^^^ things can change awful fast and there are times when you have to wallow in the mud to keep ur sale. That doesn't mean you lie. It means you have to tell an ugly truth about ur competitor. Something one wouldn't do under normal circumstances. But they aren't always normal. And that cuts both ways.
I have been in sales most of my life and got to tell ya, if you feel like you have to "wallow in the mud", and I think we all know what you mean by that, then you have failed to build value in the product you represent to both your prospect as well as yourself. One or both do not believe in either your company, your product, or you.
If you believe in your product, if you believe in your company, and if you believe in yourself, there is no need to worry about the other guy that may sell a similar product. People buy what fills their need when they understand they have a need, a product that they like and a company they like, and from someone they trust. If they need, like, and trust you and you did your job of explaining the benefits & value of your product they will buy from you. If you fail in one of those areas then they begin to consider someone else and that is what drags you in to wallowing in the mud.
You need to work on your own presentation because if you are constantly having to wallow in the mud then I promise you that you are missing a key element of building trust or being able to have your client fully understand how what you offer fills their need.
When you sell, there are several; steps involved and when followed you just do not worry about what some other company has. Most often this kind of thing revolves around your ability to control a presentation, sales is a constant battle for control. Our saying is, it is your home but I control it while I am here. I don't care where you are, in your clients office, at your office, at a retail location, or sitting at their kitchen table, if you can not take total control of the discussion then you do not have control over the situation and without control, you may as well excuse yourself and leave because you are wasting your time and your clients time.
From what you stated it seems you are getting a lot of "yeah, this is OK but I want to do some comparison shopping before I decide". That is the oldest no in the book, it is better known as the "I want to think about it" no. Your presentation from hello has to be geared toward killing the I want to think about it no.
Now if I had to guess, based on your screen name, my guess would be you sell real estate for Beezer homes. Tough market and one I personally have never been drawn to, mortgage side cool but the problem with new home sales is most home buyers have the process of knowing they need to look at least 5-10 homes before they decide, that is so ingrained in them because EVERYONE tells them that is how you are supposed to buy a house. But that does not mean you have to trash DR Horton in order to sell your home, you build as much value in your home and you as you can and realize you are not in a 1 sit sales situation. I prefer a one sit sell cycle deal personally for a high ticket product.
Roy has a great product to sell but some of his prospects don't feel what Roy offers fills their exact unique need. So Roy needs to either change what he is offerring or accept the fact that he is not going to get every prospect he wants. Definition of insanity being doing the same things you have always done but expecting different results...
