High Pressure Selling

High Pressure Selling

What is High Pressure Selling?

High pressure selling is when a salesperson applies psychological pressure to a customer in order to sell a product or service by appealing to their fear, greed, or pride. As the name implies, high pressure selling means applying enough pressure to generate massive sales at a rapid pace. High-pressure selling is also referred to as hard selling.

Importance of High Pressure Selling

They believe that customers tend to put off purchasing decisions even when the decision is in their best interests. However, if the sale is made unethically, in which the seller persuades the customer to buy with the selfish goal of gaining profit at the expense of the customer, this is referred to as high pressure selling. These are deceptive techniques used to increase sales. This is done for a variety of reasons, including increasing the pace of sales, encouraging salespeople to accept incentives, occupying more shelf space, and managing inventory.

Methods of High pressure selling

1. Endless Chatter: This is one of the most cunning techniques used by salespeople during high-pressure situations. As if in a monologue, the salesman continues to explain the benefits of the product. The tone is friendly but persuading. The idea is that customers usually find it difficult to interrupt the salesperson and refuse to buy the product. Some do it because they are shallow, while others understand the salesman's efforts. The salesman continues to speak, and the customer is firm in his refusal.

2. Emotional manipulation: Salespeople usually rely on emotional manipulation to pressure customers into buying. For example, they will ask an adventurer to imagine how rich they would feel if they went cliff-jumping or tracking, essentially bringing out his passion for adventure and turning him emotional. They will then display their adventure kit and discuss the advantages and utility of fulfilling the man's passion. He has a high chance of purchasing the product due to his emotional drive.

3. Limited-time offers: These induce a strong desire in the customer to purchase a product solely out of fear. High pressure selling puts them under pressure by announcing that the product may not be available the next day. Customers who are contemplating a purchase decision are likely to buy out of fear of losing money, and those who are not may also find the deal profitable. E.g These types of offers have become increasingly common and prevalent in the e-commerce industry. All offers are for a limited time only and are designed to entice users through constant advertising.

Reasons for High Pressure Selling

High pressure selling occurs for a variety of reasons, which are as follows:

1. Salesperson incentives: Selling more helps the salesperson meet their target, which results in additional incentive pay.

2. Shelf space: Pushing the firm's product also allows the firm's product portfolio to occupy more shelf space.

3. Inventory control: Hard selling is also used to keep inventory at a minimum.

4. Plant capacity: A manufacturing plant must operate at an optimum level of output, which may not correspond to the market demand for the produced good. As a result, in order to avoid stockpiling of goods in warehouses and inventories, the company's sales representatives work hard to sell excess goods to distribution channels.

Advantages of High Pressure Selling

1. Quick selling- The high pressure selling method is highly effective in increasing sales by artificially inducing demand by creating a buzz or pressurising customers with relentless appeals.

2. Active salespeople- Under such selling methods, salespeople who would otherwise be dull and uninterested in their actions become important stakeholders.

3. Acquiring non-prospective customers- High-pressure selling can help you acquire customers who aren't planning to buy. Lead by instilling pressure and anxiety; this encourages sales. In such cases, the customer frequently fails to check the product quality and specifications and ends up purchasing defective products as well. He lacks a free mind and reasoning while making a purchase decision.

Disadvantages of High Pressure Selling

1. Provocative and unethical

2. Decision Making Under Duress

At the end of the day, high pressure selling is unethical because you are imposing your actions on customers in order to influence their purchasing behaviour. It is not a willful decision, but rather a forced decision in which the buyer is not making an informed decision. If the customer is found to be a victim of manipulation, he or she has the right to file a charge against the company and pursue legal action. The company must ensure that the customer's decision promotes the self-interest of both parties rather than just one of them.