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Casual Articles - Tips to Stay in Prospects' Good Graces
All things considered, word of mouth is still the most important means of marketing any product or service. Word of mouth is created by getting your product or service in the hands of people who will appreciate it and will talk to friends and associates about it.The best way to get people talking is to give your product or service to key individuals — talk-show hosts, columnists, celebrities, and chat-line addicts — who are going to mention it to many people, who will mention it to even more people.With the right product or service, the more you give away, the more you end up selling. I have now spent approximately $40,000 giving away over 12,000 copi
1. Newsletters or special reports. Send a newsletter or report that gives valuable information to your prospects -- not just puffery about your company and products. Include helpful business tips. Send via mail, fax or e-mail.
2. Postcards. While traveling on vacation or business, scan the tourist postcard racks with specific prospects in mind. Postcards printed with a message from you is another inexpensive way to get in front of prospects. You can mail someone a postcard every 30 days for about $7 per year.
3. Articles. Clip interesting articles. Everything you read should flow through your "Who else would be interested in this?" filter.
4. Free samples. We all love getting packages. If affordable, give pro
Jewelry retailers across the country are gearing up for May 1, the official start of gold month 2006. Since 2004, jewelers have used May as a platform to reach customers considering purchases for Mother’s Day, graduation, first communion, confirmation and the bridal season. In addition to the gift-giving opportunities, the campaign is also designed to inspire self-purchase, encouraging customers to update their spring and summer wardrobe with new styles of gold jewelry.Retailers should think beyond products when they are considering ways to attract new business during gold month 2006. Because the ‘May is Gold Month’ event is really still in its infancy, i
If salespeople expect to be in control of their financial destiny, they have little choice but to prospect. Plus, the ability to attract fresh new business for the salesperson's company is one of the most sought-after talents in the sales profession. So let's explore some of the proactive steps salespeople can take besides take off another set of plans and continue to quote prospects who are solidly in the competitions' camp.
Consistency is key. Whatever techniques you employ as a prospecting tool must be consistent, yet not annoying. And one of the best ways to guarantee consistency is to make use of contact management software.
I believe that salespeople who are serious about selling and keeping good records on both existing customers and prospects must make good use of a computer. In my office, I use a Window's version of ACT! But there are a lot of good products on the market. Goldmine is another brand name that receives high marks.
Show your prospects how to be more successful. Success, of course, is not the same for everyone, so to use this technique you must first find out what your prospects' goals and objectives are. How do you do that? Ask! Design several open-ended questions to ask after you've gotten to know the prospect well enough to have earned the right to ask.
One of my favorites is, "What are you trying to make happen in this business? In other words, when the end of the year rolls around, what sort of evidence do you look for to determine if you've been successful or not?"
Since I have asked this question hundreds of times, I know for a fact that nine out of ten business owners characterize success by the amount of money they are able to put on the bottom line. So to impress your prospects and to just about guarantee your right to a piece of their business, begin by bringing them a steady stream of money-making or money-saving ideas.
Have a value-added reason to stay in touch. Don't spook your prospects by asking for an order every time you make a sales call. What's really important is to get your prospects in the habit of looking forward to your calls because each time you call, you share with them another good idea. Here are some ideas:
(My examples are for a building material salesperson calling on a residential home builder, but the same concept will work for any class of trade you happen to be trying to sell.)
Idea #1: "Do you remember the conversation we were having the other day about lowering construction costs? I just read a really good article in a Builder magazine that you will really like. Here, I brought you a copy."
Idea #2: "A few days ago you were telling me about how many callbacks you have been getting due to leaking skylights. I just ran across a product that several of my customers are using that they say has almost totally eliminated the problem. Here, I picked up some product literature for you to take a look at. We've placed our initial order, so if you like, in a few days I'll bring you a sample so you can give it a try."
Idea #3: "I noticed that you weren't at the home builders meeting on Monday night when they had a building inspector on the program. He gave us a lot of interesting insight into what code changes are in the works. Here, I brought you a copy of his handout material."
Reach out and touch someone.
Omaha-based Art Sobczak, publisher of Telephone Selling Report ( www.businessbyphone.com) offers eight ideas for keeping your name in front of prospects:
1. Newsletters or special reports. Send a newsletter or report that gives valuable information to your prospects -- not just puffery about your company and products. Include helpful business tips. Send via mail, fax or e-mail.
2. Postcards. While traveling on vacation or business, scan the tourist postcard racks with specific prospects in mind. Postcards printed with a message from you is another inexpensive way to get in front of prospects. You can mail someone a postcard every 30 days for about $7 per year.
3. Articles. Clip interesting articles. Everything you read should flow through your "Who else would be interested in this?" filter.
4. Free samples. We all love getting packages. If affordable, give pros
Freight ForwardingFreight forwarding is an essential contributor to the smooth running of international trade with the freight forwarder being responsible for choosing the best options for their customers' distribution needs.In this article we’ll discuss the freight forwarding industry and show how it is the unsung hero of the world trade.What Is Freight ForwardingFreight forwarding is all about moving goods from one part of the world to another economically and efficiently. Ensuring that cargo arrives at the right place and at the right time involves real skill. on both existing customers and prospects must make good use of a computer. In my office, I use a Window's version of ACT! But there are a lot of good products on the market. Goldmine is another brand name that receives high marks.
Show your prospects how to be more successful. Success, of course, is not the same for everyone, so to use this technique you must first find out what your prospects' goals and objectives are. How do you do that? Ask! Design several open-ended questions to ask after you've gotten to know the prospect well enough to have earned the right to ask.
One of my favorites is, "What are you trying to make happen in this business? In other words, when the end of the year rolls around, what sort of evidence do you look for to determine if you've been successful or not?"
Since I have asked this question hundreds of times, I know for a fact that nine out of ten business owners characterize success by the amount of money they are able to put on the bottom line. So to impress your prospects and to just about guarantee your right to a piece of their business, begin by bringing them a steady stream of money-making or money-saving ideas.
Have a value-added reason to stay in touch. Don't spook your prospects by asking for an order every time you make a sales call. What's really important is to get your prospects in the habit of looking forward to your calls because each time you call, you share with them another good idea. Here are some ideas:
(My examples are for a building material salesperson calling on a residential home builder, but the same concept will work for any class of trade you happen to be trying to sell.)
Idea #1: "Do you remember the conversation we were having the other day about lowering construction costs? I just read a really good article in a Builder magazine that you will really like. Here, I brought you a copy."
Idea #2: "A few days ago you were telling me about how many callbacks you have been getting due to leaking skylights. I just ran across a product that several of my customers are using that they say has almost totally eliminated the problem. Here, I picked up some product literature for you to take a look at. We've placed our initial order, so if you like, in a few days I'll bring you a sample so you can give it a try."
Idea #3: "I noticed that you weren't at the home builders meeting on Monday night when they had a building inspector on the program. He gave us a lot of interesting insight into what code changes are in the works. Here, I brought you a copy of his handout material."
Reach out and touch someone.
Omaha-based Art Sobczak, publisher of Telephone Selling Report ( www.businessbyphone.com) offers eight ideas for keeping your name in front of prospects:
1. Newsletters or special reports. Send a newsletter or report that gives valuable information to your prospects -- not just puffery about your company and products. Include helpful business tips. Send via mail, fax or e-mail.
2. Postcards. While traveling on vacation or business, scan the tourist postcard racks with specific prospects in mind. Postcards printed with a message from you is another inexpensive way to get in front of prospects. You can mail someone a postcard every 30 days for about $7 per year.
3. Articles. Clip interesting articles. Everything you read should flow through your "Who else would be interested in this?" filter.
4. Free samples. We all love getting packages. If affordable, give pro
For a business, non-profit or association manager, they could be fatal, coming as they do in four bitter flavors.Mistake #1 – You limit your PR activity pretty much to placing product and service plugs on radio and in newspapers.Mistake #2 – You fail to embrace the kind of PR plan that persuades those important outside audiences to your way of thinking, then moves them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed.Mistake #3 -- You fail to use the high-impact, fundamental premise of public relations to deliver external stakeholder behavior change – the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial ob
Have a value-added reason to stay in touch. Don't spook your prospects by asking for an order every time you make a sales call. What's really important is to get your prospects in the habit of looking forward to your calls because each time you call, you share with them another good idea. Here are some ideas:
(My examples are for a building material salesperson calling on a residential home builder, but the same concept will work for any class of trade you happen to be trying to sell.)
Idea #1: "Do you remember the conversation we were having the other day about lowering construction costs? I just read a really good article in a Builder magazine that you will really like. Here, I brought you a copy."
Idea #2: "A few days ago you were telling me about how many callbacks you have been getting due to leaking skylights. I just ran across a product that several of my customers are using that they say has almost totally eliminated the problem. Here, I picked up some product literature for you to take a look at. We've placed our initial order, so if you like, in a few days I'll bring you a sample so you can give it a try."
Idea #3: "I noticed that you weren't at the home builders meeting on Monday night when they had a building inspector on the program. He gave us a lot of interesting insight into what code changes are in the works. Here, I brought you a copy of his handout material."
Reach out and touch someone.
Omaha-based Art Sobczak, publisher of Telephone Selling Report ( www.businessbyphone.com) offers eight ideas for keeping your name in front of prospects:
1. Newsletters or special reports. Send a newsletter or report that gives valuable information to your prospects -- not just puffery about your company and products. Include helpful business tips. Send via mail, fax or e-mail.
2. Postcards. While traveling on vacation or business, scan the tourist postcard racks with specific prospects in mind. Postcards printed with a message from you is another inexpensive way to get in front of prospects. You can mail someone a postcard every 30 days for about $7 per year.
3. Articles. Clip interesting articles. Everything you read should flow through your "Who else would be interested in this?" filter.
4. Free samples. We all love getting packages. If affordable, give pro
Have you pulled up to the gas pump lately and thought about how cheap gas is? If so, that's called conditioning. We've been conditioned over the last few months by the high gas prices that $2 per gallon is cheap. I'm sure the oil companies hope it stays there, and they've conditioned us to accept it.Look inside your restaurant. Have you conditioned your customers to accept mediocre food, service, or cook times? Are your employees conditioned knowing you accept the lowest standards possible and they can come in late, out of uniform, and be unproductive? It’s never too late to re-condition the team. It’s not so important where you are today, but rather
Idea #2: "A few days ago you were telling me about how many callbacks you have been getting due to leaking skylights. I just ran across a product that several of my customers are using that they say has almost totally eliminated the problem. Here, I picked up some product literature for you to take a look at. We've placed our initial order, so if you like, in a few days I'll bring you a sample so you can give it a try."
Idea #3: "I noticed that you weren't at the home builders meeting on Monday night when they had a building inspector on the program. He gave us a lot of interesting insight into what code changes are in the works. Here, I brought you a copy of his handout material."
Reach out and touch someone.
Omaha-based Art Sobczak, publisher of Telephone Selling Report ( www.businessbyphone.com) offers eight ideas for keeping your name in front of prospects:
1. Newsletters or special reports. Send a newsletter or report that gives valuable information to your prospects -- not just puffery about your company and products. Include helpful business tips. Send via mail, fax or e-mail.
2. Postcards. While traveling on vacation or business, scan the tourist postcard racks with specific prospects in mind. Postcards printed with a message from you is another inexpensive way to get in front of prospects. You can mail someone a postcard every 30 days for about $7 per year.
3. Articles. Clip interesting articles. Everything you read should flow through your "Who else would be interested in this?" filter.
4. Free samples. We all love getting packages. If affordable, give pro
It's an age-old American story. A business dream is born. A few dollars are borrowed. Years later, millionaires tell the tale of how they almost didn't take the big risk. So it goes for Pizza Hut.This worldwide pizza sensation began with what almost anyone would agree are quite humble roots and grew through dedication to become a powerhouse on the international business scene.The history of Pizza Hut is interesting, as well, and can serve as a great case study for anyone who thinks a little risk isn't worth the rewards it can bring. Read on!Pizza Hut got its start not in the lands of the Old World. It didn't even begin in the Italian section of
1. Newsletters or special reports. Send a newsletter or report that gives valuable information to your prospects -- not just puffery about your company and products. Include helpful business tips. Send via mail, fax or e-mail.
2. Postcards. While traveling on vacation or business, scan the tourist postcard racks with specific prospects in mind. Postcards printed with a message from you is another inexpensive way to get in front of prospects. You can mail someone a postcard every 30 days for about $7 per year.
3. Articles. Clip interesting articles. Everything you read should flow through your "Who else would be interested in this?" filter.
4. Free samples. We all love getting packages. If affordable, give prospects a free sample when your company purchases an innovative new product.
5. Fax broadcasts. If you use this idea, make sure the fax presents real value, not just a blatant advertising message.
6. Handwritten notes. Write to your best prospects. Use stationary with your photograph on it. People find it easier to connect with you when they know what you look like.
7. Special occasion cards. Send cards for birthdays, holidays or for no particular reason. Company stationary is adequate for regular thank-you notes, but handpicked cards speak volumes.
8. Unique items. Find out what your prospects collect and, if affordable, send them a related item one that transcends business.
If business is turning down in your market, improve your share of the business that is out there by doing a more effective job of selling and marketing to prospects.
In sales, your raise becomes effective when you do.
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