Ethical sales script for students who can’t afford your course

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Last week a potential student for my online program reached out with a question about the payment plan for my program.

She asked:

I have the money for the first payment in the bank. If your program works, it will pay for itself and the other two payments won't be a problem… but if it doesn't, then I will go into credit card debt. I'm hesitant. Does your program work? What do you think I should I do?

When I saw the question, my heart went out to this person. 

And then I heard the tiny bro marketer in my mind pipe up:

“OH! THIS IS A SALES OBJECTION! TIME TO CRUSH THAT MONEY MINDSET ISSUE, BRUH!”

I love the tiny bro marketer in my mind.

I love driving him nuts by running in the opposite direction, laughing the whole time.

Here's what I wrote back to that potential member…

(And I encourage you to adapt and use this as an ethical sales script for yourself!)

Hi (NAME),

Thank you for sharing this! It sounds like you’re considering putting the cost of UnComplicated Marketing Academy onto your credit card, without having the money in the bank to pay for it at this time. Is that right?

In that case, I’d strongly recommend against you buying this – or any other training program.

Not to mention that it impacts your ability to learn and take action on what you learn without feeling like you’re a hand grenade… inside of a pressure cooker… underneath a rocket ship that’s about to take off.

Anyone who tells you to put their course or product onto a credit card when you don’t have the money on hand, because it will “pay for itself“ is either unethical or getting some kind of a contact high off their own privilege.

Full stop. It’s a huge red flag.

If you let me know what kind of business you run, where you’re at with it, and where you’re struggling, I’d love to send you some useful free resources so you can earn the money first and choose to circle back and purchase because you’re excited to take your work to the next level.

Are you game? :)

Warmly,

Kyla Roma

After I wrote it out, I shared it on Twitter and LinkedIn… and the response I got made it clear that it stirred up some feelings.

Here are some of the highlights from Twitter:

First of all: Ugh. I've had these sales experiences too as a customer. They're bizarre and often upsetting.

Isn't it ridiculous and bizarre that being a human being in business is counter-cultural?

To me, selling is really, genuinely fun.

But that's because I'm deeply committed to making the outside of my business as much like the inside of my business as possible. And – of course – that means making it uncomplicated.

So when I'm marketing or selling, I'm myself.

I'm genuine, direct, helpful, and ethical.

I bring a healthy dose of my sense of humor.

What ethical selling (that I actually look forward to) means to me:

  • I don't ever try to convince anyone to buy from me.
  • I trust that other people are adults and can make their own decisions. I also take responsibility for myself and directly ask every potential one-on-one client if they're in financial duress. This is important to me because I want to make sure I'm meeting them where they are, and that they're not trying to get results that come from a place of confidence and mastery when they're terrified.
  • I practice active listening and non-violent communication.
  • I often offer free discovery calls, and genuinely treat them as a chance to discover new things. They're an opportunity to connect with someone who I could help – or who might be able to help me.
  • I know in my bones that other people's purchasing decisions have nothing to do with me since I am neither omniscient nor the center of the universe! :)
  • If I'm not the best person to help someone, I enthusiastically direct them to free resources or other people who could help them if I'm not a great fit.

And if it doesn't turn into a sale, great! I know that I've done something small to help someone. It's not like there's no benefit to me. Conversation by conversation, that's building my reputation and legacy.

Now, I'm not saying that the only way I sell is through one-on-one sales conversations.

I'm not saying that no one should ever put anything on their credit card.

I'm not saying that choosing not to pay the full balance of your credit card is a moral issue.

I'm definitely not saying that debt isn't a strategic tool we can leverage.

And I'm not saying that I was always comfortable with selling. My comfort level has absolutely changed over time.

But it all became easier when I raised the bar for what I considered selling.


Selling has to make room for me.

It has to make room for the other person.

It has to make room for our humanity.

And imperfection.

And dignity

And delight.

And that's the kind of “selling” that I can genuinely look forward to.

And it's also the kind that's won me an over 80% close rate! lol

What would make selling something you could genuinely look forward to?

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LAST UPDATED ON: May 26th, 2020

CATEGORY: All Business & Blogging Posts Attract your ideal customer