The Verdict on Top-Down Selling… How Hard am I Supposed to Push??

When I was around eight years old, I went with my parents to a used car lot. We were greeted by an employee who barely listened to what my parents were looking for before immediately disregarding our budget and taking us to the most expensive minivan at the dealership. He continued to ignore my parents’ requests and only slowly made his way down in cost from one vehicle to another, assuring us with every other breath that he would “get us taken care of.” He seemed quite proud of himself at end as he pushed my parents to make a hasty decision. When we left (empty-handed, I might add), my mother sighed and said, “Well, he was a salesman, wasn’t he?” The way she said it made “salesman” sound like an insult.

This salesman was using a technique called top-down selling, which is“…a sales strategy wherein a salesperson approaches a sale by starting at the highest price available and gradually negotiating down in the interest of landing on a price that they and their prospect are satisfied with,” (Fuchs). This strategy has been a staple of sales for decades at least, so why do interactions like these still happen? How can you avoid customers leaving and saying with a sigh, “He was a salesman, wasn’t he…”?

Now, don’t immediately write off the entire technique. Top-down selling can work quite well under the right circumstances. Starting with your most attractive option can open the client’s eyes to things they had not thought to ask for before and give you a better idea of what they really need. It can also make the subsequent, cheaper options sound even more affordable by comparison. The problem with it is not really the method itself, but what tends to accompany it. The client could be left feeling unheard and frustrated if they have clearly stated their budget and their needs, but the salesperson continues to push pricier, more inclusive packages. The key word here is “push.” The issue that can come along with top-down selling is high pressure selling.

High pressure selling is “An unethical and unsophisticated selling technique (also known as ‘hard selling’) in which the salesperson exerts relentless and persistent pressure upon the customer, using inducements and psychological pressure to gain a fast sale,” (Oxford Reference). This strategy has become less and less effective in recent years as people are becoming more educated and less inclined to impulsive or emotion-driven buying. “Today’s buyers are smarter, better educated and have more access to information than at any time before in history,” (Coach-Net). If pressured, a careful consumer will choose to walk away instead of being pushed into a decision they may regret.

Many people come into a sales space with their guards already up, wary of being taken advantage of. When a salesperson leads with top-down selling, a shrewd client most likely recognizes this as a strategy. This can make the client feel handled instead of helped, turning them even more defensive than before. The thing about modern consumers is, “They don’t want to be sold to. They want you to help them buy what they want or need,” (Oulette). Leading with an attitude of helping instead of selling, which shifts things from high to low pressure, can make all the difference. This is especially important if your business mainly sells to other businesses. As The Harvard Business Review states, “…businessmen make buying decisions primarily on a rationale rather than an emotional basis, and for this reason seem especially suited to low-pressure selling…” (Bursk). Even when high pressure selling works, those customers are much less likely to continue the relationship with the seller and return or recommend others.

Top-down selling, like any tool, is not inherently good or bad; however, it can form a slippery slope into high pressure selling and the loss of clients and reputation. Approach it, and any other sales technique, with a cautious attitude of moderation. Show the best you have to offer and do so with pride, but keep in mind what your client truly wants, needs, and can afford. Gone are the days of elevator pitches and not taking “no” for an answer. A focus on meeting needs over meeting quotas will leave both you and your clients more satisfied with the partnership.

Works Cited

Bursk, Edward C. “Low-Pressure Selling.” Harvard Business Review, 1 Aug. 2014, https://hbr.org/2006/07/low-pressure-selling.

Coach-Net, and Coach-Net. “The 5 Least Effective Sales Strategies (and Why They Don't Work).” Coach-Net, 12 May 2016, https://dealerblog.coach-net.com/2016/05/12/the-5-least-effective-sales-strategies-and-why-they-dont-work/.

Fuchs, Jay. “Top down Selling: A Skill Any Salesperson Should Have on Hand.” HubSpot Blog, HubSpot, 15 July 2020, https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/top-down-selling#:~:text=Top%20down%20selling%20is%20a,their%20prospect%20are%20satisfied%20with.

“High Pressure Selling.” Oxford Reference, 2022, https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095936174.

Oulette, Debbie. “Consumers Don't Want to Be Sold to. They Want You to Help Them Buy.” RFP Proposal Writing Marketing Content, 23 Jan. 2017, https://www.echelonone.ca/consumers-don-t-want-to-be-sold-to-they-want-you-to-help-them-buy.