Of all the causes which conspire to blind
Alexander Pope, Essay on Criticism, II, 1711.
Man’s erring judgment, and misguide the mind,
What the weak head with strongest bias rules,
Is Pride, the never-failing vice of fools.
Pride is a fascinating human phenomenon. It can be a vice – as in the poem by Alexander Pope – or a virtue – as a driver for doing good things in life.
The “vicious pride” is accompanied by vanity, inflated ego & hubris.
However, “virtuous pride” gives you an identity to be proud of. It’s your moral compass, as it keeps your behavior in check.
In marketing, “vicious pride” often motivates buying products to show off. You can sell somebody an oversized product or service, addressing only their pride and arrogance. An expensive luxury car with no use other than showing social status makes hefty dollars for the dealer and the car brand. Without a doubt, many fortunes were built on pride.
But sometimes, it could become problematic when reality hits the prestigious offer, especially when individuals (or agents) buy products or services for their companies (or principals).
Clients who buy out of their pride while ignoring real business needs lack essential knowledge. Biased, they give attention to some “must-have” features of the outer appearance or blindly follow some trend topics.
The satisfaction of the ego of the decision-maker is not necessarily the satisfaction of the needs of their business. Some clients wake up too late, for instance, when they recognize that the follow-up costs of a purchased solution do not reflect the actual use. Or they didn’t foresee the interdependencies with other solutions already used in the company.
Make use of your virtuous pride. Only sell things that fit the client company’s needs – even if this means leaving money on the table. Your solution must survive the reality check once in action and, even more importantly, many years later. In the long run, you will build a sustainable relationship.
The Anecdote
In 1624 Swedish boatbuilders designed the biggest warship ever built—no one else than the Swedish King Gustav II. Adolf himself ordered the prestigious vessel called by the name “Vasa”.
For the boatbuilders, it probably was an easy sale. The King’s grandfather was a war hero who fought for Swedish independency from the Danish crown. Since then, the “Vasa” dynasty of kings has made Sweden the most potent state in Scandinavia.
The architect must have said something like: “Look, Your Highness, I’m going to build you the biggest warship ever seen. It’s two stories high, comes with 64 canons, and will destroy everything that crosses its path. Its owner would surely become the most powerful and feared man in international waters. It will become a symbol of the unbeatable strength of our Swedish navy. No better object would show your power to the world.”
After that pitch, the king was definitely on the hook and spent a fortune on the project. His “vicious pride” was on fire.
Artistic woodwork, modern canons, 700 golden sculptures. A swimming piece of art with massive firepower. Hundreds of people worked day and night for five years.
Now the day came when “Vasa” was having its first ride, celebrated in a pompous party at the harbor of Stockholm.
The trouble began already in the harbor. The sailors couldn’t navigate the ship to open waters. So they used ropes with anchors to pull it to the sea. Then they unfolded the sails. Suddenly, people observing the scenery saw the gigantic ship leaning to one side when the wind hit the sails. But it just didn’t lean back. The “unbeatable” giant lay on the ocean surface while water entered through the open canon slots. In a panic, people jumped into the water.
Overturned by one wind blow, the mighty warship sank not even 100 meters before the harbor. Probably 40 people lost their lives in this tragedy.
They discovered that the original design couldn’t handle so many heavy canons in the aftermath. So it sank with all its assets and artwork because a “vanity feature” was forced into the design.
The boatbuilding company would’ve made a better business from selling five regular-sized, well-tested warships at a regular price. Ships that win battles on the sea instead of being sunken glory and fortunes on the ground.
Pride blinded the mind of many in this historical episode.
How to practice
Selling things based only on the “vicious pride” of the buyer is not sustainable. You want to build a long-term relationship that will stay mutually beneficial as long as possible.
In summary, here are some guiding questions to ask before suggesting anything for sale:
- In 5-10 years from now, would it still have made sense to buy your product?
- What is the business case for your product or service?
- Why is your offer a good deal for the purchasing company?
- Does the solution serve a clear purpose other than vanity?
Listen to your virtuous pride. Even if your client desperately wants one of your products because it’s shiny – don’t sell it if you don’t think it makes sense for them. Instead, suggest something more suitable.