Long-Term Sales Approach for High-Ticket Items

For my first 16 years in tech sales, I averaged 240K/year W2 income. In my last 4 years, I averaged 720K/year. In order to triple my income, I had to change my sales approach entirely. Here's what I changed: I started using a new approach that I now call Yo-yo selling: 🪀 Yo-yo selling emphasizes starting at the executive level, conducting thorough discovery within the organization, and then returning to the executive with a tailored business case. Like holding a yo-yo, you are constantly in communication with the Executive Sponsor and updating them as you collect information and conduct deep discovery lower down in their organization. You are literally going up and down the organization, but always taking everything back to the Executive Sponsor to surface your findings along the way. Here's a breakdown of the framework: 🎯 𝐈𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐤’𝐬 “𝐘𝐨-𝐘𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠” 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 This strategy involves a three-step process: 1. Start at the Top (Executive Engagement) Initiate contact with a senior executive to understand their most pressing challenges, the reasons behind the need for change, and the consequences of inaction. If your solution aligns with their needs, secure their sponsorship for further discovery within their organization. To secure the Executive Meetings, it's essential to create a tailored POV (point of view) on where you think you may be able to help them based on your initial research of their highest level goals and priorities. Chat GPT has made this research a LOT faster now. 2. Conduct In-Depth Discovery (Middle Management) Engage with department heads and key stakeholders to uncover the day-to-day challenges they face. Focus on understanding their processes, pain points, and the implications of current inefficiencies. Gather direct quotes and insights to build a comprehensive view of the organization's needs. 3. Return to the Executive (Present Findings) Compile the insights gathered into an executive summary and business case. Present this to the executive sponsor, highlighting how your solution addresses the identified challenges. Tailor your demonstration to focus solely on relevant aspects that solve their specific problems. 🚀 Why It Works 1. Accelerates Sales Cycles: Engaging executives early ensures alignment and expedites decision-making. 2. Builds Credibility: Demonstrates a deep understanding of the organization's challenges and showcases a tailored solution. 3. Facilitates Internal Buy-In: By involving various stakeholders, you ensure that the solution meets the needs of all parties, increasing the likelihood of adoption. I'm pleased to share that that Yo-yo selling was recently awarded as a Top 15 Sales Tactic of All Time by 30 Minutes to President's Club, and I received a cool plaque for entering the 30MPC Hall of Fame. Since I have no chance of entering the Hall of Fame for my baseball or golf game, this is a nice consolation prize 😁

I interview a lot of performance marketers, and there’s one question no one till now has got it right! I ask them, "How many days should we retarget BOF audiences?" They take a deep breath, straighten up, and confidently say: 👉 "7, 14, and 30 days." Like they just cracked some secret code. So, I push further. "Why 7, 14, and 30?" Silence. A nervous smile. Maybe a generic answer like "That’s what everyone does." Most marketers run ads like they’re following a playbook, not understanding the psychology of a buyer. They apply the same fixed formula whether the product is a ₹500 lipstick or a ₹2,00,000 luxury watch. And guess what? That’s why their BOF campaigns underperform. They all know the technical side of running ads on Meta, but I often find one big gap in their thinking. Here’s the problem: BOF retargeting windows should not be fixed. They should be based on how long a customer takes to make a buying decision. If you sell a ₹499 pair of sunglasses, your customer doesn't need 30 days to decide. But if you sell a ₹50,000 camera, they’re not buying within 3 days either. The Right Way to Set BOF Retargeting Days 👇 💰 Impulse Buys (₹500 - ₹4,000) → BOF: 1-7 days 🛍️ Examples: Skincare, fashion accessories, snacks 📅 Why? People make quick decisions. If they haven’t bought in 7 days, they probably never will. 💰 Considered Purchases (₹4,000 - ₹25,000) → BOF: 3-14 days 🛍️ Examples: Sneakers, home decor, small appliances 📅 Why? Customers compare brands, check reviews, and take about a week or two to decide. 💰 High-Involvement Purchases (₹25,000 - ₹1,50,000) → BOF: 7-30 days 🛍️ Examples: Laptops, furniture, luxury watches 📅 Why? These require more research. Customers look for warranties, financing options, and comparison videos before buying. 💰 Big-Ticket Investments (₹1,50,000+) → BOF: 14-90 days 🛍️ Examples: Cars, premium gadgets, real estate 📅 Why? These are major financial decisions. Customers take months to decide, so BOF retargeting needs to run longer with trust-building content. Lesson for Performance Marketers 🚀 There is no one-size-fits-all approach in BOF retargeting. Every product category has a different buying cycle. If you’re just applying the same 7-14-30 day formula to every business without understanding the logic, you’re leaving money on the table. Next time you set up a BOF campaign, ask yourself: 1️⃣ How expensive is the product? 2️⃣ How long does the customer take to decide? 3️⃣ What objections do they need help with? If you get this right, your retargeting ads will convert better and your clients will notice the difference. #PerformanceMarketing #MetaAds #D2C #Retargeting #MarketingStrategy #HonestMarketing #bottomfunnel #digitalmarketing

If you are in high ticket lead generation and looking for new clients, then here is the most overlooked principle. Time delay. As I said in the video, in high ticket leadgen scenarios, it takes in average between 60-120 days until an average lead becomes a client.  If we calculate the time between first impression and conversion into a lead,  the process is even longer. Ironically, the more you spent, the longer the cycle becomes. Yes. There will be always between 0.5 % - 3 %, depending on the quality of your funnel, which will buy immediately. But the majority doesn’t.  Too many make the mistake of treating leadgen like an e-commerce purchase. And here’s why it's wrong: Cognitive Load Theory: High-ticket decisions create cognitive overload. This automatically leads to procrastination as a default.  Neuroeconomics Research: Studies show that high-price purchases activate the pain centers in the brain (anterior insula) before the reward centers. This means that pain acknowledgment and reframing must precede benefit presentation in high-ticket offers. Like I said earlier, if you understand your audience and this reflects your in funnel, it has a major impact on the time delay. Up to 3 % immediately and between 10-30% of potential prospects within the next 60-120 days. Example for enterprise sales: the responsible decision maker worries more about the successful implementation of an AI solution and his look in front of the board than all the benefits of the solution for the company he’s working for. Mirror Neuron Activation: Detailed success stories activate mirror neurons, allowing prospects to "experience" the transformation before purchasing. This neurological hijacking is more powerful than logical argument for high-ticket justification. The importance lies in understanding, that not everything happens in one day, one week or one month. But that your target audience needs to observe over time different dimensions of your brand which helps them in making their decision. The truth is: in high ticket leadgen we have to engineer the right psychological journey that mirrors their decision process. We need to engineer a new reality for the target audience.  Where they can see themselves winning.  Hence, why I call this process reality engineering. Your understanding of marketing and psychology plays the most important role here. Why? Simply because it reduces the possible failure points. More failure points -> longer time delays and future opportunity costs. That’s why an individual look at a creative on a daily basis is the wrong metric. It doesn’t matter at all. Performance can be fluctuating. What matters is a 2-4 week period. And the lead quality. This approach is how we built multiple high ticket businesses from very low 7- to multiple 8-figure revenue. With 50-70% profit margin. While keeping lead costs steady and stable. Stop thinking about marketing and start thinking in reality engineering.

Most consulting firms run the sales-led funnel, and it quietly taxes everything. In our experience, that funnel looks like relentless pitching, heavy proposal tailoring, and constant persuasion to get work over the line. The consulting firm stays busy, but buying becomes harder for the client, objections pile up, decisions slow down, and buying cycles stretch out. Pricing power then takes the hit, because the consultancy ends up negotiating from a position of weak differentiation. We have observed that this is rarely a people problem, an effort problem, or an expertise problem, and many consulting firms even do excellent work for existing clients, but the pressure shows up when the consulting firm tries to attract new clients or enter new markets efficiently, because the sales-led funnel turns that growth effort into persuasion, custom proposals, and slow buying cycles instead of predictable demand and faster fit recognition. Our advice is to move into the proposition-led funnel to protect the consulting business in the long run. That shift starts with doing the hard work earlier. Define the high-value problem, or category of problems, the consulting firm solves, be explicit about the target audience and context, spell out the outcomes the consulting firm helps clients achieve, build proof through repetition and reduction of outcome variance, and create an easy entry point that makes the first conversation feel like fit validation rather than persuasion. What we have seen is that this usually leads to fewer objections, faster decisions, shorter buying cycles, and stronger pricing power over time. We wrote a full article explaining the mechanics behind the visual and how consulting firms can make that shift in practice. Enjoy reading. https://lnkd.in/eCkS-XxT

Your prospect won’t commit to a multi-year contract. You could back down—or you could try this: Prospect: “We’re not sure about a 3-year contract.” You: “Mind if I ask what concerns you?” Prospect: “Most of our contracts are for 1-year.” You: "If you don’t mind me asking, what worries you most about long-term contracts? Prospect: "We see the value, but it’s a big commitment and investment on our side." You: “Understood. Could I walk you through a few reasons why it might help your business?” Prospect: “Sure.” You: "1. Price lock-in You mentioned a phased rollout across your organization. With a multi-year contract, your seat price stays locked in for the entirety. That helps you budget for growth with no surprises. 2. Protection from price increases Not sure if you've seen a price increase at renewal time, but it can happen for lots of reasons—product updates, market shifts, etc... Pricing decisions are above my pay grade, but a longer term protects you from increases. So you’ll know exactly what you’re paying each year. 3. Fewer contract negotiations How many vendor contracts do you manage?” Prospect: “Around 8 to 10.” You: “That’s 8 to 10 negotiations every year—and I’m sure you know how time and resource consuming it can be for you and your procurement team.” Prospect: “yes, it’s a not the most exciting part of my job.” You: "With a longer-term contract, you can skip that hassle for a while— saving time and making life easier for your procurement team. Summary: • Lock in seat prices • Avoid potential price increases • Skip annual contract negotiations" Prospect: “That’s actually helpful. I’ll discuss it with my team and get back to you.” You: “Great. I’ll send a quick recap in writing. In the meantime, rather than go back and forth via email, can we pull up our calendars to lock time in the next couple of days once you’ve spoken to the team? I’d also recommend having your procurement lead join so we can iron things out and ensure we’re all aligned. Sound fair?” ........................................................ When objections come up, understand the why. Then tackle them as needed—(contract terms are no exception!)

Most reps treat sales like a sprint. Hit quota fast, chase quick wins, move on. But the truth is, enterprise deals and meaningful relationships don’t happen overnight....... The best reps think like golfers: 1. Patience pays. Big accounts take months of consistent touches before they convert. 2. Positioning matters. Just like setting up the right angle for your next shot, every email, call, and meeting should set you up to progress to next steps. 3. Consistency compounds. One strong quarter doesn’t build a career. Repeated execution does. 4. Relationships are the course. If you treat prospects well even when they’re not ready to buy, you’re laying the fairway for future wins. The long game is about discipline. It’s about showing up every day, stacking small advantages, and trusting that compounding effort beats chasing shortcuts.

Are discounts hurting your brand’s image, and performance? Before you start tossing around discounts just to get customers to buy, take a step back. Are you building a discount brand, or do you want to retain that premium image? I often see brands “train” their customers to only shop with them during heavy discount periods. This is NOT a winning strategy. Often times this dilutes margins and pulls revenue forward at the expense of predictable and stable 30/60/90 days sales. You also attract a different type of buyer (discount shopper), who usually has lower CLV and churns faster. Here’s how to get creative with your offers without slashing prices: 1. Test the Wording Instead of defaulting to percentage discounts, experiment with more strategic language in your offers. For example, if you’re a subscription business, try a "double hit" offer, where customers can bundle two subscriptions to save on shipping or receive a slight added value. This approach keeps the offer compelling without lowering your brand’s perceived value. Wording like “Double Your Order, Save on Shipping” gives the feel of an exclusive offer while still protecting margins. 2. Offer Freebies Instead For premium brands, offering a freebie can be far more powerful than offering discounts. At MANSSION, for example, free ring sizers are provided with each purchase, which adds value without devaluing the product. This approach makes customers feel they’re getting something special and unexpected. This tactic works especially well for building brand loyalty, as customers associate the “extra” with your brand’s generosity. 3. Escalate Offers for Retention Rather than immediately offering a discount to customers who haven’t repurchased, consider using a tiered incentive system. Start with a small offer, like free shipping or a minor add-on, and gradually escalate only if they remain inactive. This gives you a retention lever without conditioning customers to expect discounts right away. It also preserves the brand’s premium positioning, rewarding patience with stronger offers over time. 4. Focus on Value, Not Price Instead of simply lowering prices, focus on delivering additional value. Consider bundling products at a slightly reduced price, offering loyalty program perks, or providing exclusive early access to new products. The goal is to give customers a reason to keep buying from you without eroding your brand image. When value is defined by unique experiences or exclusive access, customers perceive your brand as generous and premium—not discounted. Key Takeaway: You don’t have to race to the bottom with discounts. A well-thought-out offer that preserves your brand’s integrity is far more powerful. Remember: Value > Price.

Ever felt like landing high-ticket clients is as rare as spotting a unicorn? You’re not alone. But the truth is, with the right outbound lead generation strategy, it’s absolutely possible. Let’s break it down step by step using Sales Navigator. Step 1: Identify Start by defining your ideal high-ticket client. What industry are they in? What challenges do they face? What buying patterns do they follow? The more specific you get, the better. Use Sales Navigator’s advanced search filters to pinpoint the right prospects. Step 2: Connect Once you have your list, don’t just send a generic request. Personalized InMails can make all the difference. Show them you’ve done your homework, understand their needs, and have a solution that makes sense for them. Step 3: Provide Value Before you even think about selling, offer something valuable. Share insights, industry trends, or helpful resources that address their pain points. This builds credibility and opens the door for meaningful conversations. Step 4: Follow-up People get busy. Just because they didn’t respond right away doesn’t mean they’re not interested. Consistent follow-ups keep you on their radar and move the conversation forward. Step 5: Close By this stage, trust is built, and value has been demonstrated. Now, it’s about making the decision easy. Be clear, address objections, and ensure the transition is seamless. High-ticket clients aren’t won overnight. It’s a process, not a one-time pitch. But with Sales Navigator and a strategic outbound approach, you’ll be well on your way to closing bigger deals.

You have probably bought something expensive that felt easy. And you have probably walked away from something cheaper because it felt off. Too many promises without enough clarity. Something did not sit right. Price was never really the issue. The issue was trust. High-ticket offers work when the buyer feels certain before they pay. Here is what that looks like in practice. 1. The problem is specific. Not "we help businesses grow" but "we fix the gap between traffic and booked calls." 2. The outcome is concrete. Not "better results" but "a pipeline you can forecast next quarter." 3. The process is visible. The buyer knows exactly what happens after they say yes. 4. The proof matches the promise. Real numbers, timelines, and context. When your offer is built this way, price becomes a filter. That is exactly what you want!

For years, plant-level selling was the go-to strategy for industrial tech. Not anymore. The reasons are plenty. Operations teams at the plant are constantly under pressure and focused on hitting daily targets. Your champions often show interest, but don't have authority over budget. Pilots often get shut down for one of several reasons before scaling beyond a single site. The path of least resistance to Industrial AI, smart manufacturing, or digital transformation is now through the office of CIO, COO, or a cross-functional smart manufacturing/transformation team. The vendors who have figured out selling at this level are already seeing benefits in larger deals, shorter sales cycles, and higher pilot conversion ratios. But only when it's done right. Here are a couple of proven best practices: ▶️𝗧𝗼𝗽-𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺-𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝘆: A common side effect of going in top-down is the perception of being seen as corporate's choice (or worse, IT's choice). Executive buy-in will open many doors, but stay true to the industrial focus, speak the language of operations, and prove that you understand their problem. ▶️𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲: Understanding operations' problems doesn't mean you're there to solve it for them. You're not there to do their job better than them; you're there to enable them to do it better. Thank you, Lisa Graham, for exemplifying this. ▶️𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲: In many cases, the executive likes your pitch but will get overridden by IT to build it in-house. Let them try it- chances are they'll come back in a few months, with a better understanding. Executive-selling is here to stay, but only when it is done right. LNS Research #IndustrialAI #DigitalTransformation #SmartManufacturing #EnterpriseAI