Hi My Friends,
have you thought about what your
business is gonna look like at
the end of the year?
Do you have any plans on where you
are going with it?
Whatever it is, it is important to
for you to know which direction
you're heading towards - For if you do
not know where you are going, you
may not end up anywhere in your business.
Here's are some tips to get you started.
1. P = Pinpoint your destination.
Write up a plan of things that you
need to do and the timeline that you
need to complete it.
2. L = Leave Your Excuses Behind
There are FAR TOO MANY people all too
happy to provide a reason to why they
cannot do something. Why they cannot
make money.
Don't be one of them (there are plenty,
your spot is already taken.). Write down
all your “Yes” reasons and leave the
whining to the majority.
3. A = Activate Your Avenue
There are so many types of business
models. And you do not have to make
money the same way others do.
There are a lot of unanswered
questions and problems in different
niches.
If you can answer them clearly and
specifically, you'll be amazed at the
momentum you gain just by
solving other people's problem.
4. N = Navigate the Narrows
You need to have a narrow focus. Yet
you don't see a lot of people concentrating
solely on those things. They get caught
up in the latest fad.
What does it REALLY take to make money
online? 3 things : a. Traffic. b. List.
c. Conversions.
Just focus on this system and go simple
and you'll win big.
5. S = Success is NOT an Accident
Your success will be up to… You.
You will not wake up tomorrow with
money in your inbox without having
done something.
And that's a fact.
Others have done it. So, why not you?
Showing posts with label Marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marketing. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Reasons Why People Will Buy From You Over Your Competitors
Reasons Why People Will Buy From You Over Your Competitors
6 Reasons Your Prospects Will Choose to Become Your Customers
1. Their experiences with you. Your prospects will judge your worthiness based on how you make them feel. This includes how well you communicate, your content “depth,” your website’s quality and much more. Your prospects will also be more likely to engage in “conversations” with you when you allow them to interact in ways they prefer (i.e some may resonate with a blog post while others are more engaged by video or audio content). And always remember you are marketing to people first so build the human bond by remembering personal details and listening carefully.
2. Your product or service benefits. There are two basic reasons why people purchase anything – to increase pleasure (e.g. glowing health, freedom, popularity) or decrease pain (e.g. stress, financial problems, poor health). Therefore, focus on your product or service’s most compelling benefits as you communicate with your target audience – then, make sure you deliver on your promises. Be specific.
3. Your trustworthiness and reputation. Protect your good name and do everything in your power to ensure that your customers, prospects, friends, employees, and colleagues view you as a person of value. Keep in mind that your credibility, plausibility, and truthfulness will also win you far more customers than exaggerated claims and over-the-top promises.
4. The value they receive. Although most consumers are price-conscious, the vast majority do not consider price alone when making their buying decisions. Rather, they consider value: the difference between what something costs and its worth to the buyer. What does value look like in the social media world? Answer: great content, expert advice and personal connections.
5. Make transactions easy, safe, and secure. People are more likely to hand over their money when they perceive the risk as minimal. It’s best to reassure potential customers with robust guarantees, a solid privacy policy, and secure payment procedures.
6. How well you articulate their most pressing concerns. To market effectively you must get into your prospects’ heads. Listen carefully (and social media forums and blogs make this very easy) to your target audiences’ expressed opinions and feelings – particularly as they relate to your products or services – and be sure to address them directly. Research the marketplace to discover new trends and golden opportunities that you can leverage to benefit your business.
Most importantly – especially in the social media marketing environment – remember that the superior online and offline marketing happens when entrepreneurs are willing to put themselves out there and build genuine human connections. Social media marketing is not about quantity; it’s about quality. It is not just about long lists of “followers.” Rather, it begins with a sincere desire to grow and nourish genuine relationships and doing whatever it takes to ensure they happen. If you do this, the money will follow.
6 Reasons Your Prospects Will Choose to Become Your Customers
1. Their experiences with you. Your prospects will judge your worthiness based on how you make them feel. This includes how well you communicate, your content “depth,” your website’s quality and much more. Your prospects will also be more likely to engage in “conversations” with you when you allow them to interact in ways they prefer (i.e some may resonate with a blog post while others are more engaged by video or audio content). And always remember you are marketing to people first so build the human bond by remembering personal details and listening carefully.
2. Your product or service benefits. There are two basic reasons why people purchase anything – to increase pleasure (e.g. glowing health, freedom, popularity) or decrease pain (e.g. stress, financial problems, poor health). Therefore, focus on your product or service’s most compelling benefits as you communicate with your target audience – then, make sure you deliver on your promises. Be specific.
3. Your trustworthiness and reputation. Protect your good name and do everything in your power to ensure that your customers, prospects, friends, employees, and colleagues view you as a person of value. Keep in mind that your credibility, plausibility, and truthfulness will also win you far more customers than exaggerated claims and over-the-top promises.
4. The value they receive. Although most consumers are price-conscious, the vast majority do not consider price alone when making their buying decisions. Rather, they consider value: the difference between what something costs and its worth to the buyer. What does value look like in the social media world? Answer: great content, expert advice and personal connections.
5. Make transactions easy, safe, and secure. People are more likely to hand over their money when they perceive the risk as minimal. It’s best to reassure potential customers with robust guarantees, a solid privacy policy, and secure payment procedures.
6. How well you articulate their most pressing concerns. To market effectively you must get into your prospects’ heads. Listen carefully (and social media forums and blogs make this very easy) to your target audiences’ expressed opinions and feelings – particularly as they relate to your products or services – and be sure to address them directly. Research the marketplace to discover new trends and golden opportunities that you can leverage to benefit your business.
Most importantly – especially in the social media marketing environment – remember that the superior online and offline marketing happens when entrepreneurs are willing to put themselves out there and build genuine human connections. Social media marketing is not about quantity; it’s about quality. It is not just about long lists of “followers.” Rather, it begins with a sincere desire to grow and nourish genuine relationships and doing whatever it takes to ensure they happen. If you do this, the money will follow.
7 Simple Productivity Tools
Here are 7 simple but effective productivity tools that can help
you save time and get things done:
1) Your Planner
Of all your productivity tools, your planner is one of the most
important ones, because it's something that you'll use every day to
get things done.
Productivity often comes down to having a clear system to
capture, organize, prioritize, plan and take action on all the
projects, tasks and activities that you need to get done each day.
A good planner can make a big difference in your results, but
even a simple blank notebook can do wonders if you're used to
keeping everything in your head.
If you want a proven software planner for Windows that can help
you get organized and take control of your time, you'll want to
check out Achieve Planner:
2) Dry Erase Calendar
You may also find it helpful to buy a large dry erase calendar
and hang it in a prominent location in your home or office.
A wall in your office, the kitchen or a frequently-traveled
hallway are good locations.
On this calendar, you can mark down important activities and
commitments for all members of the family.
For example, you can record your kids' activities, your own
meetings, doctor and dentist appointments, special functions,
etc. You can plan a week ahead of time, or even a whole month at
a time.
After each event has passed, erase it so you have a clear,
at-a-glance view of the things coming up next.
3) A Password Manager
If you use a web browser and need to keep track of passwords for
different websites (who doesn't?), then a password manager can be a
BIG time saver.
In case you are not familiar with this kind of software, it's a
tool that helps you keep track of your online passwords so you
don't have to remember them off the top of your head or use silly
little passwords that are easy to crack.
The best password managers even auto-fill the login forms for
you so you don't even have to type the passwords yourself.
A very popular and well-known password manager is RoboForm:
4) Reminders and Alarms
Many of the email, planning and organization software programs
available today offer great little settings that can remind you of
important activities.
You can schedule everything from birthday and anniversary
reminders to notes of encouragement for yourself!
Or, you can use a reminder service. There are also reminder
services out there that are absolutely free to use. You simply sign
up for a free account, set the dates and activities you want to be
reminded about, and they will send an email notification on the
date and time you specify.
This is a handy tool worth using if you need help remembering
activities and special occasions.
One popular service is www.MemoToMe.com; or try an internet
search for "reminder service."
5) "Text Replacement" Utilities
This is another little productivity tool that can save you a lot
of time and effort. It works great for common email replies,
signatures, quotes and lots of other boilerplate text that you may
need to type.
I recommend that you check out, Direct Access which reduces time
consuming, repetitive tasks through the use of abbreviations for
text replacement and application launching.
6) Outsourcing Services
If your daily schedule is packed full of chores and obligations
that you can't seem to pare down or delegate, consider outsourcing
some of them to individuals or companies that can help.
For example, if you find that you spend a lot of time nagging
your spouse to do the yard work (or you're forced to do it yourself
and it poses a real drain on your time and energy), call a few
local landscaping companies and check out their rates.
Do the same for housecleaning services, dog walkers, grocery
delivery services, and more.
You might think these services are too expensive, but you'd be
surprised at how inexpensive they CAN be.
Of course, you're going to have to decide if the costs are worth
the extra time you get by using these services. It all depends on
your budget and time commitments.
You might also consider a 'virtual assistant' to help you with
errands and other computer-related busywork.
7) Organizational Tools
If you spend a lot of time hunting for things you need because
you're swimming in a sea of clutter, consider investing in a few
good organizational systems and tools.
Once again, this probably will involve some extra expense at
first, but the extra organization and peace of mind may well be
worth it.
All of these tools may seem overly simple, but don't be
fooled! They can go a long way toward helping you save time,
be more productive and balance your life activities.
you save time and get things done:
1) Your Planner
Of all your productivity tools, your planner is one of the most
important ones, because it's something that you'll use every day to
get things done.
Productivity often comes down to having a clear system to
capture, organize, prioritize, plan and take action on all the
projects, tasks and activities that you need to get done each day.
A good planner can make a big difference in your results, but
even a simple blank notebook can do wonders if you're used to
keeping everything in your head.
If you want a proven software planner for Windows that can help
you get organized and take control of your time, you'll want to
check out Achieve Planner:
2) Dry Erase Calendar
You may also find it helpful to buy a large dry erase calendar
and hang it in a prominent location in your home or office.
A wall in your office, the kitchen or a frequently-traveled
hallway are good locations.
On this calendar, you can mark down important activities and
commitments for all members of the family.
For example, you can record your kids' activities, your own
meetings, doctor and dentist appointments, special functions,
etc. You can plan a week ahead of time, or even a whole month at
a time.
After each event has passed, erase it so you have a clear,
at-a-glance view of the things coming up next.
3) A Password Manager
If you use a web browser and need to keep track of passwords for
different websites (who doesn't?), then a password manager can be a
BIG time saver.
In case you are not familiar with this kind of software, it's a
tool that helps you keep track of your online passwords so you
don't have to remember them off the top of your head or use silly
little passwords that are easy to crack.
The best password managers even auto-fill the login forms for
you so you don't even have to type the passwords yourself.
A very popular and well-known password manager is RoboForm:
4) Reminders and Alarms
Many of the email, planning and organization software programs
available today offer great little settings that can remind you of
important activities.
You can schedule everything from birthday and anniversary
reminders to notes of encouragement for yourself!
Or, you can use a reminder service. There are also reminder
services out there that are absolutely free to use. You simply sign
up for a free account, set the dates and activities you want to be
reminded about, and they will send an email notification on the
date and time you specify.
This is a handy tool worth using if you need help remembering
activities and special occasions.
One popular service is www.MemoToMe.com; or try an internet
search for "reminder service."
5) "Text Replacement" Utilities
This is another little productivity tool that can save you a lot
of time and effort. It works great for common email replies,
signatures, quotes and lots of other boilerplate text that you may
need to type.
I recommend that you check out, Direct Access which reduces time
consuming, repetitive tasks through the use of abbreviations for
text replacement and application launching.
6) Outsourcing Services
If your daily schedule is packed full of chores and obligations
that you can't seem to pare down or delegate, consider outsourcing
some of them to individuals or companies that can help.
For example, if you find that you spend a lot of time nagging
your spouse to do the yard work (or you're forced to do it yourself
and it poses a real drain on your time and energy), call a few
local landscaping companies and check out their rates.
Do the same for housecleaning services, dog walkers, grocery
delivery services, and more.
You might think these services are too expensive, but you'd be
surprised at how inexpensive they CAN be.
Of course, you're going to have to decide if the costs are worth
the extra time you get by using these services. It all depends on
your budget and time commitments.
You might also consider a 'virtual assistant' to help you with
errands and other computer-related busywork.
7) Organizational Tools
If you spend a lot of time hunting for things you need because
you're swimming in a sea of clutter, consider investing in a few
good organizational systems and tools.
Once again, this probably will involve some extra expense at
first, but the extra organization and peace of mind may well be
worth it.
All of these tools may seem overly simple, but don't be
fooled! They can go a long way toward helping you save time,
be more productive and balance your life activities.
The "Acid Test" of Listening
The "Acid Test" of Listening
Paraphrase Your Customer's Words
The customer is only sure that you have been listening when you paraphrase what the prospect has said and feed it back in your own words. This is where the rubber meets the road in effective listening. This is where you demonstrate in no uncertain terms to the prospect that your listening has been real and sincere. This is where you show the prospect that you were paying complete attention to what he or she was saying. Paraphrasing is how you prove it.
Question for Clarification
When the prospect has finished explaining his or her situation to you, and you have paused, and then questioned for clarification, you paraphrase the prospects primary thoughts and concerns, and feed them back to him or her in your own words.
Use the Right Words
For example, you might say, "Let me make sure I understand exactly what you are saying. It sounds to me like you are concerned about two things more than anything else, and that in the past you have had a couple of experiences that have made you very careful in approaching a decision of this kind."
Feed it Back Accurately
You then go on to feed back to the prospect exactly what he or she has told you, pausing and questioning for clarification as you go, until the customer says words to the effect of, "Yes, that's it! You've got it exactly."
Earn the Right to Sell
Only when you and the customer completed a thorough "examination" and have mutually agreed on the "diagnosis" you are in a position to begin talking to the customer about your product or service. In general terms, this means that you can not pull out your brochures and price lists and begin telling the customer how your product or service can solve his problems or achieve his goals until about seventy percent of the way through the sales conversation. Until then, you have not yet earned the right. Until then, you don't even know enough to begin an intelligent presentation without embarrassing yourself.
Be a Good Listener
The more and better you listen, the more and better people will like you, trust you and want to do business with you. The more they will want to get involved with you as a person and the more popular you will be with them. Excellent listeners are welcome everywhere, in every walk of life, and they eventually and ultimately arrive at the top of their fields.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, remember that your first job in the sale is to get the customer to like you and believe that you understand his situation. Paraphrasing is the way you accomplish this.
Second, be sure that the customer agrees with you completely when you feed back his concerns to him. Only then can you really start selling.
Paraphrase Your Customer's Words
The customer is only sure that you have been listening when you paraphrase what the prospect has said and feed it back in your own words. This is where the rubber meets the road in effective listening. This is where you demonstrate in no uncertain terms to the prospect that your listening has been real and sincere. This is where you show the prospect that you were paying complete attention to what he or she was saying. Paraphrasing is how you prove it.
Question for Clarification
When the prospect has finished explaining his or her situation to you, and you have paused, and then questioned for clarification, you paraphrase the prospects primary thoughts and concerns, and feed them back to him or her in your own words.
Use the Right Words
For example, you might say, "Let me make sure I understand exactly what you are saying. It sounds to me like you are concerned about two things more than anything else, and that in the past you have had a couple of experiences that have made you very careful in approaching a decision of this kind."
Feed it Back Accurately
You then go on to feed back to the prospect exactly what he or she has told you, pausing and questioning for clarification as you go, until the customer says words to the effect of, "Yes, that's it! You've got it exactly."
Earn the Right to Sell
Only when you and the customer completed a thorough "examination" and have mutually agreed on the "diagnosis" you are in a position to begin talking to the customer about your product or service. In general terms, this means that you can not pull out your brochures and price lists and begin telling the customer how your product or service can solve his problems or achieve his goals until about seventy percent of the way through the sales conversation. Until then, you have not yet earned the right. Until then, you don't even know enough to begin an intelligent presentation without embarrassing yourself.
Be a Good Listener
The more and better you listen, the more and better people will like you, trust you and want to do business with you. The more they will want to get involved with you as a person and the more popular you will be with them. Excellent listeners are welcome everywhere, in every walk of life, and they eventually and ultimately arrive at the top of their fields.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, remember that your first job in the sale is to get the customer to like you and believe that you understand his situation. Paraphrasing is the way you accomplish this.
Second, be sure that the customer agrees with you completely when you feed back his concerns to him. Only then can you really start selling.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
THE 10 POWERFUL MUSTS IN MARKETING
THE 10 POWERFUL MUSTS IN MARKETING
By Kevin Thomas
Whenever I meet a Business Owner or an Entrepreneur the first question I ask is "how does your Marketing measure up"? Their usual response is that their Marketing Sucks! How about yours? If you are like most, Marketing is the last thing that you work on in your business. You are either doing the technical part of your business or you are putting out fires. You usually don't have a clear plan or strategy on how to set up a successful Marketing initiative in your organization. Most of the time, we are being reactive instead of proactive. We wait until business slows down and then we put a bunch of money into different media sources in hopes that business gets better. Typically, this doesn't work. But if it does, we don't measure it, to see what part of our message inspired our clients to come in the door or call us on the phone. If you would like to develop a Marketing Strategy that will give you awesome results, consistent traffic and more profits, I encourage you to read on. These are the 10 Powerful Musts that your Marketing Plan should have.
You must have 10 Marketing Strategies active at all time
Most companies have three or less strategies working for them and because of that their message doesn't reach their customers in enough time for it to stick. Researches show that a potential client must hear, see or experience your message 9 times or more before deciding to do business with you. Your website, your TV ad and your print advertising alone, isn't enough to drive the traffic that you need to make your business successful. I teach my clients how to determine the 10 affordable mediums that they can use to get their message out, so that they can attract more clients to them.
Your Marketing Message must address your target market and their interests directly
Your message must be focused.....like a laser beam on your target market. It must speak to their needs directly and clearly. For instance, an auto repair facility may communicate that they are the local experts for European automobiles. By doing this, they have separated themselves from every other repair facility in their area. Anyone who owns a European automobile now has a local expert that they can take their vehicle to.
Your Marketing Message must be consistent across all mediums you use
Many Business Owners are their own worst enemy. This is because they are communicating one message in one ad and another, somewhere else. We mentioned earlier that it takes nine or more impressions before someone makes a decision to purchase from you. If you are sending multiple messages, it will dilute your voice and cost you opportunities.
You must track all leads and know what Marketing Medium brought your prospect to contact you
There is an old saying, "What you measure you will manage". You must know what is working and what is not. If you are advertising somewhere that is delivering results, you want to stay there. If you are advertising somewhere that isn't giving results, drop it and put your money somewhere else. Most business owners have a general idea of what medium is bringing clients in but are not sure. You must track this area. It is as simple as asking a couple of questions or adding a box on your website that asks the client how they heard about you.
Your Marketing Message must be dramatically different from your competitors'
In my Companies, I am constantly watching, reading and listening to my competitors' marketing messages. Most of them look, sound and feel identical because they are put together by the advertising sales reps. They are not marketing experts. Their goal is to sell you space and get a commission......not to help you develop a marketing strategy. If you look at the newspaper ads for Car Dealerships, you will see exactly what I am talking about. Remember, "Same is Lame".
You must constantly be looking for ways to provide additional Products and Services to your target Market.
I call this recycling your customer. You must look for ways to get your customer to continue to spend money with you. Look at Wal-Mart. They started selling just household products and now they sell groceries, electronics, jewelry, etc. You can even get your oil changed, do your banking, get an eye exam or have your taxes prepared while you are there! What products and services compliment what you are currently selling? How can you add that to your existing operation? By doing this, you will add value to your current business model as well as become a one stop shop for your clients. This makes their life easier and it will increase your bottom line.
You must maintain a current database of your current and potential customers
It blows me away when I sit down with a client and they don't have an organized database of their clients. How can you stay in touch with them to share about the new promotions that you have going on? How can you follow up with them to see how the product that you sold them is working out for them? Without a database, you cannot. You must develop one so that you can remind them that you are still here and more importantly that you still care.
You must use strategies such as Guarantees and Testimonials to enhance your Marketing Message in all communications
People love testimonials and guarantees. This gives your potential client the warm and fuzzy feeling that they need to feel comfortable about doing business with you. If they read or see how your product or service has helped hundreds of people improve their lives, save money, time or increase their income, they are more likely to do business with you over your competitor. Your guarantees show the potential client how much confidence that you have in your product or service. Offering powerful guarantees such as warranties and full refunds, if not satisfied, proves to the consumer that there is no risk involved with doing business with you. If your competitor doesn't say these things, it may show that they are not willing to back up what they are selling.
Your Marketing Message must tell your prospect what to do next in making contact with you
After hearing your message, your prospect must be directed on how they should contact you. Should they email, call, write or come in? You cannot assume that they know, you must tell them. They will appreciate you for this.
You must communicate with past customers on a regular basis to ensure that they come back again and again.
The easiest sale is to those who have already done business with you. How are they going to remember you if you don 't communicate with them? I encourage my clients to stay in touch with their clients a minimum of 4 times per year. I advise them to stay away from big holidays such as Christmas and Easter because everyone sends cards during these times. Consider sending something on their birthday, the Fourth of July, New Years Day and Labor Day. You will probably be the only person they receive a card from on any of these given days.
If you develop your Marketing plan using the 10 Powerful Musts, you will increase your business with both new clients as well as returning clients. You will also see an increase in referrals to your business. The best businesses understand that marketing is the most important part of their business because without customers you have no business.
So what are you going to do next?
Well, you can go down to your local college and sign up for a Marketing course if you have the time to do so. Most business owners don 't. You can read a bunch of books and extract the principles outlined, but that takes time and disciple. Or you can hire a Marketing Coach who will help you develop the strategies that we have outlined. By doing so you enjoy the privilege of having your customer pipeline filled at all times.
By Kevin Thomas
Whenever I meet a Business Owner or an Entrepreneur the first question I ask is "how does your Marketing measure up"? Their usual response is that their Marketing Sucks! How about yours? If you are like most, Marketing is the last thing that you work on in your business. You are either doing the technical part of your business or you are putting out fires. You usually don't have a clear plan or strategy on how to set up a successful Marketing initiative in your organization. Most of the time, we are being reactive instead of proactive. We wait until business slows down and then we put a bunch of money into different media sources in hopes that business gets better. Typically, this doesn't work. But if it does, we don't measure it, to see what part of our message inspired our clients to come in the door or call us on the phone. If you would like to develop a Marketing Strategy that will give you awesome results, consistent traffic and more profits, I encourage you to read on. These are the 10 Powerful Musts that your Marketing Plan should have.
You must have 10 Marketing Strategies active at all time
Most companies have three or less strategies working for them and because of that their message doesn't reach their customers in enough time for it to stick. Researches show that a potential client must hear, see or experience your message 9 times or more before deciding to do business with you. Your website, your TV ad and your print advertising alone, isn't enough to drive the traffic that you need to make your business successful. I teach my clients how to determine the 10 affordable mediums that they can use to get their message out, so that they can attract more clients to them.
Your Marketing Message must address your target market and their interests directly
Your message must be focused.....like a laser beam on your target market. It must speak to their needs directly and clearly. For instance, an auto repair facility may communicate that they are the local experts for European automobiles. By doing this, they have separated themselves from every other repair facility in their area. Anyone who owns a European automobile now has a local expert that they can take their vehicle to.
Your Marketing Message must be consistent across all mediums you use
Many Business Owners are their own worst enemy. This is because they are communicating one message in one ad and another, somewhere else. We mentioned earlier that it takes nine or more impressions before someone makes a decision to purchase from you. If you are sending multiple messages, it will dilute your voice and cost you opportunities.
You must track all leads and know what Marketing Medium brought your prospect to contact you
There is an old saying, "What you measure you will manage". You must know what is working and what is not. If you are advertising somewhere that is delivering results, you want to stay there. If you are advertising somewhere that isn't giving results, drop it and put your money somewhere else. Most business owners have a general idea of what medium is bringing clients in but are not sure. You must track this area. It is as simple as asking a couple of questions or adding a box on your website that asks the client how they heard about you.
Your Marketing Message must be dramatically different from your competitors'
In my Companies, I am constantly watching, reading and listening to my competitors' marketing messages. Most of them look, sound and feel identical because they are put together by the advertising sales reps. They are not marketing experts. Their goal is to sell you space and get a commission......not to help you develop a marketing strategy. If you look at the newspaper ads for Car Dealerships, you will see exactly what I am talking about. Remember, "Same is Lame".
You must constantly be looking for ways to provide additional Products and Services to your target Market.
I call this recycling your customer. You must look for ways to get your customer to continue to spend money with you. Look at Wal-Mart. They started selling just household products and now they sell groceries, electronics, jewelry, etc. You can even get your oil changed, do your banking, get an eye exam or have your taxes prepared while you are there! What products and services compliment what you are currently selling? How can you add that to your existing operation? By doing this, you will add value to your current business model as well as become a one stop shop for your clients. This makes their life easier and it will increase your bottom line.
You must maintain a current database of your current and potential customers
It blows me away when I sit down with a client and they don't have an organized database of their clients. How can you stay in touch with them to share about the new promotions that you have going on? How can you follow up with them to see how the product that you sold them is working out for them? Without a database, you cannot. You must develop one so that you can remind them that you are still here and more importantly that you still care.
You must use strategies such as Guarantees and Testimonials to enhance your Marketing Message in all communications
People love testimonials and guarantees. This gives your potential client the warm and fuzzy feeling that they need to feel comfortable about doing business with you. If they read or see how your product or service has helped hundreds of people improve their lives, save money, time or increase their income, they are more likely to do business with you over your competitor. Your guarantees show the potential client how much confidence that you have in your product or service. Offering powerful guarantees such as warranties and full refunds, if not satisfied, proves to the consumer that there is no risk involved with doing business with you. If your competitor doesn't say these things, it may show that they are not willing to back up what they are selling.
Your Marketing Message must tell your prospect what to do next in making contact with you
After hearing your message, your prospect must be directed on how they should contact you. Should they email, call, write or come in? You cannot assume that they know, you must tell them. They will appreciate you for this.
You must communicate with past customers on a regular basis to ensure that they come back again and again.
The easiest sale is to those who have already done business with you. How are they going to remember you if you don 't communicate with them? I encourage my clients to stay in touch with their clients a minimum of 4 times per year. I advise them to stay away from big holidays such as Christmas and Easter because everyone sends cards during these times. Consider sending something on their birthday, the Fourth of July, New Years Day and Labor Day. You will probably be the only person they receive a card from on any of these given days.
If you develop your Marketing plan using the 10 Powerful Musts, you will increase your business with both new clients as well as returning clients. You will also see an increase in referrals to your business. The best businesses understand that marketing is the most important part of their business because without customers you have no business.
So what are you going to do next?
Well, you can go down to your local college and sign up for a Marketing course if you have the time to do so. Most business owners don 't. You can read a bunch of books and extract the principles outlined, but that takes time and disciple. Or you can hire a Marketing Coach who will help you develop the strategies that we have outlined. By doing so you enjoy the privilege of having your customer pipeline filled at all times.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Change Your Definition of Marketing
Change Your Definition of Marketing
By Dan Kennedy
In my 35 years working with business owners, entrepreneurs and big corporate clients on marketing, I've seen many different definitions of marketing govern peoples approaches to it, and unfortunately, most versions are narrow, limiting and--well--wrong. Marketing shouldn't just be a cog in the wheel or a link in the chain of moving prospects to buyers or products to market.
Of late, the entire U.S. economy has been weighed down by a massive over-supply of look-alike, do-alike, painfully ordinary businesses doing ordinary things in ordinary ways. About one-third are unnecessary duplicates.This column's space prohibits full discussion of everything marketing is and isn't, should and shouldn't be. But one of the best functions of marketing has always been business reinvention, and there's never been a better or more necessary time for that.
In No B.S. Ruthless Management of People and Profits, I tell the story of a Disney executive describing "the million dollar piece of gum"--how gum left on the ground might cost the company a million dollars. Walt originally included park cleanliness as a marketing function, not a cost of operations. He defined the core of good marketing as doing what you do so well and so uniquely that people can't resist telling others about you. Disneyreinvented the traditional amusement park. Initial reinventions included: single entry and exit rather than open design--forcing customers to exit through the main shopping area and all the souvenir stands, an innovation now replicated in the exit paths from individual rides and attractions within the parks; price per day vs. individual tickets for rides; and the aforementioned cleanliness.
Similarly, Howard Schultz reinvented the coffee shop as "the third place"--Starbucks--and is now trying to reinvent for the developing New Economy and "un-invent" some sins committed in his absence.
Aradical approach to innovation and marketing isn't restricted to big corporations--there are plenty of small businesses ahead of the curve. Let me tell you about a few of our Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle members who have reinvented the concept of fractional ownership.
Diana Coutu ofDiana's Gourmet Pizzeriain Winnipeg doubled her business' sales and size last year selling pizzas priced from $22 to $38, thanks to innovations not at all common to pizza places, including levels of membership with fees automatically charged to customers' credit cards every month (stabilizing income and locking in use in advance, thus protecting customers from competitors' seductions); multiple ways to take home the products--cooked and ready to eat, frozen and ready to heat, "from scratch" baking kits (for family fun nights), raw dough--and with comprehensive direct-to-customers marketing built around a newsletter and website.
Nigel Worralreinvented the business of renting out homes to Florida vacationers with different clubs, bundled excursion and adventure activities, and extraordinary marketing with an emphasis on the experience, not 'X' number of bedrooms plus a pool for 'Y' dollars a day, marketing--and his business is booming even as other Florida travel destinations cry about the recession.
Chris Hurn, CEO ofKennedy's All-American Barber Club, reinvented by combining a classic men's barber shop that offers straight razor shaves with a men's club atmosphere and different programs of membership--as opposed to cafeteria-style pricing.
In all these cases, marketing is not being used as a means of getting a customer or making a sale. Instead, it's in the context of dynamically changing the business itself and delivering an entirely different customer experience. With this comprehensive approach, the businesses thrive.
The hierarchy of income:
• Bottom is commodities.
• Next--products and services discussed in terms of features and benefits, provided by vendors and salespeople.
• Next--solutions to problems and fulfillment of unmet desires, provided by experts.
• At the top, exceptional experiences provided by experts in "categories of one."
Begin here: Question and be willing to throw out any and every industry norm, tradition, current belief, idea and practice now defining your business, as you advertise, market and operate it and as customers perceive it. Then search for opportunities to make your business something entirely different and more meaningful to the customer than just a provider of goods and services. Very, very, very few business owners are willing to engage in such radicalism. We have a term for them: multimillionaires.
Widely celebrated as "the millionaire maker," Dan Kennedy has a long record of taking entrepreneurs to 7-figure incomes. A serial entrepreneur directly influencing over 1 million business owners as a business coach, he's the author of the popular No B.S. series, including the forthcoming No B.S. Sales Success for The New Economy, accessible for free preview atwww.NoBSBooks.com.More information about Dan can be found atFreeGiftFrom.com/entrepreneurpress.
By Dan Kennedy
In my 35 years working with business owners, entrepreneurs and big corporate clients on marketing, I've seen many different definitions of marketing govern peoples approaches to it, and unfortunately, most versions are narrow, limiting and--well--wrong. Marketing shouldn't just be a cog in the wheel or a link in the chain of moving prospects to buyers or products to market.
Of late, the entire U.S. economy has been weighed down by a massive over-supply of look-alike, do-alike, painfully ordinary businesses doing ordinary things in ordinary ways. About one-third are unnecessary duplicates.This column's space prohibits full discussion of everything marketing is and isn't, should and shouldn't be. But one of the best functions of marketing has always been business reinvention, and there's never been a better or more necessary time for that.
In No B.S. Ruthless Management of People and Profits, I tell the story of a Disney executive describing "the million dollar piece of gum"--how gum left on the ground might cost the company a million dollars. Walt originally included park cleanliness as a marketing function, not a cost of operations. He defined the core of good marketing as doing what you do so well and so uniquely that people can't resist telling others about you. Disneyreinvented the traditional amusement park. Initial reinventions included: single entry and exit rather than open design--forcing customers to exit through the main shopping area and all the souvenir stands, an innovation now replicated in the exit paths from individual rides and attractions within the parks; price per day vs. individual tickets for rides; and the aforementioned cleanliness.
Similarly, Howard Schultz reinvented the coffee shop as "the third place"--Starbucks--and is now trying to reinvent for the developing New Economy and "un-invent" some sins committed in his absence.
Aradical approach to innovation and marketing isn't restricted to big corporations--there are plenty of small businesses ahead of the curve. Let me tell you about a few of our Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle members who have reinvented the concept of fractional ownership.
Diana Coutu ofDiana's Gourmet Pizzeriain Winnipeg doubled her business' sales and size last year selling pizzas priced from $22 to $38, thanks to innovations not at all common to pizza places, including levels of membership with fees automatically charged to customers' credit cards every month (stabilizing income and locking in use in advance, thus protecting customers from competitors' seductions); multiple ways to take home the products--cooked and ready to eat, frozen and ready to heat, "from scratch" baking kits (for family fun nights), raw dough--and with comprehensive direct-to-customers marketing built around a newsletter and website.
Nigel Worralreinvented the business of renting out homes to Florida vacationers with different clubs, bundled excursion and adventure activities, and extraordinary marketing with an emphasis on the experience, not 'X' number of bedrooms plus a pool for 'Y' dollars a day, marketing--and his business is booming even as other Florida travel destinations cry about the recession.
Chris Hurn, CEO ofKennedy's All-American Barber Club, reinvented by combining a classic men's barber shop that offers straight razor shaves with a men's club atmosphere and different programs of membership--as opposed to cafeteria-style pricing.
In all these cases, marketing is not being used as a means of getting a customer or making a sale. Instead, it's in the context of dynamically changing the business itself and delivering an entirely different customer experience. With this comprehensive approach, the businesses thrive.
The hierarchy of income:
• Bottom is commodities.
• Next--products and services discussed in terms of features and benefits, provided by vendors and salespeople.
• Next--solutions to problems and fulfillment of unmet desires, provided by experts.
• At the top, exceptional experiences provided by experts in "categories of one."
Begin here: Question and be willing to throw out any and every industry norm, tradition, current belief, idea and practice now defining your business, as you advertise, market and operate it and as customers perceive it. Then search for opportunities to make your business something entirely different and more meaningful to the customer than just a provider of goods and services. Very, very, very few business owners are willing to engage in such radicalism. We have a term for them: multimillionaires.
Widely celebrated as "the millionaire maker," Dan Kennedy has a long record of taking entrepreneurs to 7-figure incomes. A serial entrepreneur directly influencing over 1 million business owners as a business coach, he's the author of the popular No B.S. series, including the forthcoming No B.S. Sales Success for The New Economy, accessible for free preview atwww.NoBSBooks.com.More information about Dan can be found atFreeGiftFrom.com/entrepreneurpress.
The Law of Reciprocity
The Law of Reciprocity
By Brian Tracy
People have a deep subconscious need to reciprocate for anything that is done to or for them. The Law of Reciprocity is one of the most powerful of all determinants of human behavior. This is because nobody likes to feel that he or she is obligated to someone else. When someone does something nice for us, we want to repay that person, to reciprocate. We want to be even. Because of this, we seek an opportunity to do something nice in return. This law is the basis of the law of contract, as well as the glue that hold most human relationships together.
Concessions
The first party to make a concession is the party who wants the deal the most. You must therefore avoid being the first one to make a concession, even a small concession. Instead, be friendly and interested, but remain silent. The first person to make a concession will usually be the person who makes additional concessions, even without reciprocal concessions. Most purchasers and sellers are aware of this. They recognize that early concessions are a sign of eagerness and are prepared to take advantage of it. Be careful.
Equal or Greater
Every concession you make in a negotiation should be matched by an equal or greater concession from the other party. If the other party asks for a concession, you may give it, but never without asking for something else in return. If you don't request a reciprocal concession, the concession that you give will be considered to have no value and will not help as the negotiation proceeds. If a person asks for a better price, suggest that it might be possible but you will have to either decrease the quantity or lengthen the delivery dates. Even if the concession is of no cost or value to you, you must make it appear valuable and important to the other party or it will not help you in the negotiation.
Small Concessions lead to Large Concessions
Small concessions on small issues enable you to ask for large concessions on large issues. One of the very best negotiating strategies is to be willing to give something in order to get something. When you make every effort to appear reasonable by conceding on issues that are unimportant to you, you put yourself in an excellent position to request an equal or greater concession later.
Use Reciprocity to your Advantage
Use the reciprocity principle to your advantage. Before negotiating make a list of the things the other party might want and decide upon what concessions you are willing to give to get what you want. This preparation strengthens your negotiating ability considerably.
Action Exercise
Prepare your best price or offer before you begin. Then, think through your first "fallback" position and how far you are willing to go to make a deal. Prepare your final fallback position as well, along with the maximum you are willing to concede. This exercise of thinking through these issues in advance will make you a much better negotiator.
By Brian Tracy
People have a deep subconscious need to reciprocate for anything that is done to or for them. The Law of Reciprocity is one of the most powerful of all determinants of human behavior. This is because nobody likes to feel that he or she is obligated to someone else. When someone does something nice for us, we want to repay that person, to reciprocate. We want to be even. Because of this, we seek an opportunity to do something nice in return. This law is the basis of the law of contract, as well as the glue that hold most human relationships together.
Concessions
The first party to make a concession is the party who wants the deal the most. You must therefore avoid being the first one to make a concession, even a small concession. Instead, be friendly and interested, but remain silent. The first person to make a concession will usually be the person who makes additional concessions, even without reciprocal concessions. Most purchasers and sellers are aware of this. They recognize that early concessions are a sign of eagerness and are prepared to take advantage of it. Be careful.
Equal or Greater
Every concession you make in a negotiation should be matched by an equal or greater concession from the other party. If the other party asks for a concession, you may give it, but never without asking for something else in return. If you don't request a reciprocal concession, the concession that you give will be considered to have no value and will not help as the negotiation proceeds. If a person asks for a better price, suggest that it might be possible but you will have to either decrease the quantity or lengthen the delivery dates. Even if the concession is of no cost or value to you, you must make it appear valuable and important to the other party or it will not help you in the negotiation.
Small Concessions lead to Large Concessions
Small concessions on small issues enable you to ask for large concessions on large issues. One of the very best negotiating strategies is to be willing to give something in order to get something. When you make every effort to appear reasonable by conceding on issues that are unimportant to you, you put yourself in an excellent position to request an equal or greater concession later.
Use Reciprocity to your Advantage
Use the reciprocity principle to your advantage. Before negotiating make a list of the things the other party might want and decide upon what concessions you are willing to give to get what you want. This preparation strengthens your negotiating ability considerably.
Action Exercise
Prepare your best price or offer before you begin. Then, think through your first "fallback" position and how far you are willing to go to make a deal. Prepare your final fallback position as well, along with the maximum you are willing to concede. This exercise of thinking through these issues in advance will make you a much better negotiator.
The Heart of the Sale
The Heart of the Sale
By Brian Tracy
What is selling? In its simplest terms, selling is the process of persuading a person that your product or service is of greater value to him than the price you are asking for it. Our market society is based on the principles of freedom of choice and mutual benefit. Each party enters into a transaction when he feels that he will be better off as a result of the transaction than he would be without it.
Convince the Customer
For the customer to buy your particular product or service, he or she must be convinced, not only that is it the best choice of product or service available, but also that there is no better way for him to spend the equivalent sum of money that it costs. Your job as a salesperson is to convince the customer that these conditions exist and then to elicit a commitment from him to take action on your offer.
The Critical Factor: Risk
The critical factor in selling today is risk. Because of the continuous change, rapid obsolescence, and an uncertain economy, the risk of buying the wrong product or service has become greater than ever before. There are four main factors that contribute to the perception of risk in the mind and hear of the customer.
Size of the Sale
The first factor that contributes to risk is the size of the sale. The larger the scale, the more money involved, the greater the risk. If a person is buying a package of Lifesavers, the risk of satisfaction or dissatisfaction is insignificant. But if a person is buying a computer system for their company, the risk factor is magnified by hundreds of thousands of times. Whenever you are selling a product that has a high price on it, you must be aware that risk enters into the buyer's calculations immediately.
People Affected by the Decision
The second factor contributing to the perception of risk is the number of people who will be affected by the buying decision. Almost every complex buying decision involves several people. There are people who must use the product or service. There are people who must pay for the product or service. There are people who are dependent of the results expected from the product or service. If a person is extremely sensitive to the opinions of others, this factor alone can cause him or her to put off a buying decision.
Length of Life of the Product
The third factor contributing to the perception of risk is the length of life of the product. A product or service that, once installed, is meant to last for several years, generates the feeling of risk. The customer panics and thinks, "What if it doesn't work and I'm stuck with it."
Unfamiliarity
The fourth major risk factor is the customer's unfamiliarity with you, your company, and your product or service. A first-time buyer, one who has not bought the product or service before, or who has not bought it from you, is often nervous and requires a lot of hand-holding. Anything new or different makes the average customer tense and uneasy. This is why a new product or service, or a new business relationship with your company, has to be presented as a natural extension of what the customer is already doing.
Action Exercise
Identify the risks that a customer might find with your product or service. Once you had clearly defined those risks it will be easier to find solutions to them to ease nervous customers.
By Brian Tracy
What is selling? In its simplest terms, selling is the process of persuading a person that your product or service is of greater value to him than the price you are asking for it. Our market society is based on the principles of freedom of choice and mutual benefit. Each party enters into a transaction when he feels that he will be better off as a result of the transaction than he would be without it.
Convince the Customer
For the customer to buy your particular product or service, he or she must be convinced, not only that is it the best choice of product or service available, but also that there is no better way for him to spend the equivalent sum of money that it costs. Your job as a salesperson is to convince the customer that these conditions exist and then to elicit a commitment from him to take action on your offer.
The Critical Factor: Risk
The critical factor in selling today is risk. Because of the continuous change, rapid obsolescence, and an uncertain economy, the risk of buying the wrong product or service has become greater than ever before. There are four main factors that contribute to the perception of risk in the mind and hear of the customer.
Size of the Sale
The first factor that contributes to risk is the size of the sale. The larger the scale, the more money involved, the greater the risk. If a person is buying a package of Lifesavers, the risk of satisfaction or dissatisfaction is insignificant. But if a person is buying a computer system for their company, the risk factor is magnified by hundreds of thousands of times. Whenever you are selling a product that has a high price on it, you must be aware that risk enters into the buyer's calculations immediately.
People Affected by the Decision
The second factor contributing to the perception of risk is the number of people who will be affected by the buying decision. Almost every complex buying decision involves several people. There are people who must use the product or service. There are people who must pay for the product or service. There are people who are dependent of the results expected from the product or service. If a person is extremely sensitive to the opinions of others, this factor alone can cause him or her to put off a buying decision.
Length of Life of the Product
The third factor contributing to the perception of risk is the length of life of the product. A product or service that, once installed, is meant to last for several years, generates the feeling of risk. The customer panics and thinks, "What if it doesn't work and I'm stuck with it."
Unfamiliarity
The fourth major risk factor is the customer's unfamiliarity with you, your company, and your product or service. A first-time buyer, one who has not bought the product or service before, or who has not bought it from you, is often nervous and requires a lot of hand-holding. Anything new or different makes the average customer tense and uneasy. This is why a new product or service, or a new business relationship with your company, has to be presented as a natural extension of what the customer is already doing.
Action Exercise
Identify the risks that a customer might find with your product or service. Once you had clearly defined those risks it will be easier to find solutions to them to ease nervous customers.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Top 5 Mistakes Made in Marketing
Top 5 Mistakes Made in Marketing
By Laura Lake, About.com Guide
http://marketing.about.com
A properly developed marketing campaign can not only connect you with the right prospects, but it gets everyone talking about your company, your product, or your service. However, marketing mistakes can just as easily cost your business thousands of dollars. Here is a checklist of 5 mistakes commonly made in marketing.
1. Lack of Research and Testing
Research and testing should be done to determine the performance of every marketing effort. This takes the guesswork out of what your potential customer or client wants. Always make sure you have done your due diligence when it comes to testing different offers, prices, and packages. Get the input of your customers.
2. Improper Focus and Positioning
Don't market to build up the company, but approach marketing to demand an immediate response from the recipient. Improper focus and positioning can be avoided by following the proper solution positioning of marketing.
3. Marketing without a USP
Your USP is your unique selling proposition. It is the one single statement that will single you out amongst the competition. It should be used in every piece of marketing material. Think of your USP as the philosophical foundation of your business. Don't market without it!
4. Failing to Capture Repeat Customers
Keep in mind that when marketing 80% of your business comes from existing customers and 20% comes from new customers. Failing to resell to your current customer base could have a detrimental effect on your profits. It will cost you 5 times the expense to sell to a new customer than to sell to an existing customer.
5. Lack of Focus on Potential Customer's Needs
Do you really know what your potential customers need and want? If so you are ahead of the ballgame and probably don't need to be reading this article. Truth is very few businesses have a good grasp of what it is that their customer needs from them. The secret to avoiding this common error is to find a need you can fill and then fill that need better than anyone else.
By Laura Lake, About.com Guide
http://marketing.about.com
A properly developed marketing campaign can not only connect you with the right prospects, but it gets everyone talking about your company, your product, or your service. However, marketing mistakes can just as easily cost your business thousands of dollars. Here is a checklist of 5 mistakes commonly made in marketing.
1. Lack of Research and Testing
Research and testing should be done to determine the performance of every marketing effort. This takes the guesswork out of what your potential customer or client wants. Always make sure you have done your due diligence when it comes to testing different offers, prices, and packages. Get the input of your customers.
2. Improper Focus and Positioning
Don't market to build up the company, but approach marketing to demand an immediate response from the recipient. Improper focus and positioning can be avoided by following the proper solution positioning of marketing.
3. Marketing without a USP
Your USP is your unique selling proposition. It is the one single statement that will single you out amongst the competition. It should be used in every piece of marketing material. Think of your USP as the philosophical foundation of your business. Don't market without it!
4. Failing to Capture Repeat Customers
Keep in mind that when marketing 80% of your business comes from existing customers and 20% comes from new customers. Failing to resell to your current customer base could have a detrimental effect on your profits. It will cost you 5 times the expense to sell to a new customer than to sell to an existing customer.
5. Lack of Focus on Potential Customer's Needs
Do you really know what your potential customers need and want? If so you are ahead of the ballgame and probably don't need to be reading this article. Truth is very few businesses have a good grasp of what it is that their customer needs from them. The secret to avoiding this common error is to find a need you can fill and then fill that need better than anyone else.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Seven P Formula for Marketing Success
The Seven P Formula for Marketing Success
By Brian Tracy
http://www.briantracy.com
Once you have developed your marketing strategy, there is a seven P formula you should continually use to evaluate and reevaluate your business activities. These seven are: product, price, promotion, place, packaging, positioning, and people. As products, markets, customers, and needs change rapidly, you must continually revisit these seven P's to make sure you are on track and achieving the maximum results possible for you in today's Market.
Product
To begin, develop the habit of looking at your product as though you were an outside marketing consultant having been brought in to help your company decide whether or not it is in the right business at this time. Ask critical questions such as: Is your current product or service, or mix of products or services appropriate and suitable for the market and the customers of today?
Prices Deserve Attention
The second P in the formula has to do with price. Develop the habit of continually examining and reexamining the prices of the products and services that you sell to make sure they are still appropriate to the realities of the current market. Sometimes you need to lower your prices. At other times, it may be appropriate to raise your prices. Many companies have found that the profitability of certain products or services does not justify the amount of effort and resources that go into producing them. By raising their prices, they may lose a percentage of their customers, but the remaining percentage generates a profit on every sale. Could this be appropriate for you?
Promotion
The third habit in marketing and sales is for you to develop the habit of thinking in terms of promotion all the time. Promotion includes all the ways you tell your customers about products or services and how you then market and sell to them. Small changes in the way you promote and sell your products can lead to dramatic changes in your results. Experienced copywriters can often increase the response rate from advertising by 500 percent by simply changing the headline on the advertisement.
"Increase Your Sales and Income Immediately!"
Do you ever wonder how luxury cars and designer handbags continue to fly off the shelves…even when the economy is bad? It's because price isn't the only reason why people buy.
Learn how to separate your product from the competition and give your clients great reasons to buy—that have nothing to do with how much it costs! Click for more >>
Place
The fourth P in the marketing mix is the place where your product or service is actually sold. Develop the habit of reviewing and reflecting upon the exact location where the customer meets the salesperson. Sometimes a change in place can lead to a rapid increase in sales.
Packaging
The fifth element in the marketing mix is packaging. Develop the habit of standing back and looking at every visual element in the packaging of your product or service through the eyes of a critical prospect. Remember, people form their first impression about you within 30 seconds of seeing you or some element of your company. Small improvements in the packaging or external appearance of your product or service can often lead to completely different reactions from your customers.
Positioning
The next P is positioning. You should develop the habit of thinking continually about how you are positioned in the hearts and minds of your customers. How do people think about you and talk about you when you are not present? How do people think and talk about your company? What positioning do you have in your market, in terms of the specific words that people use when they describe you and your offerings to others?
People are Everything
The final P is people. Develop the habit of thinking in terms of the people inside and outside of your business who are responsible for every element of your sales and marketing strategy and activities. Your ability to select, recruit, hire, and retain the proper people, with the skills and abilities to do the job you need to have done, is more important than everything else put together.
Action Exercise
Position yourself in everything you say and do as the most credible and believable supplier of your product or service to your ideal customer.
By Brian Tracy
http://www.briantracy.com
Once you have developed your marketing strategy, there is a seven P formula you should continually use to evaluate and reevaluate your business activities. These seven are: product, price, promotion, place, packaging, positioning, and people. As products, markets, customers, and needs change rapidly, you must continually revisit these seven P's to make sure you are on track and achieving the maximum results possible for you in today's Market.
Product
To begin, develop the habit of looking at your product as though you were an outside marketing consultant having been brought in to help your company decide whether or not it is in the right business at this time. Ask critical questions such as: Is your current product or service, or mix of products or services appropriate and suitable for the market and the customers of today?
Prices Deserve Attention
The second P in the formula has to do with price. Develop the habit of continually examining and reexamining the prices of the products and services that you sell to make sure they are still appropriate to the realities of the current market. Sometimes you need to lower your prices. At other times, it may be appropriate to raise your prices. Many companies have found that the profitability of certain products or services does not justify the amount of effort and resources that go into producing them. By raising their prices, they may lose a percentage of their customers, but the remaining percentage generates a profit on every sale. Could this be appropriate for you?
Promotion
The third habit in marketing and sales is for you to develop the habit of thinking in terms of promotion all the time. Promotion includes all the ways you tell your customers about products or services and how you then market and sell to them. Small changes in the way you promote and sell your products can lead to dramatic changes in your results. Experienced copywriters can often increase the response rate from advertising by 500 percent by simply changing the headline on the advertisement.
"Increase Your Sales and Income Immediately!"
Do you ever wonder how luxury cars and designer handbags continue to fly off the shelves…even when the economy is bad? It's because price isn't the only reason why people buy.
Learn how to separate your product from the competition and give your clients great reasons to buy—that have nothing to do with how much it costs! Click for more >>
Place
The fourth P in the marketing mix is the place where your product or service is actually sold. Develop the habit of reviewing and reflecting upon the exact location where the customer meets the salesperson. Sometimes a change in place can lead to a rapid increase in sales.
Packaging
The fifth element in the marketing mix is packaging. Develop the habit of standing back and looking at every visual element in the packaging of your product or service through the eyes of a critical prospect. Remember, people form their first impression about you within 30 seconds of seeing you or some element of your company. Small improvements in the packaging or external appearance of your product or service can often lead to completely different reactions from your customers.
Positioning
The next P is positioning. You should develop the habit of thinking continually about how you are positioned in the hearts and minds of your customers. How do people think about you and talk about you when you are not present? How do people think and talk about your company? What positioning do you have in your market, in terms of the specific words that people use when they describe you and your offerings to others?
People are Everything
The final P is people. Develop the habit of thinking in terms of the people inside and outside of your business who are responsible for every element of your sales and marketing strategy and activities. Your ability to select, recruit, hire, and retain the proper people, with the skills and abilities to do the job you need to have done, is more important than everything else put together.
Action Exercise
Position yourself in everything you say and do as the most credible and believable supplier of your product or service to your ideal customer.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Marketing Your Business: What Works Now
Marketing Your Business: What Works Now
Written by Janis Pettit
Why would you waste one dollar or one hour on marketing that doesn’t work? It happens all the time and the reason is often just a lack of knowledge or understanding about what would work better. As small or solo business owners, who can afford to waste time or money on marketing your business that doesn’t work?
If you are doing what I call “shot in the dark” marketing, which means a little of this and a little of that, hoping something will hit the target, I want you to stop now. Before you spend another penny come up with a strategy and a plan—what I call a Marketing Design.
The goal of your marketing should be to attract qualified leads, so you can then create a trusting relationship and convert them to clients. Most marketing does not lead directly to a sale but to an inquiry. So forget about generic marketing whose only goal is to get your name out there. If you’re small you can’t afford that luxury. Your marketing needs to be all about generating qualified leads and opt-in subscribers.
So what works now? Some of the strategies that used to work are now less effective and others are taking over. So let’s look at a few.
E-mail marketing: it’s still crucial for you to have an opt-in form on your key web pages where people can sign up for your mailing list and receive a free gift in return. However, less people are choosing to opt-in than ever before because they just don’t want more email. That said, once people are on your subscriber list they are very valuable leads and as long as your emails are a mix of real value and gentle promotions you’ll see huge gains.
Twitter and Facebook: I’ve found that people either gravitate toward regularly using one or the other. Since you can connect your Twitter feed to appear on your Facebook wall you can “kill two birds with one stone” and save time. The key to succeeding with both is to find followers or friends who are in your target market by using the search tool. Build relationships with these people by responding personally and offering great advice. Then send them to your web page or blog when you have a special, limited time offer, tele-class, webinar or other time sensitive special event. Once there ask them to opt-in for more information, which they will gladly do if you are really offering value. The key here is value—not hype. Also build your followers by replying to and re-tweeting leaders in your niche who have a huge number of followers. Finally join groups on Facebook that contain your target clients.
Linked In: Perfect if your target clients are businesses. Be more subdued here in presenting special offers and give value by answering questions people ask in your field.
Industry specific and local social networking sites: There are now social networking sites for people who have specific interests. Consider Yahoo groups or groups on Meetup.com. If a group contains members of your target market, join it and contribute value to the group.
Video: it’s big and getting bigger. But don’t just expect to throw a video up on You Tube and get viewers. Make it relevant, creative, touching or shocking and you’ll generate interest. Also use TubeMogul to upload it to multiple video sites.
Blog comments: find the leading blogs in your niche and start adding valuable comments with a link back to your site in the signature. Form a relationship with the blog owner and they just may be interested in promoting your website or product.
Direct Mail: It’s making a resurgence as people tire of email. Try using Send Out Cards to create warm compelling messages with a variety of graphics. Creating a sequence of compelling direct mail pieces and mailing them to a warm list can be a great follow up to your email marketing.
Phone sales: Once we added phone calls back into our marketing mix sales dramatically increased. We call people who are already on our email list to see how we can help them. Also consider calling people who have customer service issues to see what they currently need. You don’t have to cold call. Call people on your subscriber list or who you connect with through social media or through networking. Or warm them up by sending a card or letter first. Each of these approaches will result in additional sales.
Look at the marketing you’re doing now and eliminate or tweak what isn’t working now. Put together a well thought out strategy to use a mix of the ideas above to create a powerful marketing program.
Written by Janis Pettit
Why would you waste one dollar or one hour on marketing that doesn’t work? It happens all the time and the reason is often just a lack of knowledge or understanding about what would work better. As small or solo business owners, who can afford to waste time or money on marketing your business that doesn’t work?
If you are doing what I call “shot in the dark” marketing, which means a little of this and a little of that, hoping something will hit the target, I want you to stop now. Before you spend another penny come up with a strategy and a plan—what I call a Marketing Design.
The goal of your marketing should be to attract qualified leads, so you can then create a trusting relationship and convert them to clients. Most marketing does not lead directly to a sale but to an inquiry. So forget about generic marketing whose only goal is to get your name out there. If you’re small you can’t afford that luxury. Your marketing needs to be all about generating qualified leads and opt-in subscribers.
So what works now? Some of the strategies that used to work are now less effective and others are taking over. So let’s look at a few.
E-mail marketing: it’s still crucial for you to have an opt-in form on your key web pages where people can sign up for your mailing list and receive a free gift in return. However, less people are choosing to opt-in than ever before because they just don’t want more email. That said, once people are on your subscriber list they are very valuable leads and as long as your emails are a mix of real value and gentle promotions you’ll see huge gains.
Twitter and Facebook: I’ve found that people either gravitate toward regularly using one or the other. Since you can connect your Twitter feed to appear on your Facebook wall you can “kill two birds with one stone” and save time. The key to succeeding with both is to find followers or friends who are in your target market by using the search tool. Build relationships with these people by responding personally and offering great advice. Then send them to your web page or blog when you have a special, limited time offer, tele-class, webinar or other time sensitive special event. Once there ask them to opt-in for more information, which they will gladly do if you are really offering value. The key here is value—not hype. Also build your followers by replying to and re-tweeting leaders in your niche who have a huge number of followers. Finally join groups on Facebook that contain your target clients.
Linked In: Perfect if your target clients are businesses. Be more subdued here in presenting special offers and give value by answering questions people ask in your field.
Industry specific and local social networking sites: There are now social networking sites for people who have specific interests. Consider Yahoo groups or groups on Meetup.com. If a group contains members of your target market, join it and contribute value to the group.
Video: it’s big and getting bigger. But don’t just expect to throw a video up on You Tube and get viewers. Make it relevant, creative, touching or shocking and you’ll generate interest. Also use TubeMogul to upload it to multiple video sites.
Blog comments: find the leading blogs in your niche and start adding valuable comments with a link back to your site in the signature. Form a relationship with the blog owner and they just may be interested in promoting your website or product.
Direct Mail: It’s making a resurgence as people tire of email. Try using Send Out Cards to create warm compelling messages with a variety of graphics. Creating a sequence of compelling direct mail pieces and mailing them to a warm list can be a great follow up to your email marketing.
Phone sales: Once we added phone calls back into our marketing mix sales dramatically increased. We call people who are already on our email list to see how we can help them. Also consider calling people who have customer service issues to see what they currently need. You don’t have to cold call. Call people on your subscriber list or who you connect with through social media or through networking. Or warm them up by sending a card or letter first. Each of these approaches will result in additional sales.
Look at the marketing you’re doing now and eliminate or tweak what isn’t working now. Put together a well thought out strategy to use a mix of the ideas above to create a powerful marketing program.
Friday, November 27, 2009
10 Tips for Winning Sales Presentations
10 Tips for Winning Sales Presentations
By Kevin Davis
The sales presentation is your chance to show and tell, but it's not all show and tell. You also need to think strategically about the customer's buying process and their needs, your competitors' offerings and why your solution is best. Here are 10 keys to planning a delivering a winning sales presentation.
1. Find out in advance how much time you'll have.
Have you ever had a key decision-maker leave in the middle of your presentation because he or she was out of time? You aren't holding the attention of a prospect who is looking at the clock! At the beginning of the call, ask how much time the prospect has set aside. Then adjust your presentation to take more no more than 60 percent of the allotted time. Why only 60 percent? Because your prospect's decisions to act typically occur at the end of a meeting, so you want to allow enough time to resolve any remaining issues and reach an agreement.
2. Another question I ask at the beginning of every sales presentation is, "Since the last time we met, has anything changed?"
If your competitor gave them a presentation yesterday you may have a few new hurdles to overcome. And the sooner you know what those hurdles are, the more time you have to plan a response.
3. The next question you want to ask is "Where are you in your decision process?"
If they tell me they have scheduled presentations with three suppliers, and I'm the first presenter, I know the chances of them agreeing to a decision at the end of my presentation are virtually nil. Why? You play the customer. Suppose you schedule appointments with three suppliers -- would you make a decision at the end of the first presentation? No, because it would take more time, energy and stress to cancel the appointments than it would to just go ahead with them.
Also, you wouldn't cancel them because comparison is necessary to recognize value. Recently one of my clients showed me his new sales brochure -- he was obviously very pleased with it. My immediate reaction was that it looked okay but it did not strike me one way or the other. Then I asked him to show me what he was using before -- and then I KNEW how much better this brochure was then the last! It was the comparison that allowed me to recognize the improvement. Your customers need comparison too, to recognize your value. So if it happens that you're the first presenter, don't go for the close -- because you would be asking for something you can't get -- and your customer will think you are pushy. Instead, come up with a reason to come back and see them after their other presentations -- when they will likely be in a position to make a decision.
For this reason I prefer to present last because it's closest to the customer's point of decision. And that's….
4. The fourth key to effective presentations -- try to be the last presenter.
If I'm the final supplier to present, and I've shown why I'm their best choice, it's only reasonable to ask for a commitment to buy. In one of the largest sales opportunities I've ever worked on -- I was the third of three presenters to a committee of seven decision makers, the most senior of whom was the executive vice president, a Mr. Burns. About 10 minutes before the conclusion of my presentation the phone rang -- Mr. Burns' cab had arrived -- he had a plane to catch. As he stood up I said, "Mr. Burns, before you leave, may I ask you one final question? He said, "Sure." I asked him, "Now that you've evaluated all the options, is there any reason why my solution is not your best option?"
He said, "Yep!" And out it came -- his final concern about my solution… It was a concern that I was ready for -- I had anticipated that it would be a concern -- but I never got the chance to respond to it because his comment triggered a firestorm of conversation around the conference table. Mr. Burns missed his cab -- but several other decision- makers drove him to the airport so they could continue their discussion. A few weeks later I learned that, in the car, a lower-level decision-maker had resolved his concern -- and I won the sale! This example also points out that today, as much as 90 percent of the sale takes place when you're not there. So you've got to make sure that the prospect(s) championing your cause have the tools to sell other decision-makers for you.
5. A good sales presentation starts with a quick review of the customers' goals and objectives.
Then list on a flip chart each of the customer's buying criteria. This list of criteria is your outline for an effective sales presentation. Show how your solution meets and exceeds each decision factor.
6. Throughout your presentation, get reaction from your prospects.
After demonstrating a capability you could ask, "How would this be an improvement?" or "How would this help?" Interactive presentations keep prospects more involved and interested.
[b]7. Communicate all of your unique strengths.
Today, it's not enough to show that you can meet your customer's needs. Your customer wants to know two things: can you do what we need done and how can you do it better than the other options we are considering? So, you must have some reasons why you are their best choice. And to ensure that my strengths are understood, I always prepare a flip chart titled "Why We're Your Best Choice." Here, I put at least three reasons why I am the customer's best choice. Many times I'll list seven or eight reasons. The more reasons you have, and the more compelling those reasons are -- the better your chances of winning the sale.
8. Use visuals in your presentations because a picture is worth a thousand words.
Support your important ideas with a picture, show images on an overhead, flip chart, or laptop computer. Keep your visuals simple. One idea per image. Make it interesting, relevant and readable.
9. If your customer is not in a position to make a decision at the end of your presentation, schedule another appointment.
Come up with a reason to get back in there.
10. Last, but not least, have fun and be yourself.
If you want to persuade other people, you must connect with them on a personal level first. Think of John Madden, the football commentator. Madden is successful because he makes emotional contact by just being who he is. To put more impact in your sales presentations, connect with your prospects by just being YOU.
In sports, when two teams are evenly matched, the winner will be the team that executes its plays the best -- the team that makes the fewest mistakes. To deliver a winning sales presentation, you must do the same. When you implement these 10 tips in your sales presentations you'll win more sales!
By Kevin Davis
The sales presentation is your chance to show and tell, but it's not all show and tell. You also need to think strategically about the customer's buying process and their needs, your competitors' offerings and why your solution is best. Here are 10 keys to planning a delivering a winning sales presentation.
1. Find out in advance how much time you'll have.
Have you ever had a key decision-maker leave in the middle of your presentation because he or she was out of time? You aren't holding the attention of a prospect who is looking at the clock! At the beginning of the call, ask how much time the prospect has set aside. Then adjust your presentation to take more no more than 60 percent of the allotted time. Why only 60 percent? Because your prospect's decisions to act typically occur at the end of a meeting, so you want to allow enough time to resolve any remaining issues and reach an agreement.
2. Another question I ask at the beginning of every sales presentation is, "Since the last time we met, has anything changed?"
If your competitor gave them a presentation yesterday you may have a few new hurdles to overcome. And the sooner you know what those hurdles are, the more time you have to plan a response.
3. The next question you want to ask is "Where are you in your decision process?"
If they tell me they have scheduled presentations with three suppliers, and I'm the first presenter, I know the chances of them agreeing to a decision at the end of my presentation are virtually nil. Why? You play the customer. Suppose you schedule appointments with three suppliers -- would you make a decision at the end of the first presentation? No, because it would take more time, energy and stress to cancel the appointments than it would to just go ahead with them.
Also, you wouldn't cancel them because comparison is necessary to recognize value. Recently one of my clients showed me his new sales brochure -- he was obviously very pleased with it. My immediate reaction was that it looked okay but it did not strike me one way or the other. Then I asked him to show me what he was using before -- and then I KNEW how much better this brochure was then the last! It was the comparison that allowed me to recognize the improvement. Your customers need comparison too, to recognize your value. So if it happens that you're the first presenter, don't go for the close -- because you would be asking for something you can't get -- and your customer will think you are pushy. Instead, come up with a reason to come back and see them after their other presentations -- when they will likely be in a position to make a decision.
For this reason I prefer to present last because it's closest to the customer's point of decision. And that's….
4. The fourth key to effective presentations -- try to be the last presenter.
If I'm the final supplier to present, and I've shown why I'm their best choice, it's only reasonable to ask for a commitment to buy. In one of the largest sales opportunities I've ever worked on -- I was the third of three presenters to a committee of seven decision makers, the most senior of whom was the executive vice president, a Mr. Burns. About 10 minutes before the conclusion of my presentation the phone rang -- Mr. Burns' cab had arrived -- he had a plane to catch. As he stood up I said, "Mr. Burns, before you leave, may I ask you one final question? He said, "Sure." I asked him, "Now that you've evaluated all the options, is there any reason why my solution is not your best option?"
He said, "Yep!" And out it came -- his final concern about my solution… It was a concern that I was ready for -- I had anticipated that it would be a concern -- but I never got the chance to respond to it because his comment triggered a firestorm of conversation around the conference table. Mr. Burns missed his cab -- but several other decision- makers drove him to the airport so they could continue their discussion. A few weeks later I learned that, in the car, a lower-level decision-maker had resolved his concern -- and I won the sale! This example also points out that today, as much as 90 percent of the sale takes place when you're not there. So you've got to make sure that the prospect(s) championing your cause have the tools to sell other decision-makers for you.
5. A good sales presentation starts with a quick review of the customers' goals and objectives.
Then list on a flip chart each of the customer's buying criteria. This list of criteria is your outline for an effective sales presentation. Show how your solution meets and exceeds each decision factor.
6. Throughout your presentation, get reaction from your prospects.
After demonstrating a capability you could ask, "How would this be an improvement?" or "How would this help?" Interactive presentations keep prospects more involved and interested.
[b]7. Communicate all of your unique strengths.
Today, it's not enough to show that you can meet your customer's needs. Your customer wants to know two things: can you do what we need done and how can you do it better than the other options we are considering? So, you must have some reasons why you are their best choice. And to ensure that my strengths are understood, I always prepare a flip chart titled "Why We're Your Best Choice." Here, I put at least three reasons why I am the customer's best choice. Many times I'll list seven or eight reasons. The more reasons you have, and the more compelling those reasons are -- the better your chances of winning the sale.
8. Use visuals in your presentations because a picture is worth a thousand words.
Support your important ideas with a picture, show images on an overhead, flip chart, or laptop computer. Keep your visuals simple. One idea per image. Make it interesting, relevant and readable.
9. If your customer is not in a position to make a decision at the end of your presentation, schedule another appointment.
Come up with a reason to get back in there.
10. Last, but not least, have fun and be yourself.
If you want to persuade other people, you must connect with them on a personal level first. Think of John Madden, the football commentator. Madden is successful because he makes emotional contact by just being who he is. To put more impact in your sales presentations, connect with your prospects by just being YOU.
In sports, when two teams are evenly matched, the winner will be the team that executes its plays the best -- the team that makes the fewest mistakes. To deliver a winning sales presentation, you must do the same. When you implement these 10 tips in your sales presentations you'll win more sales!
The 5th “P” of Marketing
The 5th “P” of Marketing
If you have ever read any books on marketing you are no doubt familiar with the 4 –“P’s” of Marketing – Product, Price, Place and Promotion. When combined correctly, these 4 elements can have a tremendous impact on your bottom line, but NONE of them are anywhere near as effective as the never mentioned 5th “P”. Every company struggles with it, and most would confess it is what holds them back from achieving success in their marketing. What is this elusive 5th “P”?
Productivity
It’s all well and good to have a sound plan or system on paper, but it is another to put those plans into action and then to maintain those activities on a consistent basis.
Because so many business owners remain the key rainmaker for their organization and still carry out a ton of the work, non-time-sensitive activities, like marketing tend to fall to the wayside.
Let me ask you this. If you were meeting with a new prospective customer to work on a sizable proposal, would you miss the meeting because the printer needs fixing or you have a ton of emails in your inbox? Of course not!
It’s time to consider marketing your biggest client. It does, after all, bring in more money than any other one activity, yet we constantly put it aside for less important issues. Want to make a big difference in your business? Then start keeping your appointments with your marketing. Here’s how you can harness the 5th “P”
1. Make Appointments With Your Marketing – In your calendar, set aside consistent meetings with Mr. Marketing. Try 1 hour a day at least 3 days a week for a start. Now don’t break these appointments.
2. Minimize Distractions – Turn Notifications off on your Email, put your phone on Do Not Disturb, close the door to your office and remain productive for one hour. After all if you were in a meeting with a client, you wouldn’t be answering emails, phone calls or questions from staff or family members!
3. Make a Priority List – I like to create a list in Excel and then next to each item I rank it first by priority (1 is high and 3 is low), and then by the amount of time it takes (.1hrs, 3 hours or 40 hours). Now multiply these two columns and sort your task from those with the lowest to the highest. For big tasks, you might want to break them down to smaller tasks so they get started and don’t remain too far down your list, especially if they are a high priority.
4. Create a Weekly Task List – of everything you want to accomplish that week so that when you sit down you know what it is you’re working on.
5. Too much on your plate? Then ask yourself, can you outsource this to someone else, and is it really that important right now. Remove those items that others can do or that can be delayed with little detriment, to a later date.
6. Be Held Accountable – who do you have to hold you accountable on your marketing? Face it – we all work best to hard deadlines. Choose an accountability partner, or of course you can always enroll in one of our courses!
If you have ever read any books on marketing you are no doubt familiar with the 4 –“P’s” of Marketing – Product, Price, Place and Promotion. When combined correctly, these 4 elements can have a tremendous impact on your bottom line, but NONE of them are anywhere near as effective as the never mentioned 5th “P”. Every company struggles with it, and most would confess it is what holds them back from achieving success in their marketing. What is this elusive 5th “P”?
Productivity
It’s all well and good to have a sound plan or system on paper, but it is another to put those plans into action and then to maintain those activities on a consistent basis.
Because so many business owners remain the key rainmaker for their organization and still carry out a ton of the work, non-time-sensitive activities, like marketing tend to fall to the wayside.
Let me ask you this. If you were meeting with a new prospective customer to work on a sizable proposal, would you miss the meeting because the printer needs fixing or you have a ton of emails in your inbox? Of course not!
It’s time to consider marketing your biggest client. It does, after all, bring in more money than any other one activity, yet we constantly put it aside for less important issues. Want to make a big difference in your business? Then start keeping your appointments with your marketing. Here’s how you can harness the 5th “P”
1. Make Appointments With Your Marketing – In your calendar, set aside consistent meetings with Mr. Marketing. Try 1 hour a day at least 3 days a week for a start. Now don’t break these appointments.
2. Minimize Distractions – Turn Notifications off on your Email, put your phone on Do Not Disturb, close the door to your office and remain productive for one hour. After all if you were in a meeting with a client, you wouldn’t be answering emails, phone calls or questions from staff or family members!
3. Make a Priority List – I like to create a list in Excel and then next to each item I rank it first by priority (1 is high and 3 is low), and then by the amount of time it takes (.1hrs, 3 hours or 40 hours). Now multiply these two columns and sort your task from those with the lowest to the highest. For big tasks, you might want to break them down to smaller tasks so they get started and don’t remain too far down your list, especially if they are a high priority.
4. Create a Weekly Task List – of everything you want to accomplish that week so that when you sit down you know what it is you’re working on.
5. Too much on your plate? Then ask yourself, can you outsource this to someone else, and is it really that important right now. Remove those items that others can do or that can be delayed with little detriment, to a later date.
6. Be Held Accountable – who do you have to hold you accountable on your marketing? Face it – we all work best to hard deadlines. Choose an accountability partner, or of course you can always enroll in one of our courses!
7 Disciplines for High Performance
7 Disciplines for High Performance
By Brian Tracy
There are seven disciplines you must develop if you want to achieve all that is possible for you. You can learn these disciplines through practice and repetition until they become automatic.
Goal Setting
Every morning, take three to five minutes to write out your top goals in the present tense. Get a spiral notebook for this purpose. By writing out your ten goals at the beginning of each day, you will program them deep into your subconscious mind.
This daily goal writing will activate your mental powers. It will stimulate your mind and make you more alert. Throughout the day, you will see opportunities and possibilities to move more rapidly toward your goals.
Planning and Organizing
Take a few minutes, preferably the night before, to plan out every activity of the coming day. Always work from a list. Always think on paper. This is one of the most powerful and important disciplines of all for high performance.
Priority Setting
The essence of all time management, personal management, and life management is contained in your ability to set the proper priorities on the use of your time. This is essential for high performance.
"A Goal Without a Plan is Only a Dream…"
If you dream of achieving great things in life, planning for making them a reality on paper is vital to your success.
Concentration on your Highest-Value Activities
Your ability to work single-mindedly on your most important task will contribute as much to your success as any other discipline you can develop.
Exercise and Proper Nutrition
Your health is more important than anything else. By disciplining yourself to exercise regularly and to eat carefully, you will promote the highest possible levels of health and fitness throughout your life.
Learning and Growth
Your mind is like a muscle. If you don't use it, you lose it. Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.
Time for Important People in your Life
Relationships are everything. Be sure that in climbing the ladder of success, you do not find it leaning against the wrong building. Build time for your relationships into every day, no matter how busy you get.
Action Exercise
These seven disciplines will ensure that you perform at the highest level and get the greatest satisfaction and results from everything you do. Study these seven disciplines and then make a plan for how you can incorporate each of them into your daily life.
By Brian Tracy
There are seven disciplines you must develop if you want to achieve all that is possible for you. You can learn these disciplines through practice and repetition until they become automatic.
Goal Setting
Every morning, take three to five minutes to write out your top goals in the present tense. Get a spiral notebook for this purpose. By writing out your ten goals at the beginning of each day, you will program them deep into your subconscious mind.
This daily goal writing will activate your mental powers. It will stimulate your mind and make you more alert. Throughout the day, you will see opportunities and possibilities to move more rapidly toward your goals.
Planning and Organizing
Take a few minutes, preferably the night before, to plan out every activity of the coming day. Always work from a list. Always think on paper. This is one of the most powerful and important disciplines of all for high performance.
Priority Setting
The essence of all time management, personal management, and life management is contained in your ability to set the proper priorities on the use of your time. This is essential for high performance.
"A Goal Without a Plan is Only a Dream…"
If you dream of achieving great things in life, planning for making them a reality on paper is vital to your success.
Concentration on your Highest-Value Activities
Your ability to work single-mindedly on your most important task will contribute as much to your success as any other discipline you can develop.
Exercise and Proper Nutrition
Your health is more important than anything else. By disciplining yourself to exercise regularly and to eat carefully, you will promote the highest possible levels of health and fitness throughout your life.
Learning and Growth
Your mind is like a muscle. If you don't use it, you lose it. Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.
Time for Important People in your Life
Relationships are everything. Be sure that in climbing the ladder of success, you do not find it leaning against the wrong building. Build time for your relationships into every day, no matter how busy you get.
Action Exercise
These seven disciplines will ensure that you perform at the highest level and get the greatest satisfaction and results from everything you do. Study these seven disciplines and then make a plan for how you can incorporate each of them into your daily life.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
What Winners Do
What Winners Do
Author: Charlie Cook
July 14th, 2009
Even the smartest people I know make mistakes, really big ones. In fact they make more than most. But they are still very successful in business — and in life.
What is it that winners do that separates them from people who are always struggling?
One of the smartest people that I know is a doctor who retired just last month. He and his wife, both very experienced sailors, had made plans to spend several weeks cruising the coast of Maine. In preparation, the doctor did a lot of work this spring on their 36-foot sailboat, including taking off and refurbishing the propeller and then putting it back on.
When they launched the boat and started to back it off the trailer, though, the doctor discovered he’d made a major mistake. When he shifted the motor into reverse, the engine pushed the boat forward and when he shifted it into forward, the boat went backwards.
He quickly arranged to have the sailboat hauled to the local boat yard and made a point of being there when the repair was made. He wanted the mechanic to show him exactly what he’d done wrong when he reinstalled the propeller.
He wanted to learn how to avoid making the same mistake the next time around, get the boat moving forward when he shifted it into forward gear, and get the cruise underway.
And that’s what winners do.
They don’t hide or ignore mistakes or missteps. They acknowledge them, even celebrate what they learned from the situation, and move on.
Anyone can use this simple, no-cost marketing tip to continually get smarter and make more money.
Over the last few decades I’ve seen hundreds of people double or triple their profits within months, and I’ve seen a handful never get where they want to go.
You’ve seen the same thing. Two smart people from the same school end up in two very different places. One as the CEO pulling in a huge salary with generous stock options, the other struggling to make ends meet.
What’s the single most important difference between winners and losers? It’s not just that they make more mistakes.
Winners are quicker to learn and adjust their course to reach their goals! The difference is…
The Speed of Course Correction.
Imagine you are in a canoe race where the objective is to paddle across a lake to the finish line on the far side. You and your fellow competitors all have the same strength, paddling experience and start at the same time.
You’re headed for the finish line and paddling hard when a breeze picks up and begins to push all the canoes sideways. Can you predict who will win the race?
The winners will be the team that notices the change in the conditions and adjusts their course the quickest. They’ll win by being the fastest to make the adjustments that will give the shortest possible route to their destination.
Everyone wants a straight path to success, but obstacles get in the way; competitors, recessions, marketing that doesn’t get a response, the shifting interests of your clients; the list is endless if you see it that way.
The business people who end up on top are quick to acknowledge that things are off course. They continually make the changes necessary to reach their goals.
What’s the fastest way for you to stay in the winners’ lane?
1. Learn to Love Mistakes
When I had my first website in the mid ‘90s it cost me $35,000 and it was more or less a flop. It barely made any money.
I could have thrown up my hands and decided that the Internet was a total waste of time. Instead I chose to get the most I could out of my $35,000 blooper.
I took it as a challenge to discover which mistakes I’d made and what to do differently the next time around. I sold my second website a year later for just under a million dollars.
I made a big mistake, learned all I could from it, and turned that knowledge into a big success. You can do the same.
2. Acknowledge Mistakes Right Away
I talked to a business owner, a specialty clothing retailer, who told me he’d spent $7,000 on Yellow Page ads. When I asked him how many customers the ads had generated, he said none. The following month he signed up with the Yellow Pages again. What’s wrong with this picture?
If you’re not getting the results you want from your marketing, admit that your current strategy needs to be adjusted, if not totally replaced. Let go of the strategies and tactics that aren’t working and make room for new, more effective ones.
My doctor friend who put his propeller on backwards could have just kept the problem a secret and lived with it for the summer, remembering to put the boat in reverse when he wanted to go forward.
Or he could have tried to fix the propeller himself, hoping he could figure it out on his own the second time around. Instead, he admitted his mistake, sought expert advice, learned from his mistake and set off for a great vacation.
3. Be Ready to Change Course
Over and over I hear the same things from small business owners struggling with their marketing. They tell me:
“I’m sure that idea won’t work for me.”
“I know that already.”
“I can’t find anyone to help me.”
“I just want someone to hand me a blueprint.”
These are excuses to keep doing the same thing, even if it isn’t working.
Winners recognize mistakes and grab at new marketing ideas. They put them to the test, track the results and continually fine-tune the ways they market and manage their businesses.
I have many clients who’ve done just that, and more than one who doubled their income last year in the midst of a lousy economy. They jumped on the ideas I gave them and put them into practice.
You can be a winner, too. Your business goals are within reach. To achieve them, be willing to make mistakes; admit them; learn from them and take corrective action, quickly.
“If you don’t make mistakes, if you don’t have failures you’ll never learn…too often I find people, they make a mistake, they don’t take the lessons from that and they make it again and again. So spend the time to figure out what you can learn from it so you don’t ever repeat it.” Indra Nooyi, Pepsico, CEO
Word of Mouth Marketing Tips
Where’s Your Competitive Edge? | Word of Mouth Marketing Tips
When people talk about your business, what are they talking about? If you can quickly name the one thing that they’re saying (’we have the best burgers in town;’ ‘our prices can’t ever be beat;’ ‘our employees are the most helpful in town’) then you have a competitive advantage: you have one thing that sets you apart from your competitors. And that’s great. You can stop reading now.
But chances are, what people are saying about your business isgenerally based on an immediate event: people say things like “the store had a sale on paper towels,” “I like that new cashier,” “I can get a manicure really quickly there.” Now that is all good word of mouth marketing, and important to have, but it isn’t going to help you build your small business’s brand.
Your brand is your name, and your small business logo, and a few key words and phrases that people think about your small business when they hear your brand name. Your competitive advantage should be built into your brand. One store’s competitive advantage could be providing the same benefits as a competitor but at a lower cost. Or, a store can deliver benefits that exceed those of a competitor. So better prices, easier parking or access, more knowledgeable staff, later operating hours, higher quality products and services, faster response…any of those things can be your competitive advantage.
And here’s the important thing…your opinion on what your competitive advantage is may not be the same as your customers’ opinions. And you need to find that out. Ask customers for a word or phrase that describes your small business. If you’re not hearing the same words or phrases, or if those words and phrases don’t match what you think your competitive advantage is, then you need to address that.
First, make sure your competitive advantage is clearly understood by all your staff. Make sure they deliver on that competitive advantage every single day. Then be sure that your customers recognize that as your competitive advantage.
Then comes the important part: ask your customers to tell others about your competitive advantage. Work your advantage into your promotions and your traditional advertising for your small business.
The best thing about having a strong competitive advantage is that it leads to brand loyalty. More and more these days, customers are becoming more loyal to stores than they are to individual products and services. Loyal customers spend more money, are less price sensitive, and are more forgiving if something goes wrong when they’re interacting with your store. And importantly, loyal customers are much more likely to give positive word of mouth for your small business.
Not every customer is going to be a loyal customer. And that’s OK. But it’s certainly a good goal to have, isn’t it?
When people talk about your business, what are they talking about? If you can quickly name the one thing that they’re saying (’we have the best burgers in town;’ ‘our prices can’t ever be beat;’ ‘our employees are the most helpful in town’) then you have a competitive advantage: you have one thing that sets you apart from your competitors. And that’s great. You can stop reading now.
But chances are, what people are saying about your business isgenerally based on an immediate event: people say things like “the store had a sale on paper towels,” “I like that new cashier,” “I can get a manicure really quickly there.” Now that is all good word of mouth marketing, and important to have, but it isn’t going to help you build your small business’s brand.
Your brand is your name, and your small business logo, and a few key words and phrases that people think about your small business when they hear your brand name. Your competitive advantage should be built into your brand. One store’s competitive advantage could be providing the same benefits as a competitor but at a lower cost. Or, a store can deliver benefits that exceed those of a competitor. So better prices, easier parking or access, more knowledgeable staff, later operating hours, higher quality products and services, faster response…any of those things can be your competitive advantage.
And here’s the important thing…your opinion on what your competitive advantage is may not be the same as your customers’ opinions. And you need to find that out. Ask customers for a word or phrase that describes your small business. If you’re not hearing the same words or phrases, or if those words and phrases don’t match what you think your competitive advantage is, then you need to address that.
First, make sure your competitive advantage is clearly understood by all your staff. Make sure they deliver on that competitive advantage every single day. Then be sure that your customers recognize that as your competitive advantage.
Then comes the important part: ask your customers to tell others about your competitive advantage. Work your advantage into your promotions and your traditional advertising for your small business.
The best thing about having a strong competitive advantage is that it leads to brand loyalty. More and more these days, customers are becoming more loyal to stores than they are to individual products and services. Loyal customers spend more money, are less price sensitive, and are more forgiving if something goes wrong when they’re interacting with your store. And importantly, loyal customers are much more likely to give positive word of mouth for your small business.
Not every customer is going to be a loyal customer. And that’s OK. But it’s certainly a good goal to have, isn’t it?
How To Engage Your Prospects
How To Engage Your Prospects
Author: Kim Sheehan
November 21st, 2009
You may have heard the word ‘engagement’ tossed around a lot lately. A small business…well, any business, actually….needs to ‘engage’ with customers. What exactly does that mean? And what does that mean for developing word of mouth for your small business.
Engagement is in some ways an extension of the idea of positioning: the perception that consumers have about your brand relative to the competition. Positioning, however, assumed that perceptions were developed primarily through traditional advertising.
Engagement is the idea that a brand connects with consumers in many different ways: through traditional advertising, online advertising, through retail experiences, and through word of mouth. Brands and store owners control some of these experiences, but other experiences (in particular word of mouth) cannot be completely controlled.
However, to have positive word of mouth between customers, there are two important steps to engagement. First, your business must do a good job of engaging consumers in all the ways that you can control.
Consistency is key: talking about the value you provide and then putting your money where your mouth is in the store is a great way to engage. If you can engage well with customers, they’ll provide the positive word of mouth for you.
Second, you must connect with customers where they are…not where you are. You have to find out where people are talking about you, what they’re saying, and if they have any problems with your business. If they do, you need to connect with them and solve their problems.
More and more these days, the Internet becomes the place where these customer conversations are happening. You need to monitor the social networking websites to find out specifically what the conversations are.
How do you do this? A great, easy way is through a site called www.socialmention.com. Social Mention, in its own words, is like Google Alerts except for Social Media networking websites like Twitter, Facebook, and more. While you can use the Social Mention home page to search for your business, we recommend that you set up an alert, just like a Google Alert.
On the Social Mention home page, click on the “Create An Alert” link. In the next box, enter the name of your business. 3. In the ‘type’ menu, select “All” so that the search engine searches all available social media. Finally, enter your email address…no account needed….so you’ll find out what people are saying about you.
Engagement, as any married person can tell you, is a two way street. Get engaged today!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Consulting Versus Selling
Consulting Vs Selling, How we can make sales by not doing selling but consulting. As we know, everybody loves to buy but hates to be sold. We need to engage in non-manipulative selling, and ask deeper questions that will make the sale.
View Yourself As A Consultant
One particular self-image possessed by high-achieving salespeople is that they see themselves as consultants rather than as salespersons. They see themselves as problem solvers with their products or services rather than as vendors looking for someone who will trade them money for what they have to offer.
Approach Them As Clients
They do not approach their customers with hat in hand, hoping for a sale. They approach their "clients" with the attitude that they are consultants calling on the prospect to help him or her solve a problem or achieve a goal.
Ask Questions And Listen Carefully
Seeing themselves as consultants, they ask questions carefully and listen intently. They focus all of their energies on understanding the customer's situation so that they can make intelligent recommendations based on what the customer really wants and needs.
Become An Expert In Your Field
As consultants, they recognize that they must be experts, authorities in their field. They know their products and services from one end to the other. They invest many hours familiarizing themselves with every single detail of what they sell, and of what their competitors sell as well. They know the strengths and weaknesses, the advantages and shortcomings, the features and benefits of what they are offering. They have excellent product knowledge, which their customers can sense and which gives both themselves and their customers greater confidence throughout the sales conversation.
Differentiate Yourself from Your Competitors
Top salespeople, positioning themselves as consultants, see themselves as resources for their clients. They see themselves and carry themselves as advisors, mentors and friends. They become emotionally involved in their transactions and they are generally concerned that their product or service be the ideal solution to the real needs of the prospects they are dealing with. They differentiate themselves from their competitors by being more concerned with helping their prospects than with selling their products or services. Their customers often feel that they care more about them than they care about making a sale. And it's true.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, see yourself as a problem-solver rather than as a salesperson. Take sufficient time to understand the prospect's real need before you start selling.
Second, think of ways to tailor your product or service to your customer's needs so that he sees what you sell as the ideal solution for him.
View Yourself As A Consultant
One particular self-image possessed by high-achieving salespeople is that they see themselves as consultants rather than as salespersons. They see themselves as problem solvers with their products or services rather than as vendors looking for someone who will trade them money for what they have to offer.
Approach Them As Clients
They do not approach their customers with hat in hand, hoping for a sale. They approach their "clients" with the attitude that they are consultants calling on the prospect to help him or her solve a problem or achieve a goal.
Ask Questions And Listen Carefully
Seeing themselves as consultants, they ask questions carefully and listen intently. They focus all of their energies on understanding the customer's situation so that they can make intelligent recommendations based on what the customer really wants and needs.
Become An Expert In Your Field
As consultants, they recognize that they must be experts, authorities in their field. They know their products and services from one end to the other. They invest many hours familiarizing themselves with every single detail of what they sell, and of what their competitors sell as well. They know the strengths and weaknesses, the advantages and shortcomings, the features and benefits of what they are offering. They have excellent product knowledge, which their customers can sense and which gives both themselves and their customers greater confidence throughout the sales conversation.
Differentiate Yourself from Your Competitors
Top salespeople, positioning themselves as consultants, see themselves as resources for their clients. They see themselves and carry themselves as advisors, mentors and friends. They become emotionally involved in their transactions and they are generally concerned that their product or service be the ideal solution to the real needs of the prospects they are dealing with. They differentiate themselves from their competitors by being more concerned with helping their prospects than with selling their products or services. Their customers often feel that they care more about them than they care about making a sale. And it's true.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, see yourself as a problem-solver rather than as a salesperson. Take sufficient time to understand the prospect's real need before you start selling.
Second, think of ways to tailor your product or service to your customer's needs so that he sees what you sell as the ideal solution for him.
Sales Presentation Process:
Sales Presentation Process:
By Carleadbest
3 STEPS
SEE
1. Smiles - to break the ice, put prospect at ease
2. Eye to Eye contact - exudes confidence and sincerity
3. Enthusiasm - creates interest in the prospect
5 STEPS
ISPCR
1. Introduction - introduce yourself / company representing / asking the prospect name etc.
2. Short Story - about your programme / campaign / asking for right person to speak to / Qualifying the prospect
3. Presentation:
- Full Presentation
- Handling Objections / Turning around Negative
a. Agree - never argue with prospect, empathise with them
b. Jones Theory - Tell them everyone else says the same
thing in order to make the negative seem
small.
c. Reason to give - Provide 1 reason that people still sign up
or buy our product ( relate to negative )
d. Close - Assume they will sign up by requesting the
required information.
4. Close
5. Rehash - Go over whatever information must be left with client
- Ask for referral
8 STEPS
1. Be Prepare - for a day ahead / update file management
2. Always On Time
3. Positive Thinking / Under Control
4. Know Why You Are Here And What Next
5. Always Work Smart
6. Be Confident to achive target / situation / presentation etc
7. Be On your Territory / know your area operations well
8. Be Discipline / Dont Break the Rules
3 Golden Rules Of Customer Service
1. Never Lie
2. If Don't Know, Ask
1. Leader
2. Manager
3. Customer Service Officer
3. Always leave your prospect / client positive
- Give a good impression of the client and the programme
- Leaves the possibility of rehashing the client / prospect at the
later date.
- Allow you to request for referrals and continue working the
territory.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Tips for Winning Sales Presentations
10 Tips for Winning Sales Presentations
By Kevin Davis
The sales presentation is your chance to show and tell, but it's not all show and tell. You also need to think strategically about the customer's buying process and their needs, your competitors' offerings and why your solution is best. Here are 10 keys to planning a delivering a winning sales presentation.
1. Find out in advance how much time you'll have.
Have you ever had a key decision-maker leave in the middle of your presentation because he or she was out of time? You aren't holding the attention of a prospect who is looking at the clock! At the beginning of the call, ask how much time the prospect has set aside. Then adjust your presentation to take more no more than 60 percent of the allotted time. Why only 60 percent? Because your prospect's decisions to act typically occur at the end of a meeting, so you want to allow enough time to resolve any remaining issues and reach an agreement.
2. Another question I ask at the beginning of every sales presentation is, "Since the last time we met, has anything changed?"
If your competitor gave them a presentation yesterday you may have a few new hurdles to overcome. And the sooner you know what those hurdles are, the more time you have to plan a response.
3. The next question you want to ask is "Where are you in your decision process?"
If they tell me they have scheduled presentations with three suppliers, and I'm the first presenter, I know the chances of them agreeing to a decision at the end of my presentation are virtually nil. Why? You play the customer. Suppose you schedule appointments with three suppliers -- would you make a decision at the end of the first presentation? No, because it would take more time, energy and stress to cancel the appointments than it would to just go ahead with them.
Also, you wouldn't cancel them because comparison is necessary to recognize value. Recently one of my clients showed me his new sales brochure -- he was obviously very pleased with it. My immediate reaction was that it looked okay but it did not strike me one way or the other. Then I asked him to show me what he was using before -- and then I KNEW how much better this brochure was then the last! It was the comparison that allowed me to recognize the improvement. Your customers need comparison too, to recognize your value. So if it happens that you're the first presenter, don't go for the close -- because you would be asking for something you can't get -- and your customer will think you are pushy. Instead, come up with a reason to come back and see them after their other presentations -- when they will likely be in a position to make a decision.
For this reason I prefer to present last because it's closest to the customer's point of decision. And that's….
4. The fourth key to effective presentations -- try to be the last presenter.
If I'm the final supplier to present, and I've shown why I'm their best choice, it's only reasonable to ask for a commitment to buy. In one of the largest sales opportunities I've ever worked on -- I was the third of three presenters to a committee of seven decision makers, the most senior of whom was the executive vice president, a Mr. Burns. About 10 minutes before the conclusion of my presentation the phone rang -- Mr. Burns' cab had arrived -- he had a plane to catch. As he stood up I said, "Mr. Burns, before you leave, may I ask you one final question? He said, "Sure." I asked him, "Now that you've evaluated all the options, is there any reason why my solution is not your best option?"
He said, "Yep!" And out it came -- his final concern about my solution… It was a concern that I was ready for -- I had anticipated that it would be a concern -- but I never got the chance to respond to it because his comment triggered a firestorm of conversation around the conference table. Mr. Burns missed his cab -- but several other decision- makers drove him to the airport so they could continue their discussion. A few weeks later I learned that, in the car, a lower-level decision-maker had resolved his concern -- and I won the sale! This example also points out that today, as much as 90 percent of the sale takes place when you're not there. So you've got to make sure that the prospect(s) championing your cause have the tools to sell other decision-makers for you.
5. A good sales presentation starts with a quick review of the customers' goals and objectives.
Then list on a flip chart each of the customer's buying criteria. This list of criteria is your outline for an effective sales presentation. Show how your solution meets and exceeds each decision factor.
6. Throughout your presentation, get reaction from your prospects.
After demonstrating a capability you could ask, "How would this be an improvement?" or "How would this help?" Interactive presentations keep prospects more involved and interested.
[b]7. Communicate all of your unique strengths.
Today, it's not enough to show that you can meet your customer's needs. Your customer wants to know two things: can you do what we need done and how can you do it better than the other options we are considering? So, you must have some reasons why you are their best choice. And to ensure that my strengths are understood, I always prepare a flip chart titled "Why We're Your Best Choice." Here, I put at least three reasons why I am the customer's best choice. Many times I'll list seven or eight reasons. The more reasons you have, and the more compelling those reasons are -- the better your chances of winning the sale.
8. Use visuals in your presentations because a picture is worth a thousand words.
Support your important ideas with a picture, show images on an overhead, flip chart, or laptop computer. Keep your visuals simple. One idea per image. Make it interesting, relevant and readable.
9. If your customer is not in a position to make a decision at the end of your presentation, schedule another appointment.
Come up with a reason to get back in there.
10. Last, but not least, have fun and be yourself.
If you want to persuade other people, you must connect with them on a personal level first. Think of John Madden, the football commentator. Madden is successful because he makes emotional contact by just being who he is. To put more impact in your sales presentations, connect with your prospects by just being YOU.
In sports, when two teams are evenly matched, the winner will be the team that executes its plays the best -- the team that makes the fewest mistakes. To deliver a winning sales presentation, you must do the same. When you implement these 10 tips in your sales presentations you'll win more sales!
By Kevin Davis
The sales presentation is your chance to show and tell, but it's not all show and tell. You also need to think strategically about the customer's buying process and their needs, your competitors' offerings and why your solution is best. Here are 10 keys to planning a delivering a winning sales presentation.
1. Find out in advance how much time you'll have.
Have you ever had a key decision-maker leave in the middle of your presentation because he or she was out of time? You aren't holding the attention of a prospect who is looking at the clock! At the beginning of the call, ask how much time the prospect has set aside. Then adjust your presentation to take more no more than 60 percent of the allotted time. Why only 60 percent? Because your prospect's decisions to act typically occur at the end of a meeting, so you want to allow enough time to resolve any remaining issues and reach an agreement.
2. Another question I ask at the beginning of every sales presentation is, "Since the last time we met, has anything changed?"
If your competitor gave them a presentation yesterday you may have a few new hurdles to overcome. And the sooner you know what those hurdles are, the more time you have to plan a response.
3. The next question you want to ask is "Where are you in your decision process?"
If they tell me they have scheduled presentations with three suppliers, and I'm the first presenter, I know the chances of them agreeing to a decision at the end of my presentation are virtually nil. Why? You play the customer. Suppose you schedule appointments with three suppliers -- would you make a decision at the end of the first presentation? No, because it would take more time, energy and stress to cancel the appointments than it would to just go ahead with them.
Also, you wouldn't cancel them because comparison is necessary to recognize value. Recently one of my clients showed me his new sales brochure -- he was obviously very pleased with it. My immediate reaction was that it looked okay but it did not strike me one way or the other. Then I asked him to show me what he was using before -- and then I KNEW how much better this brochure was then the last! It was the comparison that allowed me to recognize the improvement. Your customers need comparison too, to recognize your value. So if it happens that you're the first presenter, don't go for the close -- because you would be asking for something you can't get -- and your customer will think you are pushy. Instead, come up with a reason to come back and see them after their other presentations -- when they will likely be in a position to make a decision.
For this reason I prefer to present last because it's closest to the customer's point of decision. And that's….
4. The fourth key to effective presentations -- try to be the last presenter.
If I'm the final supplier to present, and I've shown why I'm their best choice, it's only reasonable to ask for a commitment to buy. In one of the largest sales opportunities I've ever worked on -- I was the third of three presenters to a committee of seven decision makers, the most senior of whom was the executive vice president, a Mr. Burns. About 10 minutes before the conclusion of my presentation the phone rang -- Mr. Burns' cab had arrived -- he had a plane to catch. As he stood up I said, "Mr. Burns, before you leave, may I ask you one final question? He said, "Sure." I asked him, "Now that you've evaluated all the options, is there any reason why my solution is not your best option?"
He said, "Yep!" And out it came -- his final concern about my solution… It was a concern that I was ready for -- I had anticipated that it would be a concern -- but I never got the chance to respond to it because his comment triggered a firestorm of conversation around the conference table. Mr. Burns missed his cab -- but several other decision- makers drove him to the airport so they could continue their discussion. A few weeks later I learned that, in the car, a lower-level decision-maker had resolved his concern -- and I won the sale! This example also points out that today, as much as 90 percent of the sale takes place when you're not there. So you've got to make sure that the prospect(s) championing your cause have the tools to sell other decision-makers for you.
5. A good sales presentation starts with a quick review of the customers' goals and objectives.
Then list on a flip chart each of the customer's buying criteria. This list of criteria is your outline for an effective sales presentation. Show how your solution meets and exceeds each decision factor.
6. Throughout your presentation, get reaction from your prospects.
After demonstrating a capability you could ask, "How would this be an improvement?" or "How would this help?" Interactive presentations keep prospects more involved and interested.
[b]7. Communicate all of your unique strengths.
Today, it's not enough to show that you can meet your customer's needs. Your customer wants to know two things: can you do what we need done and how can you do it better than the other options we are considering? So, you must have some reasons why you are their best choice. And to ensure that my strengths are understood, I always prepare a flip chart titled "Why We're Your Best Choice." Here, I put at least three reasons why I am the customer's best choice. Many times I'll list seven or eight reasons. The more reasons you have, and the more compelling those reasons are -- the better your chances of winning the sale.
8. Use visuals in your presentations because a picture is worth a thousand words.
Support your important ideas with a picture, show images on an overhead, flip chart, or laptop computer. Keep your visuals simple. One idea per image. Make it interesting, relevant and readable.
9. If your customer is not in a position to make a decision at the end of your presentation, schedule another appointment.
Come up with a reason to get back in there.
10. Last, but not least, have fun and be yourself.
If you want to persuade other people, you must connect with them on a personal level first. Think of John Madden, the football commentator. Madden is successful because he makes emotional contact by just being who he is. To put more impact in your sales presentations, connect with your prospects by just being YOU.
In sports, when two teams are evenly matched, the winner will be the team that executes its plays the best -- the team that makes the fewest mistakes. To deliver a winning sales presentation, you must do the same. When you implement these 10 tips in your sales presentations you'll win more sales!
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