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Ever play pinochle or bridge? Spades or whist? These are card games that employ “trump.”

The lowest card in the trump suit can take the highest card in any other suit. Trump is powerful, and if played right can give you an extreme advantage in the game you’re playing. Especially the game of sales.

“Sales trump” is about playing your best card at the moment the sale can be won or lost. The best example of sales trump is a video testimonial. In my seminars, after I talk about the topic, I play actual video clips that not only eliminate any fear or objection that a prospective customer may have, but also offer proof (testimony) that my value is greater than my price.

How much video do you use? How many video testimonials do you have? Your answer is probably very few, not enough or none.

Video is everywhere. It’s beginning to dominate the Internet. The YouTube founders are billionaires. If you do it right, video makes sales.

Your example may be a customer who used your competitor and then switched to you. It may be someone who paid a higher price for your product or service because of perceived value.

Write down what your sales trump might be, and which customers might be willing to speak about it on video. Then write a one- or two-sentence game plan in order to implement the strategy.

I guess you can’t help thinking of Donald Trump when reading this. Whatever you think of him, you can’t knock his branding. But the question is: Does Donald Trump need sales trump?

REALITY: Donald Trump is already in the winner’s seat – he can use personal power to impose will and pressure to say yes. His stature, his wealth and his reputation can create deals that others can only dream about.

BUT … I’ll bet The Donald doesn’t think he needs video to support his claims – and if he enters a meeting with you as the prime competition, and you have several video clips that prove his facts to be “shaky,” you could actually trump Donald Trump. That’s the power of sales trump.

Here are the 3.5 keys to the sales trump process:

1. Identifying what trump you need.

2. Identifying the customers who could be players.

3. Filming, editing and possessing the trump.

3.5. Playing the trump at the right moment.

Here are two ways to use sales trump to differentiate from and even destroy the competition:

• In your sales presentation. The prospect will have barriers. Price, loyalty to other suppliers and multiple proposals are the big three. Proactively admit to these and have videos that prove your value. Play these videos at the END of your pitch.

• When a proposal is necessary. Tell the prospect that you are providing them with a video from existing customers to support every claim made. Ask your prospective customer to make all other bidders prove their claims in video as well. I’ve just given you one of the most powerful selling concepts on the planet. And you’re probably not using it much or at all. So what are you going to do about it?

HERE’S WHAT TO DO: Make two videos this week and learn how to edit them. Make two more each week for a month. Edit them. Make sure each one is specific to you and your value. Then slowly learn how to use trump to make sales.

One more thing. Pray your competition isn’t reading this.

Jeffrey Gitomer can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2008 Jeffrey H. Gitomer