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Sales

Sales

Lazy Selling Doesn’t Work. This does.

I received this (paid) message on LinkedIn.

The ridiculous irony here is that it’s from a guy selling marketing services.  His “proven method” offer is pure spam!  Unless spamming is what he’s selling, he’s not doing a very good job.

Seth Godin famously writes about “interruption marketing.”  I know when I reach out to prospective customers, I’m interrupting them.

I’ve been working harder to smartly engage people I’m interrupting with a thoughtful, highly relevant message that offers value.  My rule of thumb is to ask myself, “Am I ready to make a call/send an email this person will want to receive?” If not, I work at it until I am.  It’s hard – and it’s gratifying as fewer high-quality contacts are yielding better results.

Sales

I Sold You So

I got a courtesy call from a Dell salesman to follow-up on a $2,000 laptop I’d recently purchased.  He introduced himself, “Hi, this is Jim, the guy who sold you the laptop – how’s it going?”

Yuck.

I don’t want to talk to a guy who thinks he sold me something.  Jim should have called and said, “Hi, this is Jim, from Dell.  How’s that great laptop you chose treating you?”

I’m the customer.  Make me feel like the smart and successful part of the transaction.

Marketing, Sales

Sincerity only achieved by solving SOMEONE ELSE’S problem

(When a baby bear gets my attention on LinkedIn, Part 2)

In Part 1 of this blog, I reflected on getting attention in today’s noisy marketplace. A social media expert’s advice comes to mind: “Talk about your audience 10 times more than you talk about yourself.” People are taking this approach – so many posts celebrating, appreciating, liking what others are doing – and why?  Because those posting often believe this reflects favorably on THEM: “Look at me!  I’m talking about you!”  It’s a cacophony of BS.

Sincerity is only achieved by solving SOMEONE ELSE’S problem.

I’m reading Seth Godin’s new book, THIS IS MARKETING – You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See.” He states there are three sentences we must complete (well) to be effective marketers:

My product is for people who believe…

I will focus on people who want…

I promise that engaging with what I make will help you get…

This creates alignment of people for whom we can solve problems.  That’s sincerity, and focusing on THAT will get us more of the attention we want, and we’ll deserve it.  Want more inspiration?  Read another of my book recommendations:  Bluefishing, the Art of Making Things Happen.

Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Miscellaneous Thoughts, Sales

What the CU Buffaloes Are Showing Me About Customer Acquisition

I went to the University of Colorado football game last weekend along with 52,000 other people – the most fans in 20 years.  Winning attracts fans.

photo courtesy of Evan Semón Photography

I’ve been thinking of how I can “model” what a winning team does and use that to attract more customers:

Win.

Customers have to see this.  When I started my business I practically gave away the work, and then way overdelivered.  Why?  So that I could show the next customer that my customers were winners.

Keep winning.

Sounds simple and of course it’s not.  Winning teams don’t tolerate long cycles of failure.  After a loss they redouble their efforts.  After a losing season, they change coaches, change players, do what it takes to get back to winning.

Be humble about winning.

Fans are massively attracted to a winner, but not an arrogant winner.  Coaches thank players.  Players thank fans.  Businesses thank customers.

Miscellaneous Thoughts, Personal Development, Sales

How to Blow Your Brand with One Email – example

Subject Line: “Can you Help me?”

I received an email from a good friend.  Of course, I opened it.

My friend is a real estate agent I know to be huge-hearted, lovable, good natured and trustworthy.  This email, I sadly admit, really disappointed me.  Here’s the text:

  Do you have two minutes to help me with a problem???

I’m taking a great class right now and we’re having a competition. I need to get at least ten referrals in the next month in order to win!!!  I was just curious, who do you know from church, work, who wants to buy a home, sell a home, or invest in Real Estate that I could call today?

Thanks for taking the time to think about it!

I get it.  He’s trying something new, maybe stretching his comfort zone.  But dang it, I used to be absolutely certain that he was 100% focused on serving others.  Now he’s asking for something that’s completely about HIM.  Here’s what I wrote back to him:

  (Name), you know me well enough to know I refer when it makes sense – and I have! The (his firstname) I’m used to is all about helping others, not making an ask as part of a competition.  Sorry buddy, this makes me uncomfortable.  Stay you – that’s who people love.

We sometimes make mistakes when trying something new – successful people all make mistakes along the way.

Here’s the lesson: even when trying something new, we must be very careful to protect who we are and the reputation we’ve built in how others see us.

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