Effective Small Business Marketing is About Building Relationships…Not Just Making Sales
Effective Small Business Marketing is About Building Relationships…Not Just Making Sales
So what is this big mistake?
Asking for the sale too soon!
All too often small business owners are so focused on making a sale right now today, they’re oblivious to what’s going on in the prospect’s mind. So they come up empty handed time after time. And they fail to build a community of repeat customers who buy from them time and again. Here’s why…
People don’t like to be sold, they like to buy. And they like to buy from someone they know, like and trust. On top of that, people jump at the chance to buy things they really believe are going to be of value to them.
So if they don’t know who you are, or the value you, your products or your services have to offer, chances are they won’t risk spending their hard-earned dollars with you…Especially if what you are selling costs more than $100.
After all, would you pay $3000 for a two-day seminar from someone you’ve never heard of? What about $1200? Or even $500? Probably not.
Because unless someone gives you a direct referral, how do you know you are going to get your money’s worth? Or any value at all? For all you know, it could be a big scam or one long sales pitch. And your potential customers often feel the same way.
So instead of pushing people to buy your products or services, give them ways to get to know, like and trust you. The sales will automatically follow.
Here’s another way to look at it…
Think of your business like an old-fashioned swimming hole. Now, most people are not going to just jump in when they first get to a new swimming hole–especially if they can’t see the bottom.
Instead they might start by dipping a toe in to test the water temperature. Or asking how deep the water is, and whether the bottom is sandy, rocky or slimy.
Once they feel more confident that the experience is going to be what they want, they might wade in a ways before fully submerging.
If all goes well, then they might think about jumping in off surrounding cliffs, or hitting the rope swing. Because now they know the water is plenty deep and warm.
Of course, some folks are willing to risk it and dive in right away—especially if someone who’s done it before says it is okay. And that’s fine. Nothing’s stopping them.
But most people are going to want to ease in to one degree or another.
So the key to getting more people to buy from you—especially high-dollar items—is to create a series of smaller steps that let them wade in and test the waters before taking a bigger, more risky leap.
How? It’s simple really…
1) Always offer plenty of free information. There’s lots of ways to do this including:
+ Mailing out a regular newsletter
+ Putting free useful content on your Website
+ Starting an e-zine and/or blog
+ Offering a free report
+ Public speaking live or via teleseminars or Webinars
+ Giving away a trial size or introductory version
+ Adding helpful audio or video to your Website
2) Stay in front of them.
You want your target customers to recognize your name and/or brand, and begin thinking of you in positive terms. Familiarity breeds confidence because people start to feel they know you. And they see that you aren’t just going to be here today, gone tomorrow.
Plus, studies have shown that when given a choice between two identical items, people will chose the one who’s brand name is most familiar every time.
3) Create a series of complementary products or services at different price points. Someone who is not willing to sign up for your $3000 seminar might happily risk buying a $19.95 e-book, or taking a free teleseminar.
So offer some things that are f*ree, then others that are gradually more expensive. People may start out downloading your f*ree information. But once they see the value you deliver, they will come back for more.
If you’re doing all this, then the key to ongoing sales success is making sure that everything you produce—whether you give it away or sell it—is high-quality, valuable and helpful. Because the first impression you make will determine whether or not they come back again.
Once potential customers see that you know your stuff, and have solutions for their problems and needs, they will begin to trust you—and buy more and more of your fabulous products and services.
So don’t just try to sell…Focus on building a relationship in steps and letting people get to know you, and the sales will automatically follow.
Effective Small Business Marketing is About Building RelationshipsNot Just Making Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Stacy Karacostas's Website.
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Lots of entrepreneurs struggle when it comes to making sales. Though there are many possible reasons for this, I’ve found one mistake in particular that small business owners make time and again. This is something that kills sales—especially sales of higher priced items—like nothing else. Luckily it is also fairly easy to avoid.
So what is this big mistake?
Asking for the sale too soon!
All too often small business owners are so focused on making a sale right now today, they’re oblivious to what’s going on in the prospect’s mind. So they come up empty handed time after time. And they fail to build a community of repeat customers who buy from them time and again. Here’s why…
People don’t like to be sold, they like to buy. And they like to buy from someone they know, like and trust. On top of that, people jump at the chance to buy things they really believe are going to be of value to them.
So if they don’t know who you are, or the value you, your products or your services have to offer, chances are they won’t risk spending their hard-earned dollars with you…Especially if what you are selling costs more than $100.
After all, would you pay $3000 for a two-day seminar from someone you’ve never heard of? What about $1200? Or even $500? Probably not.
Because unless someone gives you a direct referral, how do you know you are going to get your money’s worth? Or any value at all? For all you know, it could be a big scam or one long sales pitch. And your potential customers often feel the same way.
So instead of pushing people to buy your products or services, give them ways to get to know, like and trust you. The sales will automatically follow.
Here’s another way to look at it…
Think of your business like an old-fashioned swimming hole. Now, most people are not going to just jump in when they first get to a new swimming hole–especially if they can’t see the bottom.
Instead they might start by dipping a toe in to test the water temperature. Or asking how deep the water is, and whether the bottom is sandy, rocky or slimy.
Once they feel more confident that the experience is going to be what they want, they might wade in a ways before fully submerging.
If all goes well, then they might think about jumping in off surrounding cliffs, or hitting the rope swing. Because now they know the water is plenty deep and warm.
Of course, some folks are willing to risk it and dive in right away—especially if someone who’s done it before says it is okay. And that’s fine. Nothing’s stopping them.
But most people are going to want to ease in to one degree or another.
So the key to getting more people to buy from you—especially high-dollar items—is to create a series of smaller steps that let them wade in and test the waters before taking a bigger, more risky leap.
How? It’s simple really…
1) Always offer plenty of free information. There’s lots of ways to do this including:
+ Mailing out a regular newsletter
+ Putting free useful content on your Website
+ Starting an e-zine and/or blog
+ Offering a free report
+ Public speaking live or via teleseminars or Webinars
+ Giving away a trial size or introductory version
+ Adding helpful audio or video to your Website
2) Stay in front of them.
You want your target customers to recognize your name and/or brand, and begin thinking of you in positive terms. Familiarity breeds confidence because people start to feel they know you. And they see that you aren’t just going to be here today, gone tomorrow.
Plus, studies have shown that when given a choice between two identical items, people will chose the one who’s brand name is most familiar every time.
3) Create a series of complementary products or services at different price points. Someone who is not willing to sign up for your $3000 seminar might happily risk buying a $19.95 e-book, or taking a free teleseminar.
So offer some things that are f*ree, then others that are gradually more expensive. People may start out downloading your f*ree information. But once they see the value you deliver, they will come back for more.
If you’re doing all this, then the key to ongoing sales success is making sure that everything you produce—whether you give it away or sell it—is high-quality, valuable and helpful. Because the first impression you make will determine whether or not they come back again.
Once potential customers see that you know your stuff, and have solutions for their problems and needs, they will begin to trust you—and buy more and more of your fabulous products and services.
So don’t just try to sell…Focus on building a relationship in steps and letting people get to know you, and the sales will automatically follow.
Effective Small Business Marketing is About Building RelationshipsNot Just Making Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Stacy Karacostas'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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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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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan'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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John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
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