---
title: Leading With Discounts and Offending Your Customers | The Sales Blog
description: The poor salesperson that rang my doorbell had a wonderful deal for me. He said, “I have my trucks in the area over the next few days, and if you sign up for service, I can do it for half price.” I told him that I would accept his deal for half off the regular […]
image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_116109379.jpg
---

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# Leading With Discounts and Offending Your Customers

![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg)

Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino)   
 May 13, 2014

The poor salesperson that rang my doorbell had a wonderful deal for me. He said, “I have my trucks in the area over the next few days, and if you sign up for service, I can do it for [half price](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2011/09/22/training-your-clients-to-negotiate-price-and-to-expect-discounts/).” I told him that I would accept his deal for half off the regular price, but then added: “By the way, I am already signed up with you. Thanks!”

Poor kid had no game, so I let him off the hook. I said, “No worries, kid. I’m busting your chops.” He was relieved and walked away as quickly as he could.

Last week I received an email from another salesperson. He promised he could save 40% over whatever I am paying for Internet bandwidth and voice over IP services. I didn’t reply, but I should have. I’m already their customer, too. I’d happily take the 40% savings his email promised.

[Transactional](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2013/05/04/four-behaviors-that-make-you-transactional/) sales organizations are funny.

Why would you send your salespeople out into the world to sell without giving them a list of your existing clients?

Why would you offer a new customer a deal that you wouldn’t offer your existing clients? Why would you treat strangers better than you treat the people who are already writing you a check? What do you want your existing customers to believe about your relationship?

And why on Earth would you [lead with a discount](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2014/01/18/transactional-selling-to-avoid-conflicts-around-price/)?

The answer to these questions are many:

- Because you don’t intend to create value.
- Because you don’t know how to create value.
- Because you are transactional.
- Because you won’t train your salespeople.
- Because you don’t care about anything but the sale.

A game salesperson from a game sales organization would have replied to my offer to take the discount like this: “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t know you were a customer. If you signed up last year, you got a way better deal than the one I am offering your neighbors. But you really have to see this new offering we have for you! You’re going to love it! Check this out!”

###### Tags:

[Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2014](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2014)

Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino)  on May 13, 2014

 Written and edited by human brains and human hands.

![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg)

Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success.

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