A Very Good Question…
Michael Hewitt-Gleeson (author of NewSell) has a theory about sales.
Nobody can make someone buy something.
Aside from putting a gun to someone’s head, beating them with a rubber hose, or threatening the life and liberty of loved ones – you can’t actually MAKE someone buy.
The best we can do as marketers is to open the door to a potential sale – make an invitation – and give the customer the opportunity to walk through.
Last week, I flew to Sydney’s Manly Beach to discuss marketing with Dean Jackson (host of the I Love Marketing and More Cheese, Less Whiskers podcasts).
Most marketers and salespeople add pressure and force and “push” to marketing to try and make it more effective.
They twist the screws.
They do “test closes” and add “positive pressure”.
And they shout their message and drown out the needs of their potential customers.
(It’s no wonder people run away from sales conversations. It’s like opening a door to someone to buy, and then decorating it like the doorway to crack den. It’s not the kind of doorway most people would want to engage with.)
But what I love about Dean is his ability to ask questions that simplify marketing and sales.
He opens doors to as many potential customers as possible, as often as possible – by making his invitations as warm and as inviting and as easy to engage with as possible… With no “hard sell”.
So, what does a warm, inviting doorway to a sale look like?
Often it’s just asking a question to begin a conversation.
Perhaps something as explicit as “What are you wanting to achieve from your marketing in 2020?”
Or something as common as, “Have you or a loved one been bitten by a mosquito lately?”
Or something as simple and as open as, “How have you been doing?”
But my favourite is one Dean Jackson uses: “What would you definitely buy from me if I was smart enough to offer it to you?”
Take some time to think about what doors you want your clients to walk through. What questions will start sales conversations with your prospective clients? What’s the first step on their journey to buying from you?
Whenever you’re ready, here are 4 ways we can work together:
1. Work With Me One-on-One
If you’d like to work together on marketing for your business – hit reply and let me know more about what you’re up to, what you’d like to achieve, and I’ll get back to you with the details.
2. Jump On A Call
Having a specific marketing problem? Or just frustrated with your results not being up-to-scratch? Hit reply and we can schedule a time to jump on a call together.
3. Introduce Me to Smart People
If you know someone who is working on improving their marketing right now, I would love to meet them, and share a copy of my first book, Unassailable with them (which is all about the tiny tweaks that make a big difference to your marketing results). Email us both with an introduction.
4. Got a Trade Show or Expo Coming Up?
If you’re organising a trade show booth soon, and you don’t have my latest book (Beyond The Booth) yet, let me know so you don’t go to your trade show “naked”.