Sales Prevention: We Screw Our Best Customers

I’m starting a new feature called the Sales PreventionTeam.

Each time I see someone doing something ridiculous, stupid or actively working to harm a client relationship, I’m going to highlight it.  You may remember me calling out a jerk who works for American Airlines back in November 2016.  That was the beginning of me highlighting stupidity.  Since my new book The 60 Second Sale: The Ultimate System for Building Lifelong Client Relationships in the Blink of an Eye is due out in July, 2018, I’m on a mission to highlight both great sales practices and bad practices.

Sales Prevention PenToday’s Sales Prevention story arrived in my mailbox.  I received a pen in the mail.  This pen was a gift/sample for me to review as a promotional item.  It comes from National Pen Company.

The pen itself is pretty good. The quality is fine and if I was looking for a promotional product, I would consider it.

But this isn’t about the pen.

It’s about what Peter Kelly, the company’s CEO does with the pen.

Accompanying the pen in the package was an order form and a note from Mr. Kelly.

The note from Mr. Kelly reads:

Sales Prevention Note

“The prices shown on the order form are introductory prices applicable only towards your first order! Customers love the product so much that when they come back to re-order more they get upset because the non-promotional price is higher. Unfortunately, this is a special deal and we can’t offer this super low price again.

So don’t be disappointed, stock up now with this one time special promotional discount.”

Mr. Kelly is telling us that he will screw people who want to re-order and charge them more money. That means, his best clients, clients with higher lifetime value, clients who want to order again, PAY MORE MONEY.

What does this also tell you?

Maybe it tells you that National Pen’s service sucks so much, they know you will only order from them once and they want to get you to spend as much as possible on this one order.

Either way, Mr. Kelly and National Pen Company are saying they want me to order lots of pens now and if I come back, I will pay more because they give better pricing to strangers than they give to people with whom they have a relationship.

Please join me in welcoming Mr. Kelly and National Pen to the Sales Prevention Team.