| Wouldn't it be great that every time you made a sales | | | | purchase process |
| presentation, write a letter, send your sales literature or | | | | 6. Strategically link a product or services to a |
| place an ad that you knew, with some certainty, that | | | | customer's most important needs and issues |
| you could get your prospects to take action and | | | | 7. Detail the product or service to motivate the |
| respond to your offer? | | | | purchasing action of the customer |
| Well, to put it bluntly, it's not that difficult if you simply | | | | Each advertising piece that is used in your marketing |
| apply the basics of marketing. Unfortunately, marketing | | | | arsenal - newspaper ad, magazine ad, direct response |
| is one of the least understood and arguably one of the | | | | mailing, public relations campaign should make a |
| least underutilized, course of action, in business today. | | | | complete and compelling case for your products and |
| Marketing has and will continue to make the difference | | | | services in the same way that a salesperson would |
| between the survival and extinction of a business | | | | do in person. |
| today. Treading our way into the future with the | | | | 1. Do your ads (metaphorically) talk to your customers |
| overwhelming velocity of day-to-day change in this | | | | - do they build a rapport? |
| wildly unpredictable changing marketplace, with shorter | | | | 2. Are your brochures, letters, newsletters, ads and |
| product life cycles, require businesses, small or large, to | | | | public relations material believable and emotionally peak |
| have an edge or lose share of market to the | | | | the curiosity of people to want to learn more? |
| competition. | | | | 3. Is your marketing targeted toward perspective |
| Having the edge today will involve refining your | | | | customers that have a real need for your products |
| marketing with a holistic approach and razor-sharp | | | | and services - have the money and willing to spend it? |
| strategies that accelerate your business growth. The | | | | 4. Does your marketing materials educate and |
| more I research and study how businesses stay alive | | | | emphasize all the tangible benefits to keep the |
| and well -- the more I am convinced and respect that | | | | prospective customer engaged and motivated to take |
| strategic marketing is the forerunner to optimizing our | | | | a purchasing action. |
| selling performance. | | | | Today is not the time to be timid in your marketing. |
| Think of it this way: Visualize an umbrella - and label it | | | | People need a nudge in making decisions. They want |
| "marketing" and "strategy." Next, under the umbrella | | | | and expect to be told how to take action to obtain |
| see advertising, branding, public relations, etc. Label | | | | your products and services. |
| those items, "selling" and "tactical processes." | | | | Take an assessment of your strategic marketing and |
| "Marketing," -- the strategy -- is what favorably | | | | selling action mentioned above and in addition see if |
| positions your company products or services in the | | | | you are: |
| mind of the customer and is aimed at stimulating a | | | | 1. Educating your customers about the unique |
| desire and demand on the part of the customer to | | | | advantages your products and services offered:a). |
| make a purchase. | | | | Service guaranteesb). Technical or manufacturing |
| "Selling" -- the tactical processes -- are tools used to | | | | supportc). Warrantiesd). Durability and dependabilitye). |
| educate, inform, influence and persuade purchasing | | | | New product developmentsf). Upgrades and product |
| actions from the customer. | | | | enhancementsg). Delivery |
| Both marketing and selling must lead the customer to | | | | 2. Asking strategic questions for:a). Linking products or |
| action. For example: Advertising is salesmanship in | | | | services to customers needsb). Providing solutions for |
| action. Radio, television, newspaper, direct mail | | | | their problemsc). Manage customer relationshipsd). |
| (electronic or paper) and magazines should all be | | | | Keeping your customer and prospective customer |
| constructed in the same demanding way that a | | | | engaged in the buying process |
| salesperson makes a presentation to a prospective | | | | 3. Active Listening for:a). Emotional triggersb). Logical |
| customer. | | | | reasoning |
| The same skills, habits and attitudes that are required | | | | 4. Handling objections to:a). Minimizing concernsb). |
| of a salesperson for influencing action, on the part of | | | | Overcome obstacles |
| the customer, should be directly aligned with all your | | | | 5. Presenting benefits that:a). Motivate your customer's |
| various tactical processes. | | | | loyalty and purchasing actionb). Advantage your |
| For example -- The successful salesperson must: | | | | products and services over your competitors |
| 1. Develop and build rapport | | | | Now is the time to pull out all your marketing materials, |
| 2. Understand customer needs | | | | ads, sales scripts, brochures, presentation materials, |
| 3. Emphasize tangible benefits | | | | marketing channels, and yes, check your attitudes, |
| 4. Skillfully move a customer toward a purchase | | | | habits and skills - it's time to be innovative, nontraditional |
| 5. Keep the prospective customer "engaged" in the | | | | and bold in your thinking and business endeavors. |