Who's The Star of Your Home-Based Business?
Who's The Star of Your Home-Based Business?
The launch was a dud and although she knew she was skilled in her craft and provided exceptional service, attracting clients was an exercise in futility. She was on the brink of throwing in the towel and walking away from her dream.
I suggested we evaluate several factors that could have contributed to the failed launch.
It could be any number of things from inadequate research prior to creating the product, to not communicating the value clearly, to not pricing it right, not overcoming objections or making the offer risk free to the customer
We had some homework to do.
I decided to start with a quick review of her sales copy and quickly discovered
It was all about her.
The eight-page sales letter mentioned her name 18 times. She named her product after herself and the copy was plastered with "I's" and "Me's."
There was very little reference to the potential buyer, what she could do for her, how she could make her life better, how she could solve her problems.
She mentioned she also had a surge of unsubscribes from her newsletter, so I started reading through archived issues.
Again, it was mainly about her with a few snippets of text actually directed to the reader.
There was no real benefit in the content, but basically heartfelt stories about her life and the lessons she's learned.
The product offers in the newsletter read, "My store is open, here are the products, so go here to see more" and "The mate to my report is available, go here to get it."
Headlines read as, "What Can (Her Name Here) Do For Me?" when "Let (Insert Company Name) Help You " would have focused on meeting the prospect's needs.
Unfortunately, this is a common error among many new entrepreneurs. Randomly visit some of the web sites of home-based and small business owners and you'll quickly discover how widespread this is.
As you're visiting these sites, put on the hat of a potential customer and pay attention to how "I" centered marketing makes you feel. If the copy is all about them with little regard to how you will benefit, does it make you want to pull our your wallet?
And what about communications that focus on you? Solving your problems, making your life easier, improving your relationships or financial position, giving you more freedom, etc. Would you be more inspired to look further into acquiring what they offer?
Once you're deep into the role of the potential client, go to your web site and read your copy from an objective standpoint. If it reads like a biography or resume, it's time for a facelift.
Read past issues of your newsletter, brochures, e-mail, etc.
You can have the best product in the world and be the best at what you do, but if people aren't inspired to open the door and come in, it doesn't really matter.
Here's an easy way to illustrate this lesson if you have people attending your home for products and services. They will have one of two experiences.
One They come in, have a seat in your office, and you talk across your desk at them about what you do, how you do it, how long you've been doing it, the technology behind it, how great it is, how great you are and what your terms are.
Two They arrive, are greeted with a cup of tea and a warm smile. You sit next to them and ask how they're doing and what has brought them to see you. You ask what challenges they're facing and what kind of solution they're looking for. Once you're absolutely clear on what they need, you then explain what type of results they can expect.
Will they be healthier, wealthier, happier, pain-free, respected, loved, promoted, smarter, more comfortable ?
Make it abundantly clear to your prospects at all times that they are the stars and will receive exceptional results by doing business with you.
This is one of the first rules to your home business success.
2007 © Laurie Hayes - The HBB Source
Whos The Star of Your HomeBased Business - To learn more about this author, visit Laurie Hayes's Website.
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I received an email today from a new client gripped with pain and frustration. She had invested thousands into her new business and most recently the creation of a new product.
The launch was a dud and although she knew she was skilled in her craft and provided exceptional service, attracting clients was an exercise in futility. She was on the brink of throwing in the towel and walking away from her dream.
I suggested we evaluate several factors that could have contributed to the failed launch.
It could be any number of things from inadequate research prior to creating the product, to not communicating the value clearly, to not pricing it right, not overcoming objections or making the offer risk free to the customer
We had some homework to do.
I decided to start with a quick review of her sales copy and quickly discovered
It was all about her.
The eight-page sales letter mentioned her name 18 times. She named her product after herself and the copy was plastered with "I's" and "Me's."
There was very little reference to the potential buyer, what she could do for her, how she could make her life better, how she could solve her problems.
She mentioned she also had a surge of unsubscribes from her newsletter, so I started reading through archived issues.
Again, it was mainly about her with a few snippets of text actually directed to the reader.
There was no real benefit in the content, but basically heartfelt stories about her life and the lessons she's learned.
The product offers in the newsletter read, "My store is open, here are the products, so go here to see more" and "The mate to my report is available, go here to get it."
Headlines read as, "What Can (Her Name Here) Do For Me?" when "Let (Insert Company Name) Help You " would have focused on meeting the prospect's needs.
Unfortunately, this is a common error among many new entrepreneurs. Randomly visit some of the web sites of home-based and small business owners and you'll quickly discover how widespread this is.
As you're visiting these sites, put on the hat of a potential customer and pay attention to how "I" centered marketing makes you feel. If the copy is all about them with little regard to how you will benefit, does it make you want to pull our your wallet?
And what about communications that focus on you? Solving your problems, making your life easier, improving your relationships or financial position, giving you more freedom, etc. Would you be more inspired to look further into acquiring what they offer?
Once you're deep into the role of the potential client, go to your web site and read your copy from an objective standpoint. If it reads like a biography or resume, it's time for a facelift.
Read past issues of your newsletter, brochures, e-mail, etc.
You can have the best product in the world and be the best at what you do, but if people aren't inspired to open the door and come in, it doesn't really matter.
Here's an easy way to illustrate this lesson if you have people attending your home for products and services. They will have one of two experiences.
One They come in, have a seat in your office, and you talk across your desk at them about what you do, how you do it, how long you've been doing it, the technology behind it, how great it is, how great you are and what your terms are.
Two They arrive, are greeted with a cup of tea and a warm smile. You sit next to them and ask how they're doing and what has brought them to see you. You ask what challenges they're facing and what kind of solution they're looking for. Once you're absolutely clear on what they need, you then explain what type of results they can expect.
Will they be healthier, wealthier, happier, pain-free, respected, loved, promoted, smarter, more comfortable ?
Make it abundantly clear to your prospects at all times that they are the stars and will receive exceptional results by doing business with you.
This is one of the first rules to your home business success.
2007 © Laurie Hayes - The HBB Source
Whos The Star of Your HomeBased Business - To learn more about this author, visit Laurie Hayes's Website.
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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David BarrDavid Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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