All the little things you do can add up to make a big difference. That’s the point made in this document by Richard Barry, who provides you with six small things that you can do to attract and retain the attention, and the business, of your customers — before your competition does. The devil is in the details!
Business owners don’t need to reinvent themselves to gain a competitive advantage. Even small changes can pay immediate benefits. The right timing and a steady flow of referrals will help generate revenues. However, these basic strategies can help position you to outsell the competition:
- DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE APPROACHING CUSTOMERS AND PROSPECTS.
Research your market. The more you know about your prospects and the products and programs that fit their needs, the better prepared you’ll be. Some experts even recommend that you know your customer’s business as well as you know your own. Positioning your product as a clear solution to the customer’s problem will increase the perceived value of that product.
Research your competition. Be aware of what they’re doing. Staying in tune with competitors and their sales approach offers an invaluable benchmark for measuring your strengths and weaknesses. During presentations you can field questions and address key points without ever mentioning competitors’ names. Encourage your staff to obtain this information on a regular basis.
- CREATE A PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT.
Every businessperson needs a purpose, a plan, and a clear understanding of why they’re in business. Few people succeed when they’re just going through the motions. Develop your own personal mission statement and put it on paper. Sales Catalyst, Inc. author Brian Azar created this statement: 'My purpose is to find out exactly what people want or need, help them get it quickly and elegantly (even if I can’t give it to them) and have them feel good about it, my company, and me.'
- STRESS EMOTIONAL BENEFITS.
Develop a compelling statement on the emotional benefit(s) of your service or product. Understand the difference between features and benefits and focus your presentation on the immediate benefits to the prospect. Consider these examples:
- A couple doesn’t want to buy insurance — they need peace of mind.
- Prospective homeowners don’t want to buy a house — they want to hear about good neighbors and a great location.
- Shoppers don’t want the salesperson to sell them clothes — they want to see and be told how they look in them.
Effective advertising targets the immediate needs and wants of the customer. Businesses that focus on satisfying their customers will do the same.
- MAKE WORD OF MOUTH WORK FOR YOU.
Motivate others to tell your story for you. Studies and experience indicate that firms see better results by focusing on a basic marketing tool that’s been with us for hundreds of years: word-of-mouth advertising. This back-to-basics approach can become your best marketing tool.
Think about where you go when seeking products and services. According to demographic research, 40% of Americans turn to friends and family when they need everything from a lawnmower to a personal computer, from an attorney to an auto mechanic.
The best place to start word-of-mouth advertising is within your organization. Make sure that every employee knows the benefits of doing business with the firm and how important it is to spread the word. Studies have shown that a referred prospect who comes to your door with confidence in the firm is 80% more likely to become a customer than is a cold caller.
A little imagination and commitment will get consumers talking about your firm and its people. Marketing programs that incorporate word of mouth will help your business reach its goals and boost its bottom line.
- DIRECT YOUR DIRECT MAILING.
Regardless of the product or service you’re promoting, every marketing activity must also brand the firm. Protect your image by avoiding gimmicks or resorting to misleading attention-getting approaches. Some of these too-good-to-be-true offers will be read, believed — and end up alienating prospects.
Avoid such phony attention-grabbers as fake Federal Express packaging, blank envelopes designed not to resemble direct mail containing facsimile checks, or teasers announcing 'You’re already a winner!' when the recipient isn’t. Prospects who read these fake presentations will wind up disappointed or, even worse, angered. They often resent being fooled … hardly a state of mind that motivates people to buy.
- GO ONLINE, NOW!
You keep reading about dot-coms that turned into dot-gones as soon as management proved unable to answer investors’ hard-nosed questions about income and profitability. However, the 'Web bust' is no reason to avoid e-commerce or e-tailing programs that integrate traditional and online marketing distribution in a responsible, cost-effective manner. Bear in mind the Census Bureau’s finding that the number of Internet users skyrocketed to 300 million in January 2001 from only 3 million in 1994. That figure speaks volumes.