It's easier to appreciate a situation when we're not involved and can analyze it from a distance.
This is just as true for the friend bogged down in relationship problems who asks your advice as it is for the person best placed to receive the ball in the match taking place on your television screen.
It's easier to perceive situations when you stand back from them. Using analogies when arguing or rebutting an objection is an excellent way of putting your interlocutor "at a distance" so that he or she can better appreciate what you're saying.
The art of the salesperson lies in finding a sufficiently strong and relevant analogy that leads the customer to draw an easy parallel. In the following example, we'll deal with two very similar objections using two different analogies.
Example: salesperson representing a printer
The customer: "We already have a printer and we're happy with them.
The salesman: "It's to your credit that you're loyal to your suppliers. But Mr. Customer, let me ask you a question. Do you remember the days when you could only travel within France with Air Inter? And the price of the ticket and the services on board?"
Customer: "Yes, it was horrendously expensive and the services were non-existent. But what's your point?"
The salesman: "Exactly there! Since the French government was forced by Brussels to open up its domestic routes to competition, prices have fallen and services have improved. As you know, Mr. Customer, any monopoly situation leads to abuse, or at the very least puts the exclusive supplier in a comfortable position that doesn't encourage him to excel. Introduce competition by placing even a small order with us, and your supplier will be worried. You'll probably see him give you more for your money, for fear of losing you. We, on the other hand, will serve you so efficiently that you'll congratulate yourself on choosing us as your supplier. In the end, you'll be the winner of the initiative to introduce healthy competition. So how soon can we get started?"
A little more difficult now. Let's imagine that the company the same printer is prospecting already has two suppliers.
The customer: "I already have two printers. We're not going to multiply the number of suppliers."
Salesman: "I understand your position, Mr. Customer. But if you don't mind, I'd like to remind you of a recent period when two telephone operators shared the cell phone market: Itineris and SFR. Do you remember?"
Customer: "Of course.
The salesman: "These two providers had a sort of tacit 'gentlemen's agreement'. The market was humming along because the incumbents had no intention of attacking each other with fierce marketing that would have wiped out their margins. Sound management, you may say. But in the meantime, consumers were paying dearly for their services. Until the day when a third player shook up the deal and innovated with packages, bundles and other marketing initiatives. Everyone followed suit, and consumers were the big winners. Allow me, Mr. Customer, to create an emulation among your suppliers, in your best interests."
As you can see, it's possible to support any argument as long as you have the right analogy.
Extract from : " Les Accélérateurs de vente " - Michaël AGUILAR and Philippe LAFAIX - DUNOD - February 2005