Are you selling "adult toys"?Frank Lee talks about selling to customers he calls Weekenders in this issue's Sales Tips column. A few years ago at an equipment show in Louisville, I first heard the name Hobby A hobby is a spare-time recreational pursuit. Origin of term A hobby-horse was a wooden or wickerwork toy made to be ridden just like the real hobby. From this came the expression "to ride one's hobby-horse", meaning "to follow a favourite pastime", and in turn, Farmers being used to identify this new target market group. Whatever they are called in your area, these are folks who don't make their livings from farming the land themselves, they have some (or a lot of) discretionary income Discretionary Income The amount of an individual's income available for spending after the essentials have been taken care of. Notes: Essentials are things like food, clothing, and shelter. and they will continue to increase in number. They buy acreages or get-away country places which require some upkeep, so they do buy equipment--usually a tractor tractor, in agriculture, vehicle used to pull such equipment as plows, cultivators, and mowers; to power stationary devices such as saws and winches; and to push snowplows and earth-moving implements. and a couple of attachments. And if these Weekenders buy, then they rebuy ... and rebuy. Frank calls this Weekender equipment "adult toys"--undoubtedly useful for mowing mow 1 n. 1. The place in a barn where hay, grain, or other feed is stored. 2. A stack of hay or other feed stored in a barn. , hauling, grading, feeding, and other odd jobs--but let's face facts. Most likely, this equipment is not going to wear out, so any Weekender who looks admiringly ad·mire v. ad·mired, ad·mir·ing, ad·mires v.tr. 1. To regard with pleasure, wonder, and approval. 2. To have a high opinion of; esteem or respect. 3. at new equipment is already interested in buying. The salesperson has to conjoin the "want" and "need" of the Weekender customer. When an individual recognizes the need as a want and the want as a need. It probably will result in a purchase. If this were not true, I'd still be driving the '84 VW Rabbit with about 88,000 miles on it by now, and there would be many (yes, many) fewer shoes in my closet. Frank is right on about including women in the sales pitch. I once went to look at a car I wanted and asked my husband along to get his opinion. The salesman never addressed me. Instead, he maneuvered himself alongside my husband, so I had to walk a few paces behind. After that treatment, I wouldn't have bought anything from the salesman. I've bought three cars since then--not from that dealership. The salesman has moved on, but the thought of his slight lingers when I pass the dealer's lot. So, salespeople sales·peo·ple pl.n. Persons who are employed to sell merchandise in a store or in a designated territory. , take Frank's advice and sell to the woman. Assume automatically that all women have a say-so in how the couple's money is spent and that she is not interested in an overly solicitous so·lic·i·tous adj. 1. a. Anxious or concerned: a solicitous parent. b. Expressing care or concern: made solicitous inquiries about our family. or condesending salesperson. She might even be THE Weekender who makes the final decision. Mary Shepherd mshepherd@cfu.net 800-959-3276 |
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