Buyers prejudice.

Buyers prejudice is one of the most difficult things that we have to deal with when selling Art or anything really.

We all have it and it comes from upbringing, parents, friends and experience.

One of the great lessons I had of this was as a young man, a friend wanted to buy a refrigerator and asked me to go with him to purchase it. I went we walked all around the store I thought looking for the best bargain. I found a big Westinghouse refrigerator in his price range that I thought was great value for money. Brand did not make a difference to me it was all about value for money, my prejudice.

I showed my friend and as the salesperson talked to him about it I saw he was not comfortable at all and he finally said it wasn’t what he wanted. We walked around some more and he found a Kelvinator Refrigerator and as the salesperson talked about it to him I saw he was happy and ready to buy.

Now for me the Westinghouse was bigger and not as much money and great value. The Kelvinator was smaller a bit dearer not what I thought was value for money, yet he bought it.

Later outside I asked him why he didn’t buy the Westinghouse and he said, it didn’t feel right and he thought the salesperson was not really truthful, I thought the exact opposite.

I asked why did you buy the Kelvinator, he said it was obviously the best refrigerator and the salesperson was very nice and helpful and anyway his mother always bought Kelvinator.

There was the real answer, his fear of making a mistake because his mother was always right. The first refrigerator could have been buy one take one and he would have walked away.

The thief told him what mum said was safe and if he bought the other one it would be a disaster.

Therefore the salesperson was wrong and the refrigerator was wrong, the thing that felt wrong was the thief saying you are making a mistake, buy what mum says is right and you will be safe, because if it all goes wrong you can blame her and you are safe. Buyers prejudice.

We see this in Art someone will say that they do not like abstract painting and then when you dig down, the only reason they have is a parent or friend was very vocal about how bad abstract art was. Difficult to argue against a prejudice like that. So often people have no reason for not buying, the only thing is that because of what someone they respected or feared told them and that is translated by the thief as unsafe, don’t do that. If you buy it and it’s wrong it’s your fault and it you buy what they like, because they said so and it’s wrong you can blame them, you are safe.

How do you deal with a buyer like this? There is only two things you can do, you can try and find out what is safe for them, but if you are like the first salesperson you cannot get back, the thief will see you as dangerous, so don’t argue and smile them off.

Best to just let them go and find the people who feel safe with you and like you, they are your customers.

It’s not your Art it’s the story they are telling themselves.