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High and Low Sales and Marketing

Guest post by: Hussain Zaidi

Article Overview: Succeed in sales and marketing by alternating between high level strategy and low level detail. Learn tips to maximize your effectiveness at each stage of the purchasing cycle.

High and Low Sales and Marketing

Sales and marketing is all about alternating between high level strategy and low level detail.

Successful sales and marketing is about creatingrelationships. Be prepared for the ups and the downs, the goods and the bads, the sales and the rejections. The way to alleviate most any obstacle in the process is by switching from high level to low level and vice versa. When a customer gets caught up in a specific detail, change the focus of the discussion to the big picture. The converse is true as well.

Think about the last time you decided to purchase something. What was your thought process? Did you find it easy to decide or was your evaluation of each alternative a long and laborious process? In some cases we buy something because we justknowit is what we are looking for. More generally our thinking follows the following steps which you should recognize and navigate with your potential buyers.

At each step, alternate from the big picture to zooming in to the smallest of details:

1. Need:The first question your buyer will ask themselves once you have attracted their interest is: does this product or service solve a need of mine? High level needs include lifestyle needs such as looking good to others and making oneself more successful at one's job. Low level needs are the day-to-day technical challenges that your buyers face which you are trying to help them with

2. Requirements:With a need in mind that your buyer is looking to address, they will then draw up a set of requirements of how that need can be solved. Your goal should be to match your product or service to these requirements in your communications to potential buyers. Remember that features do not mean anything unless you connect them with high and low level requirements

3. Evaluation:Once your buyer has drawn up a set of high and low level requirements they will begin to compare your product or service against the ideal solution they have in mind. At this critical juncture you must remember to communicate both the high level and low level benefits of your product or service and help the customer visualize how your solution best services their needs on all fronts

4. Negotiation:It is only at this point that price can be considered a serious component of the sales and marketing discussion. Whether or not the previous steps happen in minutes, days or weeks, it is only after going through that thought process that your prospect qualifies themselves as a serious buyer. In negotiating with them you can now position price as an investment for high and low level value

5. Purchase:In today's economy it is especially important that the sales and marketing process does not end with a purchase or low level transaction. You must nurture the high level view of creatinglifetimebuyers by excelling in customer experience, post-sales service and staying in touch with buyers to communicate offers and the value that they are continuing to receive from their business with you

By following this advice you will begin to create a flexible mindset and so will your customers. If you receive a return or complaint then see it as a temporary setback and service the customer well. The high level strategy behind doing so will enable you to foster healthy relationships and build longterm success. Each step of the process as well as your overall business can benefit from this approach.

If you get stuck at the high level, drill down to the tactical day-to-day details to find relief. “The price is too high? Well just think about how much time you are going to save.” The same is true the other way around. “You think the product is too complex? Well, let me assure you that the learning curve with our customers is only a week or so. What is more, the benefits will last forever.” Back and forth and back again...

Be a dive-bomber seller and marketer by zeroing in and then swooping out again.

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Article Tags: purchasing cycle, sales and marketing, strategy



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