35+ years ago I was a SCUBA instructor and worked in a dive shop. I was into photography, not spear fishing. I had never used a spear gun and didn’t have any experience with them. When someone came in to buy a spear gun, I always showed them the cheapest one first. I sold a lot of cheap spear guns. One day after I had sold a cheap spear gun, my boss, the shop owner asked "Why don’t you show them the compressed air spear gun?" I said, “That costs 4 times as much as the cheap rubber tubing gun, no one will pay that much.” My boss said, “A lot of people will buy the first thing you show them. Next time someone comes in looking for a spear gun, show them the most expensive one first and see what happens.” I said, “No one will pay that much for a spear gun.” My boss said, “Show them the most expensive one first.”
Later that day someone came in and asked about a spear gun. My boss heard them ask and stepped out of the office and looked at me. I looked at him, looking at me. I showed the customer the most expensive spear gun first and explained the features and advantages. HE BOUGHT IT AND NEVER EVEN ASKED IF WE HAD ANYTHING ELSE CHEAPER, EVEN THOUGH THE CHEAPER GUN WAS HANGING ON THE WALL RIGHT BESIDE THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONE. When the customer left, my boss came out of the office and looked at me and smiled. I started laughing and from then on I always showed the customer the most expensive item first. I sold a lot more expensive stuff without any high pressure at all.
People like to do what’s popular and what other people are doing. Adding a phrase like, “This is one of our most popular models” or “Most people like this one” reassures the customer that he is buying something that a lot of other people like too.
No extra charge (but donations will be accepted)
Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want. Any wire cut to length will be too short. I must be a near GENIUS. All my teachers told me I was at the very PEAK of the bell curve!
