Sales is not about numbers. It’s about imagination.
The moment you reduce your product to a price tag, you’ve given your client the easiest escape: comparison. Because if price is all you’ve sold, then price is all they’ll evaluate. And someone, somewhere, will always be cheaper.
But if you sell vision first, the lifestyle, the experience, the future value you’ve positioned your product beyond numbers. You’ve anchored it in meaning. And meaning is priceless.
Why Vision Comes Before Price
The human brain doesn’t buy logically. People make decisions emotionally and then justify with logic later. That’s why luxury brands thrive. Nobody buys a Rolls-Royce for its horsepower. They buy it because it symbolizes prestige, exclusivity, and class.
Real estate works the same way. Before you say ₦60M, let the client imagine:
- Pulling into a gated estate with tree-lined streets.
- Hosting friends in a home that elevates their status.
- Giving their family safety, comfort, and pride.
When they see themselves inside the story, they’ve already bought. The price is only a detail.
The Power of Anchoring
One of the most effective tools in sales is anchoring showing the higher price first, then revealing the lower.
If an estate will be ₦80M next month, start with that. That’s the anchor. Then bring them back: “But today, you can have it at ₦60M.”
That ₦20M gap isn’t just numbers. It’s value. It’s urgency. It’s a deal they don’t want to miss. Anchoring frames today’s price as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Without anchoring, ₦60M feels heavy. With anchoring, ₦60M feels like a steal.
Deadlines Drive Decisions
Another mistake salespeople make is using open-ended timeframes. Saying “now” is weak. Because “now” could mean today, tomorrow, or even next year in the mind of the customer.
Strong salesmen use deadlines:
- “This week only.”
- “Offer closes by Friday.”
- “Payment must be confirmed before midnight.”
Deadlines create urgency. They make the decision unavoidable. Ambiguity, on the other hand, gives the customer space to delay. And delay is the silent killer of sales.
The Psychology of Urgency
Why do deadlines work? Because they tap into the fear of missing out (FOMO). When customers feel they have forever, they take forever. When they feel they could lose the deal, they act now.
It’s not manipulation. It’s clarity. A product offered without urgency is a product that encourages procrastination. A product framed with deadlines is a product that demands decision.
Practical Ways to Sell Vision, Anchor Price, and Create Urgency
- Always Paint the Picture First
Don’t jump to numbers. Show the client the lifestyle, the benefits, and the transformation. Let them feel the product before they calculate it. - Lead With the Future Price
Show the client what the property will cost next month, next quarter, or after the promo ends. Anchor their expectations high, then show them the advantage of acting today. - Be Specific With Timeframes
“Now” is vague. “Today” is powerful. “This week” drives commitment. Specificity eliminates delay. - Use the Price Gap as Leverage
Show the difference between today’s price and tomorrow’s price. That gap is your strongest persuasion tool. - Close With Confidence
After selling vision, anchoring price, and setting deadlines, don’t hesitate. Ask for the commitment. The ground has already been prepared.
Conclusion: The New Rules of Selling
Sales is no longer about who gives the lowest price. It’s about who gives the clearest vision, the strongest anchor, and the sharpest deadline.
If you sell numbers, you invite comparison. If you sell vision, you create desire. If you sell with urgency, you close faster.
The formula is simple:
Vision + Anchoring + Deadlines = Sales.
And that’s how strong entrepreneurs win deals, even in the toughest markets.
Dr. Smith Ezenagu is the Chairman of Esso Group, a diversified conglomerate shaping real estate, finance, education, and media. Dr. Smith Ezenagu is recognized as a real estate & investment mogul, life coach, and private equity expert. He leads Esso Group and its subsidiaries: Esso Properties (awarded Nigeria’s Most Innovative Real Estate Company in 2024 and recognized as the best real estate company in Nigeria), Esso School of Enterprise (the leading institution equipping entrepreneurs), and Esso Capital (delivering smart, trusted financial solutions across Nigeria).
