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Creating Sales Conversations
Written by Charlie Cook
Youve got a great product or service that beats the competition by miles. Once you get in front of people or get them on the phone, theyre sold. The only problem is youre not getting enough of those initial conversations with prospects started so you can convert them to clients. Instead of having your phone ringing of the hook with requests, you feel like your firm is the best kept secret in your industry.
Sound familiar?
Bob called from Alabama with just this problem. His company manufactures creative, attractive and safe playgrounds. Lately, sales have been flat, at best, and despite having an outstanding product, his company isnt generating as many sales as hed like. Bob wanted to know how to start more conversations so he can jump start sales.
Want more conversations with prospects so you can sell your products and services?
The first step to starting a conversation with someone is to get his or her attention. In school, you raised your hand and eventually the teacher called on you -- of course, that is what the teacher was paid to do. When youre marketing your products or services, you cant just raise your hand and expect prospects to call on you. Running an ad or having a web site that describes your products or services is the equivalent of raising your hand. It may have worked in the classroom, but it doesnt work in the marketplace.
When you focus your marketing on yourself, your firm or your products, it rarely works to get attention or start a conversation. To engage prospects and get them to contact you, you need to focus on their needs and wants.
Bob explained that he had three different markets: day care centers, municipal parks departments and architects and each has different concerns. Parks departments concern is durability and the safety of the materials used, day care centers is the creative design.
As Bob clearly understands, each target market has their own unique set of interests. These interests should be the focus his marketing effort, not the company name, credentials or product production techniques. Bob could be using these insights to create a marketing message or set of marketing messages to get the attention of prospects.
Through your experience you have a good idea of your prospects and your clients concerns and interests. Take a minute to jot down the top three concerns of each of your target markets. Use this information to engage prospects in conversation.
If a stranger walked into your office, whats the first thing youd do? Youd say something like, How can I help you? Not surprisingly, the same technique works wonders when you combine it with your knowledge of prospects concerns. Instead of touting your credentials or describing your products, lead with a question to start a conversation.
Bob could ask, Want to learn more about improving the safety and durability of your playgrounds? Or a marketing coach might ask, Want to learn more about attracting a steady stream of clients? Or the line that suckers me every time as an audiophile is, Want to learn how to make your stereo sound like a live performance?
When were one on one, face-to-face, starting a conversation comes naturally to most of us. Beginning with a handful of questions, you can quickly learn what someone wants and how you can help them. Focus on your prospects concerns with a question or two and youll get their attention. Offer them something they want and theyll contact you.
One of the biggest mistakes people make in marketing their business is to over emphasize closing the sale. What you want to do is open the door to new prospects, start a conversation and help them get what they want. Focus on starting more conversations with your marketing and youll end up closing many more sales.
2004 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.
The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals and small business owners attract more clients and be more successful. Sign up for the Free Marketing Plan eBook, 7 Steps to get more clients and grow your business at http://www.marketingforsuccess.com
ccook@marketingforsuccess.com
Additional Articles by Charlie Cook
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8 Common Marketing Mistakes
Are You Ignoring These Marketing Principles
Are You Marketing to Your Potential
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Are Your Emails Gettting Through
Building Web Pages That Move People To Buy
Catch More Clients Using Strategic Networking
Creating Marketing Fireworks
Explaining What You Do in 15 Seconds
Frugal Marketing
Get Business Now Play by the Marketing Rules
Getting Lucky with Systematic marketing
Getting Noticed by the Search Engines
GOT MEME How to Attract Your Clients and Customers Attention
How to Avoid the Marketing Blues with Your Offers
How To Generate Leads And Grow Your Business
How to Get the Right Clients and Avoid the Wrong Ones
How to Grab Attention with your Headlines
How to Keep Your Business Healthy
Is Your Marketing Full of Holes
Is Your Marketing Message Holding You Back
Is Your Marketing Strategy Killing Your Profits
Let Your Mistakes Improve Your Marketing And Your Profits
Marketing Smarter to Earn More
Moving Beyond Marketing Rituals to Increase Profits
Open the Door to More Business with Your Ideas
Overcoming Objections to Price
Overcoming Your Biggest Marketing Obstacle
Removing Obstacles to Sales
Shift to Full Power Marketing
The Key to Eliminating Objections and Increasing Sales
Use Product Research to Position Yourself as the Expert
Using Your Web Site to Grow Your Business
What Is the Most Effective Way to Advertise
What Is Your Marketing Really Costing You
WHERE TO FOCUS YOUR MARKETING
Which Of These Words Attract Your Clients
Why Some Web Sites Sell and Others Dont
How To Measure Your Websites Perf0Rmance
Marketing Tricks or Treats
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