Big Mistake in Selling: Not Knowing the Difference Between The Concept vs. The Brand

A common mistake made by business owners and salespeople is trying to sell the “brand” before the “concept,” the “end product” before the “reason to buy it.”

If I owned a chicken restaurant, I’d sell the public on the advantages of chicken over red meat before I’d try to drive McDonald’s customers to my chicken shop.

If I sold correspondence education programs, I’d show the prospective student the disadvantages of driving to a campus every day, before I’d tout my correspondence programs over my competitors.

If I sold life insurance, I’d educate my prospects on the hazards of dying without it before I’d make my case for my company over brand X.

We are so anxious to make a sale that we typically leave out an important step on our way to promoting our own company and products –the step that usually keeps us from selling anything –the reason to buy!

Before I’ll buy your chicken, I need a reason to eat chicken. Before I buy your correspondence course, I need a reason to further my education AND abandon the traditional classroom. Before I buy your life insurance, I need a reason to buy any at all.

We have a tendency as salespeople to tout the advantages of our own “stuff” before we’ve made a good case of why the customer needs or wants anyone’s “stuff.” Trying to sell your product before selling the reason to buy – selling the brand before the concept – is sure “selling suicide”!

You have lots of choices to invest your money in your continuing marketing education. The bookshelves are laden with many quality marketing books. Before you make a decision to invest your time in this website, somebody had to convince you (hopefully me) that your on-going marketing education was a wise investment. 

When I sell materials during my marketing seminars, the logic behind my “sales presentation” goes something like this: (note the difference between the concept and the brand)

1. There is a huge gap between education and implementation. (CONCEPT)
2. If you focus strictly on education, and not on implementing what you’ve learned, you won’t get the results you want (CONCEPT)
3. You need a system that’ll help you translate what you’ve heard into action you can profit by (CONCEPT)
4. My materials will help you do that (BRAND). They’ll help you make money (BRAND)

As you can see, selling concept before the brand is a building process. The concept sell builds in stronger and stronger arguments toward the ultimate goal – your product – the brand!

Contrast this process with leading with the product instead of the reason to buy: “My materials will help you make money by bridging the gap between education and implementation.”

This appeal doesn’t give the prospect enough reason to process the important concept argument being made that most people will fail at implementing what they’ve heard because they lack the system that will help them close that gap.

It’s the reason you see the words, “Eat Mor Chicken” before you see the logo for Chick-fil-A!

Concept vs. Brand Worksheet

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