Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Bring on the Chateaus & Van Goghs!

We're giving two parties, sent the invitations, got the table set, but will anyone come? Isn't that the pervasive question?

To use the same metaphor we're also planning a couple of parties with high hopes that, when the guest lists go out, that we'll have a great response. Today, most developers would rather be in this group vs. the former one.

The wealth effect, or more accurately the negative wealth effect, is controlling sales these days. A lot of our customers have the money to spend to buy a fractional interest, but they 'feel' as though they don't, so they aren't. It's as straight forward as that.

We may even be living the negative wealth effect ourselves. Gave up our storage locker the other day…why spend $2400 per year for it? Just toss all that stuff away, or more appropriately give it away.

I saw on Fox News the other day that $300,000 invested in the S&P500 a year ago would now be worth $160,000. Take any variation on that number and our customers know that. So, go from a portfolio of $7 million to $3.8 million - that's still a cut worth thinking twice about.

The fraction is a personal use purchase. Each of the 'buying unit' needs to sign off on that use. In these times one of the buying couple is sure to be more 'tucked in' than the other, and there goes the sale!

So, on the Spectrum Clusters I say bring on the 'CEO with a Lexus to Go' and the 'Chateaus & Van Goghs'. These are the folks to whom we have the best chance to sell this winter.

You remember the Xerox sales training program….the selling for benefits and not features? Now's the time for that for one buys what benefits them most. The adjustment in the sales pitch today will be vital to snag those sales than can be snagged!

I hope Santa's coming to your project!