| |
| |
|
Advertising Information |
|
|
|
Moving a Business Relationship from Free to Fee: Turning Strangers to Friends with Power of Freebies
In the last issue I shared with you a technique for getting permission to follow up with people who have seen you speak on stage. This was just one example of a tactic for filling your pipeline. In these next two issues we'll look at one of our favourite and most powerful tactics for attracting new leads and turning complete strangers into customers as efficiently and enjoyably as possible. So buckle up and hang tight as we take another trip down the Lean Marketing Pipeline... Whenever we attempt to attract new business, we're paying for the privilege. You're paying to educate, inform, attract and persuade. Right up to the point where they pay for the product or service you provide, you're parting with money and time in return for nothing but their attention. So, if you're already giving all this time, energy and money away for f'ree then it's not going to hurt to give something away that they actually value, want and need. In fact doing this sets up a nice chain of events and really helps to move people through your relationship pipeline. Believe it or not, people don't like being sold to. We like to believe that we make decisions based on rational thought. That we chose a particular course of action because we were shrewd and well-informed. We like to feel in control and expect to be treated respectfully. Being sold on a freebie? Well that's another thing entirely. If we're offered a f'reebie and it looks interesting enough then we'll take it. There's nothing wrong with being guided to something of value - we just don't usually like the hard sell. So a f'reebie can be seen as a little sweetener for getting strangers into your pipeline or as a bonus incentive for people deciding to buy what you sell. We'll look at a few categories for the freebie, how you might use them in your pipeline and the pros and cons but first, let's just consider why a f'reebie is probably your most powerful persuasion tool. 5 Reasons Why The F'REEBIE Is Good: 1. You're Paying Anyway... You're usually paying to get people to do something that they'll initially resist. Give something for f'ree and they'll usually gladly give you useful information and permission to contact them in the future. 2. Everyone Loves a Bargain... People who found the f'ree information useful will probably tell their contacts how to get hold of the same information. This applies equally to potential customers, the press, resource guides and websites. You can get a lot of unpaid sales-people on your side with very little effort. 3. Humans Are Generally Reciprocal... You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours is the mantra for many animals but especially humans. Many of us even have an aversion to being 'indebted' and may go out of our way to ensure our 'debts' are repaid. Potential customers might just be tempted to give their business to you over a competitor, because they 'owe you one'. Once they've made the decision all you have to do is deliver what you promised. 4. Feel Good Marketing... By deciding to give away information to others without expectation of reward you'll feel good. For those people who've always thought marketing was a form of manipulation then approaching the process from a place where you give first can make the whole process far more pleasant. 5. You Look Like A Hero... If you provide something truly useful and don't even expect payment then people will think you're a trustworthy character. If you provide big value without asking for a penny in return you could look like a hero. People look to, trust and admire heroes. It's good for business to have your customers looking to you, trusting you and admiring your work don't you agree? In the next issue I'll give you ideas for creating powerful freebies of your own. But as a really easy start to get you into the spirit of things why not just share something of ours for free with your contacts today? I've found that pointing someone you've recently met to some useful information is a great way to start a new relationship off on the right foot. You could... * Tell them to join you on the Lean Marketing Champions eZine by sharing this link... www.leanmarketing.co.uk/free-news.php * Point them to a selection of f'ree eBooks by sharing this link... www.leanmarketingpress.com/books-free.html * Let them know about a fantastic publishing package that gives authors 50% royalties by sharing this link... www.leanmarketingpress.com Givers Really Do Gain - Try it today and see for yourself! 'Dangerous' Debbie Jenkins (c) Copyright 2005 www.BookShaker.com SUMMER CAN BE SLOW FOR BUSINESS
MORE RESOURCES:
Advertising - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
10 Things to Help Your Business When Sales Are Slow During the Holidays Twiddling your thumbs and waiting for some business to come in? Why not use this downtime to set yourself up for greater success in the new year? Here are my 10 picks, but you don't have to do them all. Even doing just one will get you another rung higher on your business ladder. We Will Make It Back----- A Fictional Story Based on Fact About Sales Management Success Bill Borders stepped up onto the podium. He had just been introduced as the new Vice President of Sales for Kiechler Building Supplies. The Boss from Hell: Quick to Criticize, Slow to Praise So you have a boss who dumps all over you the moment things go wrong, but never seems to notice when things go right. Ouch. How to Win Over the Man in the Chair Salesmanship, Repetition, and Direct Mail In a classic business-to-business print ad from the late 50's for McGraw-Hill Magazines an imposing looking executive sits in his chair. He has both feet planted firmly on the ground, a scowl on his face. Not Enough Fresh Sales Leads? Marketing is the New Sales Your sales are down and leads are rare. The phone's not ringing. Producing Premium Performance One of the major issues that arises in managing a small or medium size business is in the area of employee performance. Many business owners are frustrated with the poor performance of their team or some individuals within their team. 100% Commission Equals Zero Percent Control The temptation to use straight (100%) commission plans never goes away: "Let's put our salespeople on 100 percent commission. Then, if they don't perform, we're not out any money. Snowflakes Improve Holiday Sales Snowflakes are beautiful!For the Winter Holiday sales season handcrafted snowflakes are the perfect touch. They lend an aura of a mystical winter wonderland to any room, house or office decor. Effective Sales Territory Management How you prioritize your sales territory management activities depends upon whether you are managing a territory that has existing customers, or whether you are building your customer base from scratch.If you manage a territory that has existing customers, your first priority should be to introduce yourself to every single one of your customers. The Art of Sales (And Tips On How To Manage Your Sales Team) Selling. Cold calls, introductions, interviews, appointments, proposals, referrals, call cycles, building rapport, listening, asking for the order, overcoming objections, closing the sale, and rejection. Is Your Sales Trust Factor High Enough to Win Against the Competition? How high is your sales trust factor?Is it higher than the sales trust factor of your competition?It should be, if you want to increase your success in sales.Your trust factor represents the level of trust that buyers have in you as a seller. 3 Secrets That Set The Context For Sales Success In today's competitive environment, every organization is trying to improve sales results. In every company, the most important - and vulnerable - link in the success chain is the performance of their people. Accepting Responsibility for Your Sales Success That we live in a time of relentless and pervasive change is no longer news to anyone. There is one important implication of this situation that continues to be a challenge. Hiring--A Vital Key In Sales Management Success Recently, I was asked to spend some time on the telephone, coaching a client's administrative assistant on how to check out an employment candidate's references. After each in-person or telephone conference, I complete a brief written report going over the information discussed. Why Performance-Based Recruiting Produces Top Sales Performers Many recruiting ads and job descriptions include "knockout factors" that can actually screen out qualified sales candidates. One example is a requirement that candidates have an undergraduate degree, a graduate degree, or a degree in a specialized field of study such as Engineering. How Your 60-Second Elevator Script Can Transform Your Staff, Your Sales, & Your Business When attending a Chamber of Commerce breakfast networking get-together, I'm always perplexed by the lack of thought and preparation many business owners display when giving a 60-second overview of their business. These people have spent enormous amounts of time, money, and energy on their businesses. 3 Steps To Getting A Sales Meeting The best way to get a new customer is to clearly identify who you want to do business with and then get in front of them. They can then see what you look like, possibly see what your product looks like and also examine any data or statistics you might have. Leadership - How To Turn The Vision Into A Reality Be clear about where you are now. Audit your strengths and areas for developmentWhere do you want to be?What needs to be done to eliminate the gap between your dream and the reality?Prioritize - Look for quick wins, consider those things which will have maximum long term impact. How to Write a Business Plan Sales Section for a Mobile Service We all agree one of the most important parts of any business is Sales. We also know that to get sales we must advertise to let potential customers know of our offerings. Speed-up Your Sales Cycle This week's article is my response to a question by David Cohen of Bridge-Soft. "Quite a few prospects have told me that business is stagnant at the moment, but they are hopeful towards the 4th quarter.
|
