, item, or experience to the customer. This triggers a reaction where the customer feels like something is being taken from them, igniting a need to take action and secure the deal.
The Psychological Forces Behind This Technique
But why does this work so well? There are a few key psychological forces at play:
Scarcity
Humans naturally assign more value to things that are scarce, exclusive, or dwindling in availability. By taking something away, a sense of scarcity is created, immediately making it more desirable. Salespeople will emphasize that there are only a few items left, the offer expires soon, or access is limited.
Loss Aversion
People tend to strongly prefer avoiding losses over acquiring gains. When something feels like it is ours and then is taken away, that sense of loss can be a powerful motivator. Even if the customer didn’t own it yet, the thought of losing out on the deal can spur action.
Reactance
When our freedom to have something is threatened, we experience psychological reactance. We feel compelled to restore our freedom of choice and will seek out the thing that is now forbidden or unavailable. The takeaway triggers this reaction.
Curiosity
A bit of mystery is introduced when something is taken away unexpectedly. This taps into innate feelings of curiosity and makes the customer eager to find out why the offer changed and whether they can still get it.
So in essence, the takeaway strategy flips established sales conventions. Instead of trying to convince customers to buy, salespeople are taking away the chance to buy, letting psychology do the heavy lifting.
A Centuries-Old Technique
While takeaway selling has become especially popular in the modern digital era, its foundations trace back centuries. In fact, the principles behind it are as old as human civilization itself.
Primitive tribes used rudimentary takeaway tactics, restricting access to increase the value of certain tools, food, or materials. Ancient Roman and Greek merchants would create exclusivity and urgency by pretending items were already sold or spoken for.
As commerce evolved, wealthy families would popularize exotic foods and spices by subtly restricting them for the nobility class alone, making commoners desire them. Much later, limited edition artworks became a way for creators to spur demand by making their works exclusive.
But takeaway selling exploded in recent decades for a few key reasons:
- Advances in psychology and marketing revealed how powerful this technique could be.
- Online shopping and digital scarcity made it easier to manufacture urgency and exclusivity.
- Sales evolved to be more conversational and customized, enabling takeaway pivots mid-pitch.
So modern salespeople are tapping into an ancient force of human behavior. But they now have more knowledge, tools and contextual understanding to employ it effectively.
The Clear Benefits Takeaway Selling Offers
The takeaway approach persists because it delivers results. There are several compelling benefits that make takeaway selling a go-to technique for marketers and sales professionals in all fields:
Increased Conversion Rates
Because it generates urgency, exclusivity, and reactance, the takeaway often directly boosts conversions. Customers don’t want to miss out on the deal, so they are more likely to purchase immediately. This is especially true for online sales, where creating scarcity can persuade shoppers to buy right away.
Enhanced Perceived Value
Taking something away also makes it seem more valuable. A product that was readily available but now has limited quantities develops an aura of increased worth. This perception of boosted value helps justify the pricing and makes the purchase decision easier.
Power to Overcome Objections
Customer objections are inevitable in sales, but takeaways can help overcome them. When faced with the risk of losing out, common objections like price, quality concerns, or waiting to decide often fade into the background as closing the deal becomes more important.
Negotiation Leverage
Similarly, the takeaway gives sales reps more leverage in negotiations by introducing the pressure of missed opportunity. If a prospect knows the deal is on the table for a short time, they may be more flexible on pricing and terms.
Qualifies Serious Prospects
Not all customers will be spurred into action by a takeaway pivot. But those who are ready to buy will typically respond positively and make the purchase. So the technique helps filter out tire kickers and identifies serious buyers willing to commit.
Drives Loyal Followings
Using the takeaway judiciously over time can develop a loyal audience eager for the next exclusive offer or limited chance. Apple and other brands have mastered this scarcity marketing to create almost cult-like followings.
So from increasing urgency to uncovering qualified leads, takeaway selling delivers tangible sales results. It taps deeply into human psychology to turn customer hesitation into committed purchases. Small wonder that modern sales gurus have embraced and refined such a proven technique.
When combined with a solid understanding of your audience, thoughtful value positioning, and excellent closing skills, implementing the occasional takeaway can give your sales a significant edge. In the rest of this guide, we’ll explore how to execute takeaway selling effectively to maximize your success.
Key Elements of an Effective Takeaway Sales Strategy
The takeaway sales technique is not simply about randomly yanking offers away from customers. To employ it effectively requires thoughtfully incorporating several key strategies in your approach. When executed well, these elements work together to compel the customer, communicate value, and drive conversions.
Highlight Exclusivity and Scarcity
Creating a sense of exclusivity and scarcity is essential to the takeaway method. The goal is to make the prospect feel like they need to act quickly before an opportunity slips away. This urgency prompts them to prioritize closing the deal. There are a few ways to highlight scarcity:
Limited-Time Offers
Promotions with set expiration dates are common examples. A sales rep may offer a discount or bonus that is only valid until a certain date. Countdown timers on website offers also create this effect. No one wants to miss out on a good deal, so setting a deadline spurs action.
Limited Quantity
Stating that there are only X number of items or slots available taps into the fear of missing out. For example, a sales rep could say “We only have 10 of these premium packages remaining.” As supply dwindles, so does the chance to buy.
Exclusive Access
Granting VIP access or first dibs to a select group comes across as very exclusive. A rep could offer early access to a new product, special software features, or premium service terms only for the next 10 customers. People often jump at the chance to be part of an exclusive experience.
Framing Scarcity Appropriately
However, declarations of scarcity should always feel natural, not forced. Sales reps don’t necessarily have to quote specific limits if that seems disingenuous. More subtle wording like “supplies are limited” or “availability is restricted” can convey scarcity without being overly manufactured.
Scarcity only works if it is believable. So it must align with the actual offering and positioning of the product. But when applied judiciously, highlighting exclusivity can be extremely persuasive in takeaway selling.
Emphasize the Unique Value Proposition
For the takeaway tactic to make sense, the customer must genuinely want what you are offering in the first place. That’s why clearly communicating value is essential. Rather than just touting features, show how your offer solves a specific problem or fills a need for that particular prospect.
Explain the Tangible Benefits
Don’t assume the value is self-evident. Spell out tangible benefits like increased efficiency, cost savings, productivity gains, time savings, and bottom line profit boosts. Connect these directly to pain points the customer has.
Leverage Proof Sources
Back up claims of value with specific data points, testimonials, use cases from similar customers, or demonstrations. Proactively address why your solution is superior. Having external validation builds credibility.
Personalize Your Messaging
Use details you’ve learned about that specific customer to customize your value messaging. Frame it around how your offer will benefit their unique situation. This personal touch helps the takeaway feel more significant later.
Clearly positioning value is about more than just hyping features. It’s about crafting a compelling narrative of how you specifically solve problems for that customer. This lays the groundwork for the takeaway to have impact.
Offer a Form of Risk Reversal
Even when prospects understand the value in an offer, they may hesitate due to perceived risk or uncertainty. So smart salespeople use risk reversal techniques to diminish those concerns in takeaway selling scenarios.
Money-Back Guarantees
The simplest risk reversal is a satisfaction guarantee. If a rep positions a purchase as “risk-free” because the customer can get a full refund if unhappy, it lowers barriers immensely. This works especially well for higher-priced services or software.
Free Trials or Demos
Similarly, trials and demos allow prospects to experience the offer first-hand without commitment. This builds familiarity and trust. When combined with a takeaway pivot later, momentum carries customers through reservations.
Flaunt Credibility
Displaying awards, client logos, expert affiliations, and testimonials helps reinforce credibility. Being able to say “trusted by 50,000 users worldwide” or “rated 5-stars by customers” enables buyers to proceed confidently after a takeaway.
Turning sales objections into reassurance is pivotal for takeaway success. Removing risk builds confidence to move forward when presented with deadlines or limited-time exclusivity.
Closing Techniques are Crucial
Mastering a range of closing tactics is a prerequisite for effectively employing takeaway strategies. Deftly guiding customers into a purchase requires practice. Common techniques include:
Trial Closes
Throughout interactions, ask trial closing questions to gauge customers’ level of commitment and identify sticking points. Questions like “Would this solution work for you?” expose concerns early.
Assumptive Closes
Here, the salesperson assumes the sale will happen and frames questions accordingly. An example is “When would you like us to get started?” which skates past commitment doubts.
Alternative Closes
Provide two attractive options, such as order size or service package variations, that both result in a purchase. This avoid yes/no stalemates by getting the customer to choose.
Takeaway selling hinges on swiftly responding when the offer is withdrawn with the right tactic to finalize the purchase. Closing skills get sharpened through practice.
Make Emotional Connections
Logic alone rarely makes sales. Emotional connections are immensely powerful for generating commitments. When employing takeaways, bonds of trust make customers more receptive. Ways to foster this include:
Active Listening
Don’t just pitch. Actively listen and acknowledge the prospect’s needs, concerns, and goals without judgement. Validating emotions diffuses tension.
Share Relevant Stories
Strategic anecdotes that resonate with customers’ experiences are highly memorable. Stories that evoke specific emotions, like achievement or camaraderie, make offers relatable.
Develop Genuine Rapport
Get to know your customers as people, not transactions. When rapport is developed, clients are more open to suggestions from someone they like and identify with.
While takeaway selling uses urgency and exclusivity, blending in authentic human connections maximizes its power. People buy from those they know, like and trust.
Takeaway strategies hinge on recognizing and activating the key psychological triggers that motivate purchase decisions. When scarcity, value and rapport are all elevated masterfully, the swift pivot to limited-time or exclusive offers propels sales forward – and unlocks the true potential of takeaway selling.
How to Implement a Takeaway Sales Strategy
Now that we’ve covered the psychology and key elements, let’s explore some practical steps for executing takeaway selling effectively. Implementing this strategy requires careful planning and consideration. Done right, it can skyrocket your sales success.
Understand Your Target Audience
The first step is getting crystal clear on who your ideal customers are. Their specific needs, pain points, demographics, psychographics, and behavior patterns should inform your approach.
Build detailed buyer personas that capture your best customer archetypes. Know what motivates them, what challenges they face, and what messaging resonates. This allows you to tailor takeaways to what specifically spurs them into action.
Spend time interacting with current ideal customers through surveys, interviews, and casual conversations. Learn what made them buy from you. Was it a sense of urgency? Exclusivity? Risk reversal? This market research uncovers what takeaway strategies will work best.
Identify Your Unique Value Proposition
To employ the takeaway successfully, prospects must clearly understand the value you provide even before the strategy pivot. They need context for why your offer is worth urgent or exclusive consideration.
Get clear on your competitive advantages. How do you uniquely solve customers’ problems compared to alternatives? What outcome benefits do you deliver? For example, are you the fastest, most durable, most prestigious, most reliable, most powerful, most affordable, or most customized option available?
Boil down what you do into a simple, compelling value proposition statement. For instance, a home cleaning service could position themselves as “The stress-free home cleaning service that saves you time with trusted, thorough care for your unique home.” The more compelling your declared value, the more impactful withdrawing that value becomes.
Create Scarcity and Urgency Strategically
With your audience and proposition defined, now apply scarcity and urgency judiciously at the right moment. There are some best practices here:
Limit Scarce Offers
Don’t make everything scarce. Overuse dilutes its power. Reserve takeaways only for your very best, most exclusive deals. This maintains their special status.
Align with Value Messaging
The scarcity pivot should align with your core value proposition. For example, a service touting extreme reliability could take away a “100% uptime guarantee.”
Set Realistic Limits
Scarcity is only believable if limits make sense. Don’t claim “only 3 available” if you’re Google. Tailor quantities, deadlines, and access rules to your actual offering and audience size.
Reveal at Strategic Moment
Don’t lead with scarcity. Establish rapport and communicate value first. Then insert a takeaway pivot when the prospect is warm but still on the fence.
Give Fair Warning
Where applicable, suggest early on that special bonuses or pricing may be limited. This frames the subsequent takeaway as expected, not jarring.
Get creative with the type of scarcity applied – limited-time discounts, early bird access, capped membership slots, expiring reward points. The options are vast. Just keep scarcity reasonable and relevant.
Tailor Your Approach to Each Prospect
While you can plan standards around scarcity, value messaging must be tailored for each prospect when first establishing contact and rapport.
What you emphasize should align closely with that particular customer’s needs. Note any pain points mentioned and link your value proposition directly to resolving those.
Listen for emotional motivators as well – does the prospect want to appear prestigious? Be the first with innovative tech? Support an underdog? Aligning with unspoken desires makes the takeaway more potent.
Adapt language, stories, and style to connect best with different personality types. Watch the prospect’s body language and refine your message to maximize engagement. Personalizing the experience makes the takeaway feel more meaningful.
Address Objections Effectively
When employing takeaway strategies, valid objections will still arise. Handle these carefully to keep momentum strong.
Never dismiss objections as invalid. Thank prospects for the feedback and acknowledge the concern. Aggressive rebuttals will only terminate conversations.
Respond with empathy and solutions, not arguments. Say you understand why they would feel that way, then outline how you can address the issue raised.
If multiple concerns emerge, isolate the core objection impeding progress. Solve that specific roadblock before layering on other solutions.
Timely, thoughtful responses to objections stop them from derailing deals when the takeaway moment arises.
Use Closing Techniques Strategically
Mastering closing tactics is mandatory for nailing the takeaway pivot. When the scarcity element emerges, be ready with the right technique:
Trial closes assess readiness to proceed throughout interactions. Regularly confirming interest levels prepares customers for decision time.
Assumptive closes frame questions as if commitment is a given. This breezes past mental blocks in a takes away scenario.
Alternative choice closes provide attractive either/or options that make choosing easy.
Takeaway selling lives or dies on swiftly responding to the withdrawn offer with the ideal close. Use the one best suited to the scenario and customer.
The peak moment of risk arrives immediately after the takeaway. Mastery of closing – created through extensive practice – forges conversions here.
Core Takeaways on Takeaway Strategies
True takeaway selling expertise requires diligent preparation combined with adept situational adaptation. Do the work upfront to intimately understand your customers and their motivational triggers. Prepare scarcity and value messaging to align with these insights.
Then in live sales situations, fine-tune your approach based on each prospect’s unique needs and responses. Wield scarcity and closing techniques with surgical precision. Address objections promptly but diplomatically.
With careful practice, the takeaway pivot point transforms from a risky gambit to a catalyst for reliable sales surge. Patience and perseverance are key. Master the fundamentals, then customize them artfully. In time, takeaway selling mastery can be yours.
Common Mistakes to Avoid with Takeaway Strategies
While the takeaway can be highly effective when used judiciously, there are also some common pitfalls that can undermine results or damage customer relationships. Avoiding these mistakes is key to extracting full value from takeaway selling.
Overusing Scarcity Tactics
One of the biggest risks is going overboard with manufactured urgency and limited offers. Takeaway pivots lose their power if overused. Customers will come to expect endless strings of expiring discounts and exclusive deals. Reserve takeaway selling only for special campaigns and major opportunities.
The ideal frequency depends on factors like sales cycle length, market standards, and product/service type. But as a rule of thumb, limit takeaway pivots to no more than 20% of deals. Keep them rare and exclusive. Don’t dilute their power through saturation.
Failing to Deliver on Promised Value
The entire basis of takeaway selling is that you offer tremendous value worth securing when available. But committing to more value than you can actually deliver is a recipe for disaster.
Avoid exaggerated claims of benefits, features, or outcomes you can’t necessarily guarantee. Be realistic about the value provided and use specific language. For example, say “can increase efficiency by up to 30%” rather than vaguely boasting massive productivity gains.
Failing to match expectations set during the takeaway undermines credibility severely. Any short-term sales gains will be far outweighed by reputational damage and loss of customer trust if you don’t nail delivery.
Lack of Clarity in Communication
Clear communication is essential throughout the sales process, especially for the takeaway pivot. Any ambiguity or vagueness around the terms of the deal, the uniqueness of the offer, or the reason for removing it can sabotage the strategy.
Avoid convoluted language and legal jargon when interacting with prospects. Keep explanations simple, specific, and direct. Complexity masks value.
verbally summarize details after explaining an offer’s specifics to confirm comprehension. Outline next steps clearly as well. Clarity sustains momentum.
Pressuring Customers Into Unnecessary Purchases
Some salespeople view the takeaway purely as a pressure tactic to coerce prospects into buying things they may not need. But this approach damages integrity.
Avoid pushing overly excessive purchases or upgrades just for the sake of short term gain. Recommend only what aligns with the customer’s actual needs and goals. The goal should be providing value, not extraction.
Sometimes the customer’s best interest means NOT moving forward. Be willing to accept that. Forcing bad fits breeds resentment and tarnishes reputations. Have the courage to forgo some deals to maintain trust.
The Risks of Reactance
Reactance refers to when an imposed limitation causes individuals to resist out of the desire to assert their freedom of choice. Overplayed takeaways can backfire by triggering reactance where the customer digs their heels in further.
Avoid creating arbitrary rules or restrictions just to manufacture scarcity. Things like unrealistic deadlines and absurd quantities can ring hollow and spark rebellion. Ground scarcity in reason to prevent reactance.
No customer wants to feel cornered or manipulated. If you sense frustration or resistance rising, pivot to transparency about limitations. Find mutual alignment.
Takeaways Should Not Be Taken Lightly
Trust is the cornerstone of customer relationships. While takeaway selling uses urgency and exclusivity, it must be executed with the utmost care. Always keep the customer’s best interest at heart rather than treating them like transactions to maximize short-term gain.
Avoiding common takeaway mistakes comes through experience, empathy and integrity. By steering clear of these pitfalls, you gain skill and credibility. Mastering the takeaway art means using it judiciously, not excessively. Keep customers’ long-term needs in focus over quick profits. Patience and principles win here.
When to Use (and Not Use) Takeaway Sales Strategies
While the takeaway technique can be very effective, it isn’t universally applicable to every sales scenario. Determining appropriate situations to employ takeaway selling versus when to avoid it is crucial. Let’s explore some guidelines.
Best for Prospects with Some Existing Interest or Need
Ideally, prospects should have a moderate level of existing interest in your offering before incorporating a takeaway pivot. Some characteristics of good candidate customers:
- They have an acknowledged problem or need that your product/service solves.
- They exhibit some desire for the benefits or outcomes you provide.
- They have few major objections or concerns blocking a purchase.
- They are in the evaluation stage rather than completely unaware of you.
Essentially, takeaway selling is meant to nudge interested but hesitant prospects over the line, not convince entirely cold leads. Those with some intrinsic interest or need will feel the loss most when an offer is rescinded.
Having existing awareness makes your business more “real” too. A takeaway won’t register if the prospect doesn’t believe you actually have a credible offer to take away in the first place.
Avoid When Interest Levels Are Very High or Very Low
On the other hand, prospects with either very high or very low interest are ill-suited for takeaway pivots.
Those with already strong interest usually don’t need extra urgency. They’re already sold and ready to buy. Introducing artificial scarcity could be off-putting. Keep momentum going directly to close instead.
Conversely, prospects with minimal interest won’t care much if arbitrary offers are taken away. They need to be educated on your value before any loss would register. Use takeaways here and you’ll likely just drive them further away.
The “sweet spot” lies with moderately interested prospects. Warm, but in need of a nudge. Assess interest carefully to discern when employing a takeaway makes strategic sense and when it doesn’t.
Vary Tactics for Different Sales Cycles
Appropriate takeaway usage also depends on sales cycle length and deal complexity.
For short sales cycles, limit or avoid takeaways. Adding more steps when prospects expect fast decisions slows momentum. Get to the point faster.
For long enterprise sales cycles, gradual takeaway incorporation as interest builds can be very effective. Early stage education is still needed.
Complex B2B sales may benefit from staging takeaway pivots around key milestones:
- Limited-time discount when proposal is presented
- Exclusive bonus if signed within 24 hours
- Final add-ons or terms removed if delayed further
Match takeaway timing and usage to the natural sales rhythms for your industry and typical deal length.
Take Stock of the Situation First
Rather than rigidly using takeaways at predetermined times, the best approach is assessing each situation.
Before employing a takeaway, ask yourself key questions:
- How interested does this prospect currently seem?
- How far along are we in the sales process?
- How open and responsive has the prospect been so far?
- How complex is this sale expected to be?
- How qualified and authoritative is this prospect?
- What is my read of the prospect’s current emotional state?
Carefully tune your takeaway approach based on the answers. Customize to each customer, never use a generic routine.
With experience, you’ll develop keen situational intuition for when takeaways work beautifully and when they fall flat. Trust your judgement.
In Closing
Mastering the art of takeaway selling requires understanding not just how to maximize its impact, but also when deploying it leads to dead ends. Avoid misapplying takeaways, as the consequences of mistiming them or overusing them carelessly can be severe. Always assess context thoroughly before pulling offers away from prospects. When employed strategically at the right moments, takeaway selling unlocks immense potential. But used improperly, it backfires severely. Proceed with caution, wisdom and care.
Examples of Takeaway Sales Strategies in Action
The best way to understand how to apply takeaway selling is seeing concrete examples. Let’s explore a few scenarios where sales reps used limited-time offers, exclusivity, and strategic deal takeaways effectively to drive conversions.
Limited-Time Discount Offer
Sarah was pitching her social media management services to Emma, the marketing director of a small clothing boutique. Emma liked Sarah’s portfolio and value proposition but was hesitant about the pricing.
After addressing Emma’s concerns and establishing rapport, Sarah employed this takeaway:
“I’ll tell you what. I don’t normally do this, but because I really want to earn your business, I can offer you a 10% discount if you sign today. If we hold off on paperwork, I’ll unfortunately have to revert to my normal rates.”
Sarah highlights the discount’s temporary nature and frames immediate action as the way to secure that exclusive savings. This convinced Emma to move forward right then rather than risk losing the lowered price. The deadline compelled Emma over the fence.
Exclusive Early Access to New Service
James was speaking with a longtime client about upgrades to his firm’s web design packages. He focused first on the value propositions of the new offerings and how they could benefit this specific customer.
Once interest was sparked, James pivoted with urgency:
“I really shouldn’t be telling you this yet, but because you’ve been such a loyal customer, I wanted to offer you early access to our new Platinum web design service before we announce it publicly next week. However, we can only extend this exclusive head start to our top 5 clients due to limited capacity. If you’re interested, we need to begin right away before general release.”
This takeaway does three things powerfully:
- Positions the new service and access as exclusive
- Uses scarcity with the cap of only 5 early customers
- Creates urgency to act now before public release
Exclusivity and ticking time pressure pushed the client to eagerly lock in the deal.
Strategically Taking a Deal “Off the Table”
Marcus was finalizing a complex B2B software purchase with Acme Co, but some legal and pricing terms still needed resolution. The sale had been dragging on for weeks.
After a meeting with Acme to address open items didn’t yield consensus, Marcus took a risk:
“Based on the challenges we’ve faced getting alignment, I think it may be best if we table this for now. I don’t want to waste any more of your team’s time unable to finalize things. Why don’t we revisit in a few months once we can get clearer on direction?”
This jolted Acme’s VP, who immediately replied with concern and a desire to get this finished per their earlier conversations. Marcus’ takeaway pivot reframed stalling as terminating, lighting the necessary fire. His willingness to walk away brought Acme back to the table. The deal was signed shortly after.
Key Takeaways
- Use scarcity pivots at strategic moments, not right off the bat. Build interest first.
- Offer exclusivity in a believable way aligned to the actual offering.
- Set deadlines that create urgency but aren’t perceived as manipulative.
- Takeaways should typically revive stalled deals, not terminate them outright.
Wielding takeaway selling skillfully requires practice and nuance. But when applied properly, examples like these illustrate its immense power to influence conversions for the better.
Takeaway Strategies for Different Sales Situations
While core takeaway tactics remain the same, how they are applied will vary across different stages of the sales funnel and types of selling scenarios. Let’s examine tailored takeaway approaches for prospecting, proposals, retail, and existing customer retention situations.
Overcoming Resistance in Prospecting Calls
Prospecting calls with cold leads often hit immediate resistance. Takeaways here can enable you to overcome initial objections and spark interest.
Limited-Time First Call Incentive
If reaching out to schedule a first sales call, consider framing it as a limited-time free consultation or strategy session to provide initial value. The time restriction gets reluctant prospects to commit to that vital first interaction.
Exclusive Trial Access
Alternatively, offer exclusive free access to your core software/service, but only if they schedule a call that day. The ticking clock prompts action.
Takeaway “Bonus”
When cold emailing or messaging, mention you normally include a lucrative bonus or additional resources with your free first call, but you’re already overbooked so can only extend it to the first few respondents.
Securing Commitment in Proposal and Negotiation
During business proposal presentations and negotiations, takeaways can nudge reluctant prospects over the finish line.
Limited-Time Bundle Discounts
If bargaining over pricing, offer a discounted bundle rate if the contract is signed within 24-48 hours. Sweeten the pot with an expiring extra.
Final Concession Close
If going back and forth on contract terms, state that you are willing to concede on a key point they’ve been pushing for, but only if the deal closes immediately. Take that concession off the table if stalled further.
Soft Ultimatum Pivot
If talks have deeply stalled, suggest discontinuing discussions for the time being unless X concession is made or Y contractual condition is met to get talks moving again. Apply loss aversion.
Driving Urgency in Retail and Ecommerce
Retail, both brick-and-mortar and ecommerce, thrives on scarcity urgency. Some examples:
Highlight Low Stock
Ecommerce product pages can display “Only X left in stock!” or “Selling fast!” notifications to spur checkout urgency. Just ensure inventory is actually limited if claiming scarcity.
Today-Only Flash Sales
For online and offline retailers, offering limited-time discounts on select items creates action and buzz. But don’t oversaturate, or they lose impact. Save for special promotions.
Buy-One-Get-One Free
The classic “Buy one, get one 50% off” offer can be framed as ending very soon. Or expand scarcity by making it a buy-one-get-ONE-free but for next 24 hours only.
Maximizing Lifetime Value of Existing Customers
Takeaways also work well for retaining and upselling existing customers. Some examples:
VIP Early Adopter Access
Reward loyal customers by granting them exclusive early access to new products or features before public release. Highlight this perk as only for top customers.
Expiring Loyalty Discounts
Offer added discounts or bonuses that expire quickly and are exclusive to repeat shoppers or longtime subscribers. Urgency retains their business.
Renewal Deadline Discounts
As service renewals approach, remind customers via limited-time discounts or extra months free if they renew immediately, not after their term expires.
The takeaway possibilities are endless once you grasp the core principles. Tailor takeaway usage and framing to your specific sales situation and funnel stage. With practice, you’ll master when and how to apply takeaways for maximum impact across any selling scenario.
Crafting the Perfect Sales Call Opening & Closing with Takeaways
While takeaways can be used throughout the sales process, they are particularly impactful during opening and closing stages of sales calls. Let’s examine some smart ways to incorporate takeaway pivots in cold call openings, objection handling, and closes.
Grab Attention in Cold Call Openings
Cold calls start at a disadvantage, with prospects often immediately skeptical or hurried. Takeaways flip the script quickly.
Limited-Time Qualifier
Mention upfront you’re offering an exclusive one-time discount, bonus, or free trial specifically for new prospects who schedule exploratory calls that day.
Exclusivity Hook
Alternatively, state you are granting access to VIP pricing, high-value resources, or priority service only for the first X callers as you ramp up hiring/inventory.
Call-Back Bait
If leaving voicemails, mention you wished you could offer them a lucrative callback-only promotion, but your last availability was already taken by another prospect.
Overcome Objections During Calls with Takeaways
When objections inevitably arise mid-call, takeaways can swiftly diffuse them.
Reframe as Deadlines
If the prospect expresses concern over a payment date, contract term, or availability, reframe it as a “last chance” limited-time offer about to expire.
Risk Reversal
Counter pricing qualms by offering money-back guarantees or free trial extensions – but only if the prospect commits today before the deal is taken off the table.
Bundled Bonus
Throw in additional services, products or discounts when an objection appears – but the bundle expires if you don’t resolve concerns during this call.
Close Deals in Sales Calls Using Takeaway Offers
Finally, properly timed takeaway pivots powerfully finalize pending sales calls.
Expiring Deal Sweeteners
If the prospect is close but hesitating, reintroduce an above-and-beyond bonus you “forgot to mention” previously that closes if they commit on this call.
Now-or-Never Proposal
Particularly effective for stalling, long-cycle sales, suggest that unless the prospect approves the proposal now, you’ll have to put things on hold and shift priorities elsewhere for the foreseeable future.
Final Negotiation Concession
When terms are being nitpicked, concede on a sticking point but rescind the concession unless they close the deal within 24 hours and sign the contract.
Limited-time call-only qualifying offers, swift objection reversals, and eleventh-hour deal sweeteners & concessions all utilize the takeaway artfully during calls. With practice, you’ll become a takeaway virtuoso on sales calls.
Evaluating the Success of Your Takeaway Sales Strategy
The only way to refine and improve implementation of the takeaway technique is gathering data on its effectiveness. Let’s explore key metrics to track and how to adjust your approach based on sales analytics.
Tracking Conversion Rates
The most fundamental metric is whether takeaway pivots produce a direct uptick in sales conversions. Some key rates to analyze:
- Deal Close Rate: Calculate your overall deal close percentage. Then track close rates specifically on opportunities where you used a takeaway pivot vs. those with no takeaway. Look for meaningful variance.
- Call-to-Meeting Rate: For cold calls/prospecting, compare the percentage that result in sales appointments when using takeaway hooks vs. normal calls without takeaways.
- Proposal-to-Close Rate: Measure how often proposals lead to closed deals when paired with expiration takeaways vs. no takeaways.
Scan for meaningful differences in these conversion benchmarks between takeaway and non-takeaway scenarios to gauge impact.
Monitoring Customer Lifetime Value
While takeaways may increase immediate conversions, low lifetime value customers won’t help long term. Assess retention and repeat purchase rates for takeaway customers:
- Retention Rate: Calculate customer churn. Do customers acquired via takeaways have higher/lower retention than those closed without takeaways?
- Repeat Purchase Rate: Similarly, tally repeat purchase frequency. Do takeaway customers repeatedly buy more than non-takeaway customers?
- Average Order Value: Track the average monthly/annual spend of customers closed with takeaways vs. without.
If takeaway customers have poor retention or lifetime value, it may indicate the strategy attracts deal-seekers but not ideal long-term customers.
Evaluating Return Business
Examining return activity across your customer base offers more takeaway insights:
- Repurchase Rates By Cohort: Categorize customers by the quarter/year acquired. Do cohorts with higher takeaway usage show greater repeat business over time?
- Response To Recurring Takeaways: Assess whether existing customers are responsive when you reintroduce limited-time re-engagement offers or exclusivity perks.
- Referral Rates: Do customers acquired via takeaways generate more referrals? Higher referral activity signals satisfaction.
Crunching cohort repurchase patterns, re-engagement response, and referral volume sheds light on the long-term effects of takeaway selling throughout the customer lifecycle.
Adjusting Strategies Based on Insights
The real value of takeaway analytics comes from making data-backed adjustments:
- Double Down on High Conversion Segments/Tactics: Identify which customer profiles and takeaway approaches deliver the best results. Then optimize and expand those.
- Pull Back on Low Conversion Tactics: Conversely, low conversion tactics may need refinement or reduced usage if not generating sufficient return.
- Tighten Targeting and Qualification Criteria: If certain cohorts falter long-term, tighten targeting and qualifying to filter them out.
- Re-Evaluate Positioning Messaging: Poor retention could indicate value/messaging misalignment. Revisit positioning.
- Test New Takeaway Offers and Angles: Try innovative limited-time discounts, free gifts upon renewal, or VIP tiers for top customers.
Consistently review the data and optimize. Small tweaks based on sales analytics data can maximize the impact of your takeaway selling strategy.
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
In this comprehensive guide, we’ve explored what takeaway sales strategies are, how they work, when to use them, and how to implement them successfully. To recap, here are the core lessons:
The Immense Power of Strategic Takeaways
When used judiciously, incorporating takeaway pivots into your sales process can have immense impact. By introducing scarcity, exclusivity, and potential loss, takeaways tap deeply into customer psychology to drive action.
This strategy works for two key reasons:
1. It creates urgency and demand
Through tactical usage of FOMO and ticking clocks, takeaways spur customers to act quickly rather than risk missing out. This rush can incentivize quick purchases.
2. It increases perceived value
Taking something away makes it seem more valuable. Customers then justify higher prices to obtain the now “exclusive” offer.
Wielded strategically, takeaways boost conversions, close stalled deals, raise order values, and increase customer lifetime value.
Key Best Practices For Takeaway Selling
However, takeaway selling is certainly not a magic bullet. To amplify its results and avoid pitfalls, some core best practices include:
- Use takeaways sparingly at key pivot points. Overuse dilutes their power.
- Clearly communicate value before employing takeaways. Prospects must want the offer.
- Take care to build rapport and trust. Takeaways should enhance, not damage, relationships.
- Frame takeaways around genuine scarcity like limited inventory or high demand from ideal customers.
- Master timely closing techniques to capitalize on takeaway urgency and complete sales.
- Carefully assess situational factors before applying takeaways. Not universally applicable.
- Evaluate analytics frequently. Optimize takeaway approaches based on hard data.
Avoiding Common Takeaway Mistakes
Some final mistakes to sidestep:
- Don’t overmanufacture false urgency or arbitrary exclusivity. Use real limits.
- Avoid pressuring customers into unnecessary purchases or upgrades. Provide value.
- Never promise more than you can realistically deliver post-sale. Match expectations.
- Don’t let takeaways backfire by diminishing trust through manipulation or opacity.
- Refrain from using takeaways as a negotiating weapon. Maintain win-win rapport.
When applied with nuance, patience, and wisdom, incorporating takeaway selling thoughtfully into your broader sales strategy can deliver tremendous dividends.
We hope this guide provided a comprehensive blueprint covering everything from the psychology underpinning takeaways to practical implementation steps. Now the final step is to get out there, experiment diligently, gather data, and master takeaway selling within the context of your unique business. With time and commitment, you’ll be equipped to use this influential technique to drive sales success.
Key Takeaways on Mastering Takeaway Sales Strategies
Takeaway sales strategies can deliver immense impact when applied skillfully at the right moments. Here are the core lessons from this guide:
- Takeaways create urgency and increase value by introducing scarcity and potential loss. Understand the psychology.
- Highlight unique value before employing takeaways. Prospects must want what you offer.
- Frame takeaways around genuine limitations aligned with your positioning. Avoid manufactured urgency.
- Use takeaway pivots at strategic points when customers are interested but need a nudge. Avoid overuse.
- Master a range of closing techniques to capitalize on takeaway windows. Practice trial closes, assumption closes and more.
- Make emotional connections with customers before takeaways. Rapport enables receptivity.
- Study analytics on takeaway vs. non-takeaway conversions, retention, and lifetime value. Continuously optimize.
- Avoid pressuring customers, overpromising, or using takeaways to manipulate. Maintain trust above all.
Wield takeaways judiciously, not as a blunt instrument. Surgical precision wins. With careful practice and customization, takeaway selling unlocks immense sales opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is a takeaway sales strategy?
A takeaway sales strategy involves temporarily taking away or withdrawing an offer, deal, or opportunity during the sales process to create urgency, scarcity, and increased desire. This pivot aims to compel the prospect into action.
When should you employ a takeaway pivot?
Takeaways work best when a prospect is interested but on the fence. Assess situational factors before using takeaways. They are well-suited for strategic points like proposal delivery or negotiation stalls. Avoid overuse.
How do you highlight scarcity during a takeaway?
Frame the takeaway around limited availability, high demand, expiring deadlines, or exclusive access. But ground it in truth. Scarcity should align with real inventory limits, production capacity, or service delivery bandwidth.
How can you emphasize value before a takeaway?
Clearly communicate how you solve problems or deliver outcomes better than alternatives. Use data, social proof, customization, and value quantification. Prospects must appreciate what you offer to feel its potential loss.
What closing techniques work well after takeaways?
Master trial closes, alternative choice closes and assumptive closes. When you remove an offer, deftly respond to the takeaway moment with the ideal closing tactic to complete the sale. Practice elevates closing skills.
What mistakes should you avoid with takeaways?
Don’t manufacture false urgency. Avoid pressuring customers into unnecessary purchases. Never promise more than you can deliver. Prevent takeaways from diminishing trust through manipulation or dishonesty.
How can you assess the impact of your takeaway strategy?
Track conversion benchmarks with and without takeaways. Analyze customer lifetime value. Review cohort repurchase data. Optimization comes from continually evaluating analytics and refining approaches.
When should you avoid using takeaways?
Takeaways can backfire if overused or applied incorrectly. Avoid them for prospects with very high or very low interest. Certain sales situations like short cycles or cold outreach may not fit takeaways either.
How can you improve takeaway skills?
Success comes through practice. Test takeaway approaches, study data, get customer feedback, and adjust techniques based on insights. Customize takeaways rather than using a scripted routine. With experience, skills improve.