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Sales & Marketing

Sales Follow-Up Calls – “I’m Just Touching Base”

calling

Article Contributed by Marius Fermi

That phrase ‘I’m touching base’ is like the awkward moment you try to engage in a conversation with someone on a night out. You know why you’re there but the other person doesn’t care.

It’s down to you to have a reason, be confident about that reason and make sure everything is clear as to why you have just decided to ‘touch base’.

So here’s  a run-down of what to say instead of generic phrases;

  • “Hi Mr/Mrs X, (general chit chat). When we last spoke we discussed your need to have our service going ASAP but obviously wanted to determine the benefits for you. So let’s set up a time and date that suits you to have a meeting and we can start saving you money right away.” – Remind your client that what you are offering is something of true benefit to the company. If it greatly reduces the price or improves on efficiency then most people are willing to listen. As always prepare with some research to identify key features only a market expert in their industry would know.
  • “ Mr/Mrs X, it’s always hard to leave the comforts of something you have used over and over, but I’m sure switching over to this would be of huge use for you. The best thing to do is have a look at this (blog, slideshow, ebook, podcast etc). If we can set up a time and date to meet that would be great.” – Many small businesses will fall into fear of leaving something they are used to simply because it’s a scary world out there with the big players. Education is essential so explain how it will work and make sure you have case studies at hand, even provide a means of communication with previous customers.
  • “Mr/Mrs X, we have just had a trial run of this (product/service) and it went great. (Case Study) has seen a huge improvement and they have a heap of similarities to your company. Is there any chance you have a few minutes to discuss it?” – The standard phrases ‘you are the first to try it’ are boring and we all know they are usually not true, but having a case study that shows a resemblance to the clients company is a great way to build a relationship and more importantly it makes your client aware of the fact you are actually looking to help them rather then drain them of all their money.

An important aspect of any call is that you have reason for this contact, rehearse what you need to say before the call or just go with the flow – when going with the flow you’re much less likely to include buzzwords and structured sentences that turns the whole conversation into an automated machine.

Some other pointers to consider:

  • People in business generally have no time or at least they’ll tell you so. Within the first sentence of your reason for calling tell them you’ll only be on the phone for X minutes (5, 10, 15 but no more) and have a stop watch.

Sticking to the short amount of time you mention may seem to go against all rules of sales but essentially this is a follow up call, one that has to resemble as little intrusion as possible into the world of this very busy person.

  • We all love emails because they offer us freedom of expression, editing and time to answer without the pressures of phonecalls. With your 10 minute follow up call, you’re going to have a reason for the call – details, new products, and general ideas – so mention these but say that you’ll email everything over right away.

Once you’ve got this trust with your customers that a 10 minute call is going to be a 10 minute call, an email of information is actually going to be just that your future phone calls won’t be treated with hostility. The last thing you need is a follow up to be cut short or ignored because of your inability to be quick and concise.

Follow up calls come at awkwardly inappropriate times and many people find it difficult to chit-chat with a sales professional – in order to turn all of these issues around you need to make sure you leave the customers wanting more of your time, but always being there when they call or contact you.

Less intrusion, more structure.

About the Author: Marius Fermi, director of online communications at Tactical Sales Training – B2B focused sales training and courses. We teach the subtle art of sales with next day results.

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Newsletter

BIZNESS! Newsletter Issue 157

BIZNESS! Newsletter

 

Cover Story

Billboard With A Social Touch

Conceived by BBDO Bangkok for Thailand-based DIY store HomePro, the creators of the initiative realized that those who can’t afford proper accommodation were using old advertisement boards as makeshift walls for their homes. Instead of its usual road-side billboards, HomePro called on the creative agency to build more sturdy boards which had the advertisement on one side, with pleasant wallpaper and fittings such as shelves and hangers on the other…

Continued in BIZNESS! Newsletter Issue 157 >>>

 

Top Stories From CoolBusinessIdeas.com

– Sustaining Plant-in City
– Edible Furniture
– Everything Jackcard
– V-Tent Car Charging and Protection Unit
– Flirting Up In The Sky

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Top Stories From GetEntrepreneurial.com

– How Long Should My Copy Be
– Can Entrepreneurial Skills Be Learned or Are They Ingrained At A Young Age
– How To Have Positive Productivity Today
– 3 Positive Reasons to Do The Right Thing In Business

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Sales & Marketing

The Fuel that Drives the Engine of Your Sales Success

The Fuel that Drives the Engine of Your Sales Success

It is important to identify the prospects that will have the highest need for your product or service.  These are your best prospects—the ones who are most likely to buy, use, and recommend you and your services.

When you have identified your best prospects and know where to find them, you can use your marketing skills to generate leads that will most likely result in profitable sales. Qualified lead generation is the fuel that drives the engine of your sales success.  The techniques discussed here can keep you supplied with highly qualified leads.

How can you identify those prospects that are most likely to want to hear your message? And, once you’ve identified the profile of those most likely to buy—your TOP 20%—where can you find prospects in large numbers who fit that profile?

Begin with an analysis of your sales over the last year or two.

In your analysis, you look at three things:

1.            Who bought what?

2.            How did you find and sell those customers?

3.            Why did they buy what they bought?

Possessing the right marketing skills is crucial in properly identifying the right kinds of prospects for a company. Smart companies accomplish this responsibility by profiling the top twenty percent of their current customers who typically provide eighty percent of their profits.

Looking for new business is very expensive. Therefore, companies need to avoid the wrong kinds of prospects for them.  Just as it is critical in distinguishing the attributes of the right prospects, a company needs to outline the characteristics that make-up the bottom twenty percent of their customer base. Anybody in business can easily recognize who the complainers, price-grinders, and transaction-oriented clients are. By clearly understanding the bad traits of those bottom twenty-percent, companies can much easier avoid the wrong prospects.

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Sales & Marketing

What Ducks Can Teach You About Branding and Business Success

Of all the mascots I would expect a high-end luxury hotel to have, the lowly mallard duck is certainly not one of them. And yet, that was what greeted me when I stepped into the Peabody Orlando Hotel.

There is an actual story behind the ducks (which is printed on the napkins) but the reality is the story is less interesting than how the hotel has built a brand around ducks.

First, you have the “March of the Ducks” — at 11 am the ducks “march” (or more accurately waddle) on a red carpet to spend the day in a luxurious fountain. This fountain is located in the middle of the hotel and is actually quite a nice place to get a little work done or enjoy a coffee and cupcake (while watching the ducks splash around).  At 5 pm they then “march” (waddle) back to their Duck Palace to enjoy a duck dinner and a “quiet evening” together.

Now the fact they make this an event — with marching music, a red carpet and an actual Duck Master (which is trademarked — yes if you were thinking about hiring a Duck Master for your own Duck March you would be out of luck) is one thing. But the ducks are also front and center to their branding.

There are ducks on the carpet, duck soaps in the rooms, drinks named after ducks, ducks embroidered on the staff’s clothes — the list goes on and on. It’s all quite tastefully done and the ducks are elegantly and subtly woven throughout the hotel’s brand and image.

Now the real question is, of course, is it worth it? Only the Peabody knows for sure but from the outside it certainly appears like it is.

First off, remember where the Peabody Orlando is — it’s in Orlando competing against Disney World (who knows a thing or 2 about branding themselves) Universal Studios and other theme-oriented attractions. Without the ducks, the Peabody would be a very nice, high-end hotel that would be like every other very nice, high-end hotel. With the ducks, now you have your own attraction. Now you have something to talk about.  Now you have something your kids might want to see almost as much as Mickey Mouse.

 

(Now there is another Peabody, complete with ducks, in Atlanta as well. The Atlanta Peabody certainly wouldn’t be in competition with Mickey and company, but I suspect there’s enough other competition with high-end hotels and history that the ducks earn their keep there as well.)

One of the main ways you can successfully market yourself to an affluent clientele is to provide an experience. People like experiences. It gives them something to talk about (or write ezine articles about). And if you wrap an experience inside your brand, you just transformed yourself from a “good” business to something extraordinary. And extraordinary is what gets people to notice, to “take a chance on” if nothing else to witness that experience for themselves.

So, for you, what can you do to create an experience for your clients? And is this something that can be woven into your branding strategy? (And if you can make it unexpected or off-the-wall even better.) Or maybe it was an accident you overlooked at the time — with the ducks Mr. Peabody came back from hunting and was enjoying some Jack Daniels with a friend, when they decided it would be a nifty idea to put the duck decoys in the fountain. Well everyone loved the decoys floating around so now we have actual ducks in the fountain. (See what I mean about how lame that story is? But no matter, the point is they saw an opportunity and seized it — do you have any of those “happy accidents” in your own business you can capitalize on?)

Remember the point of a good brand is to make yourself memorable to your ideal clients. And a great way to make yourself very memorable is to wrap your brand around an experience.

 

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Home-Based Business

Creating a Business Space at Home

Creating a Business Space at Home

Starting a new business isn’t as simple as picking an office space to lease and setting up shop. Some owners of new companies are anxious to put the cart before the horse, but creating a suitable work environment from home is the best method for establishing greater financial stability for your business to blossom. If you have an idea, you’ll need a place to execute it. Most fledgling businesses start inside the home. Whether your office is in the spare bedroom, garage, or in the middle of your living room, it’s important to keep overhead costs low, especially when your business is idling for flight.

Once you’ve developed your product concept, you may not be fully prepared to branch out from your homestead and find office space. That requires collateral and increases costs, which could take a serious chunk from your profits. Maintaining, repairing, and upgrading your home will not only allow your business to expand, but it will keep you from the sticker shock of higher bills when you inevitably expand your company prospects.

The first home improvement project you may want to pursue is creating a “business space.” When the kids are running rampant and the television is blaring, it’s difficult to concentrate. Sure, one of the luxuries of being your own boss is setting your own hours and creating your own terms. But as a professional working from home, you must maintain a safe environment from which to run your company. If you cannot separate your work self from your personal self, productivity will wane.

Consider converting a third bedroom into your home office or, if the space is not conceivable, you may wish to add on to your home. Sure, it’s a financial burden you must assume, but consider the advantages. You’ll increase the value of your home by adding more livable space and you can build the room to suit your needs. Find the outdoors inspiring? Add a large window that overlooks a scenic view. Need a rustic fireplace? Have one installed. The possibilities are endless when you’re building your workspace from the ground up.

The initial costs for expanding your floor plan may seem out of your budget, but construction loans are available to homeowners for such projects. These loans can either be stand alone, or tied to your existing mortgage. Once you’ve cleared zoning regulations with your local municipality, consult with a reliable contractor to determine costs and need. Many contractors offer free estimates. Shop around and attain several quotes to determine what best suits your needs and at what price. Qualified construction companies will offer you suggestions on what’s most suitable for you.

Before deciding on a contractor, research reviews on the company and verify their reputation through the Better Business Bureau. Once you’ve discovered these vital bits of information and you’ve worked out conditions of the construction loan with the issuing bank, you can break ground on expansion. Soon, you’ll find you now have the space you need to keep your new business growing.

Depending on your business model, at some point in the future you may very well want to develop your company outside of the home. When the time is right, you’ll know because your business has been profitable and the four walls of your house can no longer sustain your needs.

Article contributed by Jenna Smith