Articles on Sales and Marketing
These articles are intended to provide short and thought provoking ideas - ideas worthy of a little more thought for your organisation. You could call them "Worthy Endeavours"
To read them on this site or download a FREE pdf version click on the link below each article.
Focus On Benefits People Want
Great salespeople learn the Features, Advantages and Benefits (F.A.B.) of their product or service. Without this knowledge, sales happen more by accident than by design. Confusing these in buoyant times may seem insignificant, but in a competitive market it means fewer or no sales. There is rarely enough time to cover every F.A.B. and it is probably not necessary. You usually only have time to focus on a few. So which benefit should you promote first? Will one feature offer the same benefit to every customer? One thing is for sure… people buy the benefits. If you want to increase sales you need to focus on benefits people want.
Dare To Be Different
There are so many choices, yet most appear to be the same, it takes something truly different to catch people’s attention. Being different is often accompanied with the promise of some added value, something worth paying for. As time passes, what was once truly different and worth a little extra is in danger of becoming ordinary. So how can you be truly different, and keep being so, in a way people value? Being different just for the sake of it is not going to work. However, if you dare to be different in a way people value, you will at the very least keep the attention of existing customers and probably acquire new ones happy to pay more… just for a little something different!.
Stop Selling a Product or Service
The vocabulary you use speaks volumes about your business. If you are in the business of selling a product or service you should stop immediately. First, people do not like being “sold to” yet enjoy owning or using something. Second, they are no interested in a “product or service” - yet have needs, wants, plus the occasional problem to solve. Your goal, as obvious as it may sound, is to help people own or use something they need, want or can solve a problem.
Just by using more effective vocabulary you increase how often you achieve this goal, and stop describing the ordinary. So, if you want to stop selling merely a product or service and start helping more people own or use what you have, this article is for you.
You Need A Brand
No matter what size your business, you need one voice. One voice that consistently and clearly communicates with your customers and employees. Something that binds all aspects of your business together … you need a brand. Fortunately, you already have one. Everything you do is a message carrying your brand with it, playing a major role on how people formulate an image of your business. Your brochure, business card, advertisement or logo contribute to building your brand. You are either making a conscious effort to manage your brand, or it is managing you. So how strong a brand do you have and what is it saying about your business? Here is how to ensure you are building your brand, not dismantling it.