Social Media Marketing Systems Agency Blog - Social Media Website and Video Marketing

In times past, when fortune 500 companies actually trained some of us lucky salespeople from scratch, they taught us that there are only three things we are ever selling: three things we must establish in a sales presentation to make a sale:

1. Today is the day:  urgency is absolutely essential to get people to act, especially when it comes to spending money: if there is no reason to buy today, I will often put off the decision.
2. This is the place: if we do not establish that our company is somehow unique and the best to buy from, we may be making a sale and paying a competitor the commission when the prospect goes shopping after already deciding to buy from our presentation.
3. I am the guy (gal): nobody wants to do business with someone they do not like.  This is why some people are naturally good at sales, while others must learn skills to accomplish mediocre results.  If they like the product or service, but not the salesperson, they will buy from someone else.

Websites are no different from an in-person presentation in this regard: the goal is to get an inquiry; by phone, fax, email; the sale is to get somebody to inquire.  The prospect will only respond if you can establish the above three requirements in the time allotted, which, online, may be precious little (often a fraction of a second)

This can be done in a number of ways: but let me suggest that

• you use graphics (a picture paints a thousand words!);
• and that you give something away for free: perhaps, advice, information..
• And that you have a quick, easy form to inquire with, with only one required field: email.  if they inquire by email, at least you can ask for more contact info with an auto-response email, or a personalized one: and the email address often has a website address with full contact information.

I was taught to constantly ask myself “so what”, and then answer my own question for the prospect:

“We have a great product”  (so what, what does it mean to me?)

 ”We are  the best in the world at what we do!”  (so what, what does it mean to me?)

“I am a great guy who cares about his clients!”  (so what, what does it mean to me?)

 I hope this discipline helps you as much as it has me!  Next week we will discuss various technology options and why some are better than others