Blair & Associates :: Making Business Come To You

Four Steps to Double Sales Presentation Effectiveness

When John Doerr, a business consultant with Wellesley Hills Group was starting his practice, he knew he would need ongoing legal advice.  He decided to interview three law firms.  The first two groups came in and for 45 minutes told John how great they were.  At the end of both diatribes, they finally asked John about his legal needs.  But the third firm started the conversation by first asking John about his family and work.  Then they asked about his needs for legal counsel. Last, they asked if John had any questions about their firm.

Of course, John hired the last group.  They were the only ones who showed they were really interested in his needs.  They knew how to uncover needs with appropriate questions. 

In a down economy, you must increase the close ratio in your sales interviews to compensate for fewer opportunities.  One way to do that is to follow the needs analysis system for sales presentations known as RAIN. 

RAIN System
R - rapport
A - afflictions or needs/wants
I  - impact
N - new reality

RAIN is a series of sequential questions which incrementally open the prospect up to saying yes to your solution to his problem.

The following are some ideas for developing rapport:
“Tell me about your business.”
“How has business changed for you in the last few months?”
(To really connect with the prospect show you respect his time by asking, "When we spoke, you mentioned you had 30 minutes today. Does that still work for you?”

Uncover needs (afflictions):
“What do you want to happen that isn’t happening now?”
“How far short is the company from reaching its annual sales budget?”
“What is holding you back from reaching your revenue goals?”

Going deeper:
“What is your timetable for making this change?”

Impact:
“How would implementing these changes affect your ability to compete?”
“If you don’t solve this challenge what kind of difficulties might you face going forward?”

New Reality:
“Your sales shortfall is $100K.  My fee to help is $5K.  Would you like me to partner with you to solve the problem?”
“What kind of impact on your personal life would take place if this problem were solved?”
“What will your company look like after solving this problem?

Paint the picture
A client is not necessarily going to be able to articulate neither the full weight of his problem nor the full benefits of not having the problem.  He’s in the middle of the situation. That’s why you must help him see it.  Draw the picture for him.  Help him see how his life is going to be better when the problem is gone.  And monetize the problem.  Put a figure on it so your fee or solution, in contrast, proves to be affordable.  You do all this with the RAIN questions.

Don’t Do This
Recently, I was on the receiving end of a sales presentation that totally missed the mark.  I was looking forward to the meeting because I wanted to learn more about this advertising technology - I might be able to recommend it to my clients.  The young lady presenter started with a vengeance.  She didn’t initiate any small talk. She developed no rapport.  The only thing on her mind, it seemed, was rushing me through all the neat tricks in her product.  Unfortunately, all it did for me was turn off interest in doing business.  I am concerned for her because she could have gotten some business if she had just focused on the right object – the customer instead of her product.

Just like the attorneys’ presentation above, business owners and marketers tend to think the features of their products and services are the reasons customers choose them. That’s not the case.  Your care and concern for them, shown by asking the appropriate questions is what wins the business.  The old saying is true, “No one cares how much you know till they know how much you care.”

Put aside the temptation to tell your story first. Instead, ask your customer about his story.  When he feels you are putting his needs first, he will give you plenty of opportunity to talk about yourself.

Seven Tips for Effective Direct Marketing

In developing an effective marketing strategy, over one hundred marketing tactics tempt business owners on a regular basis.  Social media, direct marketing, relationship media, search marketing - it’s difficult to decide what’s best for your business. 

Let’s review the purpose of our marketing – to develop ongoing relationships with our prospects in order to prove our credibility, trust and likeability. We are going to cover each of the major marketing strategies in this column and today we will concentrate on one of them - direct marketing.  Direct marketing is characterized by sending a message directly to a consumer or business while bypassing a third party carrier – such as a newspaper.  Another characteristic is trackability.  We must track our marketing responses. Without tracking, marketing is public relations.  Here are seven tips for utilizing direct marketing effectively.

Direct mail –  I’ve heard many business owners say they tried direct mail but it didn’t work.  After investigating, I found out why.  They mailed only once, to an untargeted list, with a message that was boring with weak headlines and no photos.  Worst of all, the mail piece included no call to action.  If you correct those features, response will improve greatly. Don’t forget to track your results so you can assess the success of your mailing.

Telephone –  I don’t believe in telemarketing in the sense you are thinking.  I’m talking about a helpful, informative, mannerly caller who asks for an opportunity to trade free educational material for an email address.  The goal is to exchange free information, like a downloadable special report or a CD for their contact information. Then you can market to that person basically for free in a permission-based email campaign. 

Email –  Spam is never OK.  But, permission-based or opt-in email campaigns are effective and inexpensive.  Like direct mail, copy using normal conversation, interesting headlines, and call to actions are key ingredients.  Shorter is better than longer – less than 70 words. The biggest deal is building your list.  You want to develop strategies for gaining email addresses and permission to email. Building your list really is your marketing future, no matter which tactic you employ.

In-person –  Turn strangers into friends and friends into customers.  Add big value.  Nothing works better than being there in person.  If at possible, include a personal visit every day to a customer or prospect.  It’s you, yourself, that makes the strong connection.  And when you are friends with your customer, you don’t any competitors.

Networking –  I used to hate networking but I enjoy it now.  It changed when I realized I attended an event to give first to .  Instead of trying to get something for myself first, I was there to share helpful information, contacts or compassion with those I met.  This attitude leads to interesting exchanges that sometimes lead to exchanging business cards, phone call follow-ups and business.  But first things first.  Network to give and then you will gain.

Public speaking –  Not everyone feels like they can speak in public.  However, I am constantly surprised when the quiet ones turn out to be great speakers.  Public speaking is a good way to position you as an “expert.”  When you are an expert, your marketing and selling get a lot easier.  People approach you rather than you approaching them.  It’s a terrific marketing positioning tactic.  And, you can learn to be a speaker.  Check out Brian Tracy’s books.

Door hangers –  Hanging marketing communications is popular now because it’s inexpensive and effective.  Hire teenagers to hang 400 pieces in a neighborhood in two hours.  You avoid postage costs.  Pay $8 per hour and your done. Again, track to results to the call to action.

Direct marketing is very effective.  Use a targeted list, include an attractive offer and call the customer to act.  Remember the overall goal is to establish ongoing relationships that make buying from you easy. 

How to Attract More Customers with Education-Based Marketing

I attended a very good Chamber seminar this morning where Chris Graham, editor of “The Augusta Free Press,” gave a presentation entitled “Marketing on a Shoestring.”  He described the low cost benefits of marketing with Facebook, Twitter and press releases.  He knew what he was talking about and earned a lot of respect in my book.

There was one thing Chris didn’t do.  He didn’t ask for any business.  He didn’t sell us anything.  Even though he owns a business and 50 people were listening, he passed on the opportunity to offer his services.  Chris left us wanting to know more, about him and his business.

I don’t know if Chris did this intentionally but he illustrated well the best use of marketing – to educate your prospects and customers.  He demonstrated how education-based marketing trumps traditional sales-based marketing. 

The misconception among service providers is that marketing’s primary focus is to promote what they do – their services.  But in reality, marketing should be showcasing your knowledge, credibility and trustworthiness.  Since no sale is made without trust in the supplier, then educating to that end is the goal.

Develop your educational message

As a provider of services, you want to develop helpful, informational content and give it to your prospects and customers. The way to develop your content is to put yourself in the customer’s shoes.  As he begins to think about buying your type services, what are his questions and concerns?  What does he want to know?  The answer to those questions is your educational content. 

For example, if you are a home remodeler, your customer might want to know “What are the best materials for my countertops – and why?”  “What is the return on my remodeling investment if I sell my home?”  Any homeowner thinking about renewing their home would love to have a helpful report answering those questions.  And that is exactly what the remodeler can provide in his marketing to gain credibility and trust.

How to package your educational message to generate qualified leads

Once you develop your message you want to package it and give it away in exchange for your prospect’s contact information.  This is very important.  Marketing not only provides information but it creates a response.  You want to gather email and/or physical addresses so you can continue marketing to them.

You can package your content in many ways. You can develop helpful articles, special reports, e-books, seminars, webinars, teleclasses, informational newsletters, workshops, CD’s and DVD’s etc.

How to deliver your marketing message

You have developed and packaged your educational marketing message.  Now you determine how and when to deliver the message.  Think about the different “touch points” your customer comes into contact with in your business.  It might be your website, networking opportunities, seminars, phone conversations, advertising etc.

Our remodeler might have a phone conversation and end it by saying, “Thanks, Joe, for calling and if I can be of service to you at any time, let me know.”  Or you could say, “Joe, thanks for calling and by the way, I have developed a special free report on the 10 ways to go “green” in your remodeling project.  Would you like me to send that to you?”  Of course, he will say yes.

You gave accomplished three big things:  1.You have generated goodwill with the free gift.  2. You have collected his contact information for future marketing.  3. You have a legitimate reason to follow-up with him after he receives his special report.

Try not to give a sales pitch

By providing helpful, educational information, you have set yourself apart from your competition.  Most of them will be using sales-based marketing.  The beauty of this marketing strategy is that you give what your customers want – helpful, free information and don’t give what they don’t want – a sales pitch.

By offering educational messages you position yourself as an authority in your field because you are a reliable source of information.  Be careful not to give a sales pitch.  It only erodes the trust you have developed and makes you the same as your competitor in the eyes of your customer.

Conclusion

Chris Graham’s seminar this morning accomplished its goal.  It was educational and non-threatening.  It built credibility and trust.  It kept the door open for more dialogue.  It did not include a sales pitch.  If you, the service-based business, follow Chris’s model, you’ll enjoy more sales and higher closing ratios.

Relationship Marketing Creates Clients for Life

I love springtime, the colorful flowers, green grass and deep, thick mulch.  What a beautiful change from the bare trees and brown gardens of winter.  As you know, a beautiful garden requires some thought and labor on your part.  At our house, we are adding nutrients to the soil, spacing the flowers and plants appropriately (I hope so, anyway) and planning for sun and water to feed the new plantings.

Great marketing follows the same principles – your care and attention - for the customer.  I call this LUIGI marketing.  LUIGI marketing provides what your customers want for a healthy and profitable business – no matter what product or service you offer.  LUIGI stands for:
Listening
Understanding
Informing
Guiding
Increasing

You see, all business stands on providing more value than the service costs.  What we tend to forget is your customer wants personal care and attention first and foremost.  Before engaging in blogging, Twitter or direct mail, plan for personal connection with your customer.

Think about it, who would you rather buy from, someone you know, like and trust or someone you just met?  If you are a good friend of your customer you don’t have any competition. 

Listening
The first step in LUIGI marketing is listening.  Your customer wants you to listen to him.  He hopes you care for him more than your own agenda. The essential byproduct of listening well is learning what your customer’s issues are.  Then you can go about providing solutions.  If you can’t provide the solution with your particular service, you can refer someone who can.  Either way, you have proved you were listening and have won a friend.

One way to listen is ask your customer how you are doing.  You can use an email survey or you can ask in person.  Either way, ask what you are doing well and how you can improve.

Understanding
The second LUIGI step is understanding.  Listening opens the door.  Understanding brings you to the table.  If you will stop selling and try to understand, the customer will love you.  Understanding makes the essential emotional connection required to gain trust.  This is true no matter if you are writing an email newsletter, creating an ad or visiting a customer in person.  Customers open up when you work to understand them.

Informing
Once trust is established you may now provide the solution to your customer’s problem.  He is looking for a solution and you must show him the benefits of your service.  Your customer is not only buying the features of your service but the bottom line benefits.  Is Toyota selling a 3000 pound vehicle or a bigger retirement fund knowing there will be savings on your gas bill?  Is Hershey selling a chocolate bar or a tasty reward after a hard day’s work?  Provide your information in terms of benefits.

Let me just stop right here and say that I know some of you are saying, “Personal or relationship marketing – that sounds sappy or non-technical or out of date.”  Perhaps it is sappy and out of date but if you skip over these principles you are going to lose out on profits – big time.  Just Google marketing and you’ll find this same story over and over from the great marketers.  Please don’t miss this.

Guiding
The last two LUIGI marketing steps are guiding and increasing.  Guiding is gently pushing an object at rest in the right direction.  If your product offers big value, then your customer wants and needs it.  However, inertia will keep customers standing still unless you gently guide them into moving forward.  Guiding illustrates to your customer that no action results in lost “something.”  Guiding and directing is easy once you have listened, understood and informed.  It just falls in line.

Increasing
The end result of guiding is an increase for your customer - increased profits, increased peace of mind, increased ease of operation or increased confidence.  The value of your product or service is increase.  Your customer wants increase, not just a product.

Our gardens have potential to be beautiful this time of year.  Gardens require personal attention for growth and health.  Our customers need personal attention, too.  LUIGI marketing is the plan to follow. Listen, understand, inform, guide and increase.  Before you jump into planting, prepare the soil.  Before you expect great things in your business, provide personal, relational marketing.  Personal care insures growth both in your garden and with your customers.

Three Steps to Catapult Sales While Reducing Costs

In a down economy how do you gain more customers with a smaller marketing budget?  You create a referral generating factory.  You create a company-wide mindset to gain referrals. It’s still the best way to market a small business.  You have to go back to basics when times are tough.

I know most business owners do not like asking for referrals.  It seems pushy. But that is the beauty of it. Once you do a great job for a customer the Law of Reciprocity kicks in.  He wants to give back.  How can you let him help you?  You provide an opportunity to pass referrals to you.

Satisfied customers want to refer you
Satisfied customers are your best source for referrals.  Their enthusiasm over your excellent service will naturally spill over to their friends and associates.  But you can develop a system for capturing more of these referrals.  Imagine if each of your happy customers provided referrals that resulted in 2 new customers per year.  That is a 200% increase in sales. If you factor in customer attrition of one per year you still have a 100% increase per year.  Can you see how this tactic is almost like printing money in your basement?

Step 1.  Ask for referrals
Your first step is to ask for two referrals from each of your satisfied customers.  If possible, ask while the iron is hot – when he pays you. Then, four months later ask for two more referrals.  Include all your employees in the fun.  Create a friendly competition to see who can gain the most referrals per month.  Keep track on a big white board in the lunch room.  Make sure management is tracking referrals.  How many received per month?  What are the sources?  Sales resulting from the referrals?  Customer attrition?  Remember that whatever is tracked improves.

Step 2.  Keep in touch
A precondition of a referral generating factory is keeping in touch with your customers and prospects.  You can’t let your customers forget you.  There are many good ways to keep in touch – phone follow-up, thank you notes, and email newsletters.  One of my favorites is the paper newsletter mailed once per month.  Customers open and read them more than emails. Make sure you provide helpful and interesting information. Your customers will love you for providing this value.

Step 3.  Provide big value
The biggest question is – are you worthy of a referral?  If you are not gaining enough referrals ask yourself why?  Don’t blame the customer. They will refer if the value is there.  Look inside your company first for a problem.  Ask your customers their opinion.  If necessary, get assistance from other business owners or coaches.  But a great reputation is the prerequisite for a successful referral marketing strategy.

If you create a consistent, fun atmosphere in your company and ask for and follow-up on customer referrals you might almost be able to retire your outside sales team. 

In order to evaluate the value of this referral strategy commit to it for a year.  Remember to develop a referral tracking system.  Keep in touch with customers regularly so they won’t forget you.  Provide more value than your customer expects.  If you follow this system a referral generating machine will develop. 
In economic hard times you have to go back to the basics.  Gaining referrals is the most cost-effective marketing strategy.  Make it your plan this year.

Five Ways to Stop “Selling” in Order to Grow Sales

In today’s tough economy it’s easy to fall back into old sales habits in order to “persuade” or pressure the customer. I was reminded of this tendency recently when doing some sales coaching for a small business. The sales person was under pressure to keep sales from sliding. He fell back into the mindset that if he used more and better closing techniques, his customer would be more likely to buy. Even with this increased effort the salesperson was not successful. He illustrated to me again that we need to re-examine our core beliefs about selling. I’m suggesting some new thinking will create better results. Here are five new mindsets to “stop selling” in order to grow sales:

1. The traditional mindset says, “Always deliver a strong sales pitch.” The new mindset says, “Stop the sales pitch and start a conversation.”

When calling a prospect, instead of jumping into your presentation, why not ask them “if they would be open to some new ideas about a solution to….” This allows a conversation to develop. The customer is not immediately put in the position of making a quick decision – which might be no.

2. The traditional mindset said, “The goal is to close the sale.” The new mindset says, “Find out if you and the prospect are a good fit.”

If you let go of trying to close the sale or the appointment and find out if your services meet your customer’s needs, you don’t need to take responsibility for moving the sales process forward. Your good questions naturally evoke responses that do that. Ask, “What is it you are trying improve in this department?” Or, in a retail environment, “Are there birthdays or anniversaries approaching where you need a present?” If you ask the right questions, the customer will join you as a teammate and close the deal for you.

3. The traditional mindset, “If you lose a sale, it’s usually at the end of the process.” The new mindset, “If you lose a sale, it’s usually at the beginning of the sales process.”

Usually we lose a sale when we say something at the beginning that causes the customer to get defensive. Did you start a conversation or begin a sales pitch? Did you include old “sales lingo?” When you sound like a traditional salesman, the customer puts you in the classic “he’s just a salesman” box. He won’t open up and reveal his issues. He stays at arms length emotionally. Trust begins with using language that does not trigger any negative emotions.

4. Traditional thinking, “Rejection is a normal part of selling.” The new mindset says, “Sales pressure is the only cause of rejection. Rejection should never happen.”

Again, sales pressure occurs because we said something that triggered a defensive emotional reaction. When you give up trying to control the sales process and focus on the customer’s needs and wants, the customer has nothing to “defend” against. Then, if there is a good fit, they will want to work with you quite naturally.

5. The traditional mindset, “When a customer offers objections, you should counter or challenge them.” The new mindset says, “If the customer offers objections, uncover the truth behind them.”

Traditional sales systems spend a lot of time teaching how to “overcome objections.” This fails to acknowledge that the customer is keeping the real reasons to himself, at least for now. If the customer offers an objection, simply say, “That’s not a problem.” Then, with dignified, gentle language begin to try to listen to and understand their viewpoint. Ask questions gently. Make sure they understand you are not just “trying to get an order,” but really want to know if you can help them solve a problem.

If you are in sales or management, even when you are tempted to think the old sales techniques of chasing, controlling and closing are needed, remember what the customer really wants you to provide. He wants you to put him first. If you listen well, understand his problem and offer a solution that fits, without the old sales lingo, your sales are going to do quite well.

The Secret to Keeping in Touch with Customers

Gaining more and better customers in 2009 is a lot like going out on a first date.  Both of you enjoy dinner and a movie and have fun getting to know each other.  The evening goes very well.  Fast forward six months.  You see your date in the grocery store and say, “Our date was a lot of fun.  Let’s do it again. Are you free next Friday night?”  She says, “Yes, I did have a great time.  Why didn’t you contact me again?” 

Customers feel the same way.  They bought from you but never heard from you again.  Or, more likely, they heard from you six months later.  That’s too late.

Customers always hope you will provide the value from your goods and services you promised in your offer.  After they buy, they’re hoping for more conversations so they can feel good about buying again or referring their friends to you.  This is true of any business – a restaurant, a contractor or business professional.  Customers want you to come through for them.  That means keeping in touch.

Keeping in touch with your customers is where the big money is.  It is eight times easier, statistically, to obtain an order from an existing customer than a new one.  Think about it.  If you really needed business immediately to keep your business going and you couldn’t borrow any money, what would you do?  You’d probably contact one of your satisfied customers, explain your situation and ask him for business. And, your customer would try his best to give it to you.  Would a new prospect do that?  Probably not.  So, in the same way, the easiest and quickest way to get more business on a regular basis is to keep in touch with satisfied customers and ask them for more business.

What are the best tactics to use when keeping in touch?  There are many to choose from.  Here are my three favorites.  I like paper newsletters.  People are more likely to read them than email newsletters.  They are more likely to be filed and read again if the information is valuable.  Paper newsletters are especially cost effective if your mailing list is small.  My next favorite tactic is the blank post card.  Hand write a thank you note and include a PS. that offers something new.  Invite them to an event or a sale.  Always include a call to action.  My third selection is the monthly email newsletter.  For those with a large list, this is the easiest keep-in-touch strategy.  Include valuable, free information.  Provide so much value that they get upset if your newsletter doesn’t arrive on time. 

The benefits of a keep-in-touch strategy are that customers will remember you when they need your type of service in the future.  They won’t forget you. You’ll develop friendships with your customers that effectively lock out your competition.  Finally, you will gain more business.  Pure and simple, keeping in touch results in more business.  The key is understanding that your customers and prospects want and need your helpful and interesting information. Providing it on a regular basis is the right strategy.

I have been assisting my clients this month with their 2009 marketing planning.  Coincidentally, I had been a customer of one of them.  So, I knew this client’s service up close and personal. When we got to the keep-in-touch section of the plan he did not feel it really applied to his business.  At that point I reminded him of our conversations when we did business together.  There were two parts to the project and we opted to do it in two phases.  After the successful completion of phase one, my client never contacted us about phase two.  A year passed.  It was one of the reasons we changed our plans and went in another direction.  If my client had stayed in touch with us I’m sure we would have done more business together. 

If you haven’t already, take time to plan your marketing for 2009.  It is essential to have a road map. Your marketing plan provides that direction. The keeping-in-touch section of your plan is the “boots on the ground” that gets it done.  Commit to a consistent, long term strategy.  Mail to customers, utilize permission email marketing and send personal post cards. Your customers will love you for it. A successful first date is the beginning of the story, not the end.  Make sure there is a second date by keeping in touch.

One of the Most Powerful Marketing Tactics on the Planet

Your monthly newsletter is one of the most powerful marketing tools in your arsenal. “In fact,” Ben Hart, the marketing guru, says “it’s almost as good as printing money in your basement.”

Here’s why:

• It’s cheap.
• It provides valuable information to your customers
• It keeps your name in front of current customers, past customers and prospects

I prefer postage-paid paper versus email for a delivery system. The reason is paper newsletters pull better than email. They maintain their value longer because an email can be deleted by one keystroke. And, paper newsletters are perceived as having more value. Email is a great marketing tool but it’s not the most effective method for a monthly newsletter.

Why monthly? Studies show that newsletters begin to lose their impact when delivered more than 30 days apart. A quarterly newsletter allows too much time to pass. You can certainly send newsletters more often if you have enough content. That doesn’t hurt you. Since you will be sending valuable information in other forms such as thank you notes and emails, a monthly newsletter is just right.

The Math

Here’s how the monthly newsletter provides a fantastic return on investment. Let’s say it costs $.80 to print and mail, including postage, your newsletter. That’s $10 per year. If your average sale profits you $100, you only have to close one order every 10 years to break even. What if your profit is $300 or $1000 per sale? Can you see how this tactic starts to look like an ATM machine in your den with unlimited funds?

What if you own a restaurant and your profit per sale is only $20? If your customer dines once a month for a year you have gained $240 minus the $10 cost or $230. Not bad for a relatively small ticket item. Many service providers like CPA’s, consultants and construction companies obtain large sums per sale so, for them, this is a no-brainer.

What do you say?

The famous advertising genius, Claude Hopkins said, “There are no boring topics only boring writers.” There is no end of material on the internet to help with your content. If you like writing, of course, write your own. Remember the goal is to provide helpful, interesting and valuable information for your customer. Your newsletter is not so much about your company as it is about adding value to the reader.

You can also include information outside your field. A construction company can include a helpful tip on marketing or insurance. An interior decorator can include helpful hints on selecting painting companies. Provide a calendar of events from your community. Anything that is helpful will gain your customer’s appreciation and trust.

Include strong calls to action

Many newsletters miss the opportunity for more sales by not including strong calls for action: “Call to register for your free movie tickets,” or “Email us this week to hold your seminar seat,” or “Visit our website for our new video.” It is essential in this digital age that you drive your customer with your newsletter to your website. We will discuss this in other articles but internet marketing, with your website as the storefront, is one of the big keys for your future.

Fancy not necessary

An 8 1/2” x 11” sheet folded once and stapled is the easiest format. Your newsletter in an envelope is even better. Either way, content is king. It is better to mail it consistently each month than try to arrange for fancy graphics/format and not mail it at all. If you are a small business, go ahead and include your photo in the mast head. If you don’t have it, don’t worry about it. It is not essential. If you want to spend time on anything it might be the headings. Make them intriguing and interesting. Get the reader’s attention.

Help people remember

Dan Kennedy, the super marketer, said that for every month you fail to contact your customers you will lose 10% of them. I have learned that lesson the hard way. Even if you have provided a service within six months people tend to forget you. Some customers buy on impulse so if you are not readily available when they buy next time, they will buy from whomever is handy.

That is why the newsletter is essential for your business growth. It does not allow your customer or prospect to forget about you. If you drive down the same street in your town you see the same retail stores on every trip. Their storefront signs are always sending their message. You can’t ignore them. But if your business has no sign, how do you consistently remind people of your services? If you mail a monthly newsletter, that becomes your sign. You won’t be forgotten.

Printing money in your basement is illegal. But in business, mailing a monthly newsletter is the next best thing.

Selling Made Simple

Recently I had the opportunity to make a joint sales call with one of my client’s field salesmen.  We were seeing a local developer regarding installing equipment in a new home.  The salesman arrived at the location and almost immediately began listing all the superior features of his equipment and where it should be installed.  The contractor listened and followed the salesman around the home during his presentation.

The Customer’s Unspoken Need

The salesman went to his car to retrieve a brochure and during his absence I asked the developer where he was from and how his business was going.  Then I asked him, since he had other options open to him what he wanted from a supplier of this type of service.  He smiled and said he just wanted the supplier to arrive on time.  I asked him, in that case, if they arrived on time and did a good job at a fair price, would he hire him?  He said, “Yes.”  My client’s salesman missed that conversation but I relayed the information.  He ultimately got the order.

This story is not uncommon in the world of sales, whether talking with a small business owner, salesman, customer service rep or executive of a large corporation.  The person making the presentation is thinking more about himself and his “sale” than he is about the needs and wants of the customer.  Consequently, many times, he misses the opportunity to meet those needs.  This salesperson needs a helpful system to guide him.  The following is the “Selling Made Simple System,” designed to meet your customer’s needs and make sales more fun and authentic for you.

Give first, Ask, Listen and Dialogue

First, in order to effectively market and sell your services you must have the mindset of a trusted, long-term advisor.  Who would you rather buy from, a trusted advisor or a salesman?  If you become an advisor you will attract a long line of solution-seeking customers. The next step in the sales system is to ask about the customer’s needs and desires.  You want to find out what his goals are - in the business and/or in this transaction.  Then you want to listen.  Encourage your customer to tell you as much as he is comfortable about the project.  Facilitate a dialogue. A good rule of thumb is “talk less and listen more.”

Offer Benefits

The salesman in the story above offered the features of his products and services.  That is what most of us do.  But what does the customer really want?  Is he buying just features?  Or is he buying the bottom-line benefits?  He is buying benefits, even if he doesn’t realize it.  All successful sales and marketing is based on meeting the needs and desires of your customer.  Emotion is involved.  Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan is not selling features – it connects with the runner’s emotions to excel, be healthier, look better, feel better, and be adventuresome.  So, in our sales effort, dig a little deeper to find the underlying reasons your customer is buying.  Then provide what he wants at a good profit.

Ask the Big Question

By now, you are developing trust and credibility with your customer.  You are offering solutions, asking the right questions and listening well.  The real secret in the “Simple Selling System” is then to ask the question, “Would you like a partner to help you in meeting your goal?”  That question is powerful because you aren’t asking him to buy anything - you are simply offering to help in meeting his goal.  Who wouldn’t want that?

If your customer is hesitant or says no it does not mean he is rejecting you personally.  Generally it means there is some lack of information or trust that prevents him from saying yes.  In that case, simply ask him what the issue is.  If he tells you, if you can meet his request, then you have won a customer.  If not, then the timing is not right.  Remember from our last article that timing plays a role.  Not all customers are ready to buy when you make the offer.

Always Stay in Touch

That leads to the last step in our Sales System.  Stay in touch.  The story is not over.  Do not let your prospect forget about you.  He is still processing.  Keep the conversation going via email, personal visit, phone call, invitations to the next event, post cards etc.  This is so important.  Stay in touch and the hard work you have done thus far will pay off.

Finally, remember that sales and marketing is really about relationships and giving first to your customer.  Follow the steps in the sales system above.  Practice them.  Put your customer’s needs first, become his advisor, ask, listen, partner and keep in touch.  Your customer is hoping you will come through for him and meet his needs, not just offer features.  Put him first.  Then you will gain.

The Making Business Come to You Sales Cycle

Suppose I were to ask the woman who was to become my future spouse out on our first date and then proceeded to ask her, “Would you marry me?”  What would be her response?  Of course, she would say, “No.”  And if I followed with the question, “Why not?”  She would almost certainly say, “Because I don’t know you yet.”

The deepest and longest lasting relationships need understanding and trust to build over time.  It is the same in business.  Customers are always looking for service providers they can trust.  Products and services are not the biggest issue. Trust is. Trust is built one conversation at a time.  You want to turn strangers into friends and friends into customers. That series of conversations and their relevant, authentic content will be the basis for your marketing and sales campaigns.

In order to build trust over time with your marketing messages you must know and demonstrate the answers to the following questions: 

Who is your target market?  Who do you want to connect with and who will recognize you as the best solution to their need?
What does your customer want?  Do you know the heartfelt needs and desires of your target market?  What offers will you make to demonstrate the benefits of your services?
When do people need your services?  At what point in your customer’s life is the “pain” great enough to need and pay for your services?  This helps position your business effectively.
Where will they find you?  Does you customer find you in the yellow pages, on your website or from a referral? 
Why will they buy from you?  Can you articulate why a customer would choose you over a competitor?  Assume the products and prices are the same.
How do you want your customer to respond to you?  Do you want them to phone you, drop in or sign up for your e-mail newsletter?

Now you can move to the most powerful step in the sales cycle – “always have something to invite them to.”  One reason many small business owners dislike sales and marketing is because it feels they are selling something that people don’t really want.  Another complaint is that selling is uncomfortable, pushy and not authentic.  It’s not “really them.”  That is why I suggest you invite people to sample your services in such a way that it is like talking to a neighbor across the fence – easy and relaxed.  Don’t try to sell but offer invitations.  Who doesn’t want to be invited to a helpful and fun event?

Step two is to invite your customer to experience a small sample of your services at no cost in order to capture their information for future communication.  This is the key.  Since you are trying to continue conversations to develop trust, obtain permission to email invitations or collect physical addresses and phone numbers to follow up.  For example, you might decide you want to drive traffic to your website. Prospects will provide their email address in exchange for something helpful.  It might be a free chapter of your e-book, white paper on building techniques or tips on decorating a home.  But remember, if you are communicating via email you must obtain permission to send future information when collecting email addresses.

I am not suggesting you give your services away.  Not at all. But in the beginning of the relationship, give value in order to make the necessary connection – developing the trust that is necessary for them to buy.  You want to demonstrate your sincere desire to serve and help your customer.  They need to know what you know.  If you are a landscaper you might provide some helpful tips on your first visit to their home.  They will see your expertise in action and their trust in you will grow.  If you are a specialty contractor you would provide a no-cost quotation and some design ideas.  A carpet cleaner might clean a few square feet of carpet to prove the effectiveness of the process.  A marketing professional will write articles or provide no charge seminars.  In some way, you want to demonstrate competence without asking your customer to pay your full fee.

Step three continues the trust building by offering some of your low-priced services. A chiropractor might offer a discount on the initial visit.  A website designer will offer an informational product for sale such as an audio or video instruction series. The idea is offer low barrier for entry services so trust and familiarity will grow.

As the conversations continue and once you have successfully gained trust and credibility, then your big ticket offer will make sense. It will be well received.  If your customer says no to you, one of two things is happening.  Either trust or value has not yet been established or they are not qualified to be your customer.  (Qualified customers have the money to spend and they are in your target market.) If trust has not been established, persevere and it will be.  Don’t give up too soon.  Continue the conversations and invitations.  Build trust over time.  Understand it is a cycle not a one time event. 

If you don’t like selling, then stop.  Instead, start conversing and inviting.  That is what customers want.  Don’t expect your customer to buy your highest priced offering on the first conversation.  Unless you are selling something very inexpensive, your sale is going to take some time.  Remember, it takes a while for your future spouse to learn to trust you.  She won’t decide to marry you on the first date. Relationships in business are the same.