Welcome to Lesson #12 of the 'Big Al Leaders
Course.'

Let's do one more concrete example.

>> 'My products are too expensive.
Nobody wants to pay that much.'

Sound familiar? Does this sound like distributor
thinking to you?

Distributors believe that prospects make their
buying decision based on price. Will it be hard to
change their thinking?
Not if we use stories and examples.

So let's imagine that I'm a potential leader, but
my belief that the products are too expensive is
holding me back. You want to change my thinking
from:
'the products are too expensive'
to
'the products are affordable because prospects
really want what they have to offer.'

You take note of my distributor thinking and
attempt to change my thinking not with a lecture,
but with the following story:

'Tom, I know you think that the products are too
expensive. You could be right. But I think a lot
of people buy for convenience, quality, comfort,
extra features or prestige. Most people will pay
more for products when they can get this extra
convenience, quality, comfort, extra features or
prestige.'

But I reply:
'No. I don't believe you. Prospect buy because of
price. They want to save money and will buy the
least expensive products they can.'
So you tell me:
'Tom, you could be right. Maybe a lot of people go
out and buy the least expensive products. I don't
know. Let's go and find out, okay?'

You take me outside and we stand on the street
corner. You ask me:
'Tom, what's the cheapest automobile you can
purchase?'
I think for a minute and say:
'A Yugo. That's the least expensive car you can
get. It has four wheels and a steering wheel and
will get you from Point A to Point B.'
And then you say:
'Let's stand on this street corner. Since people
buy on price, I'm sure most people will purchase
the least expensive automobile that they can get -
a Yugo. I bet we'll see a lot of Yugos drive by.
In fact, I think over 50% of the cars that will
pass by us will be Yugos.'
As we stand on that street corner, what types of
automobiles pass us by? Well, first there is a
Chevrolet, then a Ford, then a BMW, then a Toyota,
then a Dodge, another Ford, a Cadillac, a Lexus,
another Ford, a Volkswagen . . . and we don't see
a single Yugo!
You turn to me and say:
'Is it possible that people buy automobiles for
prestige, comfort or quality - and not on price? I
haven't seen a single Yugo yet. I don't think
anybody purchases automobiles just based on price.

People want image, comfort, special features, more
speed, or prestige. But, hey - I could be wrong.

Tell you what, let's go to another street corner.
This just could be a bad location.'
We walk to another street corner. What do we see?
We see Nissans, Toyotas, Fords, Chevrolets, BMWs,
Oldsmobiles, Cadillacs, and not a single Yugo. You
turn to me and say:
'Gee, it doesn't look like anybody purchased an
automobile based on price. Everybody purchased
comfort, color, convenience or prestige. Let's go
to another corner and look at some more
automobiles.'
I say:
'No, no, no - I get the point.'

Again, you've changed my thinking. No longer do I
believe that prospects purchase solely on price.
And did my thinking change from distributor
thinking all the way to leadership thinking with
this one story or real life adventure?
No. That would be too easy, wouldn't it? But you
have changed my thinking at least a little bit.
You'll have to tell me more stories or examples
over the next few weeks to gradually get my
thinking all the way to leadership thinking.

In Lesson 13 I'll give you another story (the
Pizza Story) to change your thinking about price.
Then we'll be finishing the third big step in
developing leaders: 'Changing how they think.'

I will be sending you Lesson #13 in a few days.
Tom 'Big Al' Schreiter
P.S. If you would like more step-by-step instruction
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