To be successful in selling to senior clients you must understand the way they make buying decisions. I call it "Selling SIS".

I came up with this sales acronym formula during my numerous interviews with senior prospects while selling retirement community housing.

"SIS" is the Top 3 Factors/Criteria seniors apply when deciding to buy any product, especially big ticket items like real estate. The three factors involved are as follows:

1. Safety (Low Risk to Me and My Money)
2. Independence (Keeps Me Free in my Life Choices)
3. Security (Maintains My Peace of Mind and Lifestyle)

You see the absolute last thing seniors want to have happen to them is to become dependent on others for anything. The reason for this is that being "cared for" means frailty and could lead to "the nursing home". Not a place they ever want to go...

Seniors want to maintain their independence and freedom more than anything else in life so they use "SIS" to make all of their decisions. You must use "SIS" if you want to successfully market to seniors.

The "SIS" secret is to tailor your marketing efforts towards helping seniors maintain their freedom and independence. This tells them that you care about and respect them, which opens a bonding door. Then you can show them your desire to improve their quality of life, by making things easier and more convenient for them with your product and service offerings.

To be successful in selling your products and services to seniors these critical "decision triggers" must be fully satisfied or else it's no sale. All other elements of the buying process are just small window dressings, these are the "big picture" buying factors.

Bottom Line: Sell "SIS" and you sell the senior.

Published: June 10, 2002

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Gary Onks, founder of Sold On Seniors, Inc., is an author and marketing consultant who has been featured in The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Times, CBS Radio Marketwatch, Microsoft bCentral and other publications. His book "How You Can Reach & Sell the $20 Trillion Senior Marketplace" is acclaimed as "the 'Art' of pleasing senior customers." Onks has sold millions in goods directly, one-on-one to seniors. His experience includes serving as executive director of a large retirement community and selling to seniors for over a decade. His trademarked Seniorized marketing methods deliver exceptional results. You can reach him at 800-416-8785, GaryOnks@SoldOnSeniors.com or at his website www.SoldOnSeniors.com.