Let's face it, nothing lasts forever. It doesn't matter how well it's made. Things eventually break down and have to be replaced. Sometimes even if something still works it is replaced because something comes out that does the job better. In either case, replacing an existing item is a big reason for making a purchase. So, how can you use this to your advantage when trying to sell YOUR product or service? Yes, services can be replaced too.
The first thing you MUST do is know who your competition is. If you're selling a book on Astrology, then you better know what books are out there and what's in them. That means buying them yourself if need be. This way you can make note of what's in the book and see if there is something you feel is missing. That way, when you try to explain to somebody why they should get your book to replace the one they have, you can tell them that it covers X, Y & Z. which isn't covered in the other books out there. They may not throw away their old book, but they'll most likely replace the use of it with yours.
What if you're selling something like web hosting? In this case, you have to know what hosting services are out there and what they offer. Then, what you have to do is make your service better without it costing you money. The last thing you want to do is give things away. But maybe there are some things you can do like give more server space or promise better up time because you have more powerful servers. Whatever it is that you provide with your web hosting service, you have to make people aware of this in your advertising. Stress what it is that separates you from the other companies.
If somebody actually writes to you and asks you what it is about your product or service that is better, you should already have a pre-written response for this inquiry. That way you're not writing the same thing over and over. Just copy and paste and send it along. Make sure you have covered every point of your product or service and why it's better than what the customer had or has. Remember, sometimes people will replace things even if they're still working.
One thing you must remember is this. Your product or service can also be replaced if somebody comes out with something better or provides a better service. That's why you have to constantly be on top of what's out there and your own product itself. You have to make sure you keep the standards high at all time, otherwise you will end up losing customers to other vendors. If you have a product that can break down then make sure you have a repair or replacement policy that is affordable so that customers will stay with you.
Sincerely,
Lance Drossman
Creator The Key2Succeed - Earn a CEO level Income working 2 hours a day.
http://www.key2succeed.com/