I sat in on a sales presentation earlier this week with one of our long-time clients. The presentation started very quickly (and to my thinking, very poorly) with an assault on the use of traditional advertising mediums…everyone DVRs all TV programs, everyone listens to satellite radio in their cars, all newspapers have gone or are on their way out of business, blah, blah, blah…subjective and irrelevant information designed to baffle.
The product this company is selling is very compelling on its own terms and along with our strategic use of traditional mediums can very likely be accretive to advancing our client’s business to a new level. All in the meeting recognized this fact.
So, here’s the thing…go sell your product based on its own merit, based on results, based on anecdotal information from real case studies. DO NOT INSULT your target audience by launching a truckload of scud missiles. (We all remember scud missiles from Iraq, right? Missiles with no intelligence and subsequently little to no impact.)
Sell based on intelligence! With a wealth of available resources, consumers are more intelligent now than at any time in the history of the world—always assume you’re dealing with smart people. One client remarked recently that he’s found his consumers to possess highly sensitive and highly active “BS Meters.” I can’t agree more.
Therefore, I’m declaring the days of being able to “baffle ‘em with BS” officially over.
Cheers!
Silver Bullet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
The metaphor of the silver bullet applies to any straightforward solution perceived to have extreme effectiveness. The phrase typically appears with an expectation that some new technology or practice will easily cure a major prevailing problem.
Read. Read. Read. Read everything. But as you begin planning for 2008, we encourage you to consider replacing the search for illusive, magic silver bullets with more practice at the range firing time-tested ammunition and developing repeatability.
The times have rendered us completely impatient. Results can’t come fast enough. Change doesn’t happen quick enough. I remember way back in the late 80s, during the total quality revolution, when we needed “change agents” to overcome inertia and we operated in frozen fear of change. Fast forward 20 years…change is everything…just look at Madonna. In contrast, The Rolling Stones have changed very little (except getting sober, maybe).
Here’s my point in this diatribe of mixed metaphor…I fear the perceived need for change and magic silver bullets has everything to do with our lack of results. We need to commit to do a few, proven things consistently this coming year, like the Stones surely have done for the past 40 plus. I believe the results will follow.
In 2008, patience will still be a virtue. And magic bullets will still be for Lone Rangers.
High-yo Silver!
Fishing usually conjures up thoughts of quiet and relaxing moments. It’s a time when you can let your mind drift with the calm of the water. But when you’re fishing for new business it can feel anything but tranquil.
If cold calling leaves you feeling frustrated and beaten down, try baiting the hook with targeted direct mail. When done strategically, direct mail will help establish company name recognition, build interest in who you are and create perceived value of your product or service before you ever have to pick up the phone.
We recently developed a five-piece direct mail program geared toward helping a client catch a few really big fish. Several prospects who received the mailings are actually calling the client before the client calls them! Others are readily agreeing to meet as soon the client contacts them.
The campaign was fun, memorable and, most importantly, broke through the clutter. While this direct mail campaign was more extravagant than most, it succeeded because there was a strategic plan behind it. You have to understand who you are targeting. Uncover what excites them. Make your message memorable. And most importantly, follow through.
If the prospects you’re trying to catch always seem to get away maybe you need a different plan of attack. Fishin’—it’s a thinkin’ man’s game!
Have I got a deal for you! It’s the latest and greatest. No one else offers this. And if you buy now it’s yours - today only - for this deep, discounted price.
Why do some salespeople speak this way? It’s the oldest line in the book and it usually means you have something I’m not interested in. It’s what makes the general population take two steps back, look for the nearest exit, turn the channel or hang up the phone.
If your fast-talking sales pitch sounds like this it means you probably haven’t taken the time to learn anything about the needs of your customer or their business. How can you tell me what I should be buying when you haven’t first qualified my needs?
As an advertising executive I often hear these grandiose sales opportunities from overzealous media sales reps who have nothing strategic to offer my clients. Many people will recognize a too-good-to-be-true offer when it affects their personal pocketbook, but for some reason the same people will become overly anxious when trying to compete in the business world. Without thinking, they jump on the flashiest sales presentation only to be disappointed by the not-so-flashy results.
Slow down and think strategically before you act. Will this latest advertising opportunity reach your target audience effectively? Is it on brand with the image you’ve created? Can you measure the ROI? Will it complement other mediums you’ve already chosen for your marketing plan? Is this simply a sales transaction or is it a business partnership in which we are equally concerned about each other’s success?
An overly bright LED billboard, the hippest text message campaign or even unexpected advertisements on the bathroom stall are all advertising mediums that work, but as with any medium, only if they are used strategically. Some mediums build awareness while others drive traffic. What do you want to accomplish? Have you chosen the right mix for your business plan?
Don’t be afraid to ask sales reps hard-hitting questions. You’ll learn more about their products, you’ll learn if they’re right for you and it’ll actually make taking sales calls fun. A good salesperson will appreciate your attention. A bad sales rep will respond by taking two steps back, hanging up the phone or looking for the nearest exit. Feel familiar?
Congratulations. You just hit a home run!
