Case in point: When an apartment building went up, signs proudly proclaimed that you get "Free Auto Grooming" when you sign a lease. Soon, the occupancy rate was 100%. The salary they paid the guy who washed the tenants' cars once a week was easily covered by the difference between 100% occupancy vs. the typical 71% occupancy that was the average occupancy for that neighborhood.
That means your task is clear: Think of what might attract prospects and make customers happy. Be creative. Be generous. Then, be prepared for a reputation embracing generosity, customer service, and sincere caring.
Today's customers are attracted to "giving" companies and repelled by "taker" companies.
What kind of company is yours? Do you need to look at your "giver" attributes vs. your "taker" attributes?
This month's tip is focused on helping you gain more business without having to cold call for new customers. I am going to speak about how you should apply the ever so popular 80/20 rule. As the rule states, you get 80% of your business from 20% of your customers. Well, if this is the case what are you doing with the other 80% that aren't producing for you? Most of the responses I commonly hear are: "nothing because they don't really have a lot of business or money to spend with us, or they were only a one time customer". As you can imagine, this list of excuses could go on and on.. Now is the time to stop thinking like that. You need to stop making decisions or assumptions on how your customers make the decision on where or what they are going to spend their money.
As your customers supplier or service provider it is not your job to decide what a customer needs or wants, it is your job to simply provide that customer with the options you have available for them. They can decide for themselves what they want to do. Most customers do not buy multiple products from a supplier, not because they don't want to, but simply because they don't know that it is available. Sure you may have mentioned to them once or twice, but the customer forgot. That is completely their right to. However, it is your job to keep your customers aware of everything that is going on within your business or your industry. This is the key to keeping them close to your products or services. When relationships are built with customers, it is becomes more common that price does not play a role in their decision making process. It is more often that the customer likes and trusts you so much that a couple dollars here or there doesn't really matter to them anymore. Think of yourself as a Hairdresser, your clients come to you for a great hair cut, style and great conversation (or gossip). As the client you have built this trust and confidence with the stylist who knows exactly how to cut your hair, how to style it just the way you like it and the conversation is relaxed and easy. Do you think that if your client was given a coupon for a couple dollars off a haircut from somewhere else, do you actually think they would switch stylists? Not likely!
Now, if you were the stylists client and your stylist told you your roots were showing and you should have them touched up, would you do it? Of course. If your stylist told you that your hair was in poor shape and needed a new product to nurture it back to good health, and by the way he or she just happens to carry that product line, would you purchase it from this trustworthy stylist, the one you have a great trust and relationship with? Of course you would. This is how good sales works. You build an honest and trusting relationship with your clients and they will bill with you through thick and thin! Just be sure to ALWAYS be honest and fair with them. The moment they sense deception or find out you have deceived them - I promise you, you will never have the same relationship again. And that's going to cost you Big Time in the long run.
February 2009
NEED MORE BUSINESS FAST! IF SALES ARE SLOW, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE IT!
I am sure as the economy slows down a little it is easy to sit back and complain that your declining sales is due to economy, that everyone is experiencing the same thing and that there really isn't anything you can do about it because it is simply that people are just not spending money right now.
If you believe this You Are Completely Wrong! You need to remember that people are still spending money, sure it might be less than they did two, three, four or more years ago, but they key is they are still spending money! The true question is: Who are they spending it with? You or your competitor?
The key in these economic times is determining whether you are sending The Right Message... To The Right Audience... At The Right Time!
Too often one, two or all three of these key elements are either ignored or completely overlooked. To ensure you are effectively marketing and advertising and spending those dollars effectively, you must ensure you are considering all of the following three strategies:
1. Follow up consistently with all of your prospects and customers.
Unless you have a magical crystal ball it is impossible to predict when a prospect is ready to buy or when a customer will buy from you again. Constant follow up is the only way to guarantee you're there when your contact is ready to make a purchase.
2. Test simple, inexpensive direct marketing techniques.
Offer FREE consultations, analysis, samples, coupons, or other call to action offerings that will emotionally compel the target audience to react.
3. Use multi-step, multi-media (direct mail/phone/fax/email/broadcasting etc)
You must follow-up to maximize your sales. You can no longer rely on a single form of media to reach your prospects or to further your sales with your clients. Because times are busy they may not notice all of your communications, so the more variety in your approach, the more likely you are to stay in front of your potentials.
When you follow up consistently, offer valuable content, and use multi-media in your market, you will find yourself receiving more sales and in some cases doubling them!
Need even more ideas for doubling your sales? Look for next months' "The Scoop" for more great tips, or give us a call, we'd love to help.
Matt Dunlop
Certified Sales Trainer
Mainstream Marketing
Phone: 519-969-4430
Email: matt@mainstreammarketing.ca
