Ok, so you have your marketing message sorted now. You are speaking about what your prospects want. It is clear that you have a competitive advantage, and what you are offering presents great value. Yet still they hesitate! What will get them to make that call? Read this article to find out how to triple the number of prospects.
Trust is the key to all profitable relationships.
A prospect becomes a customer when they part with money to you, to either solve a problem or fulfil a desire. Many of the steps to get them up to the decision process of spending are well known. There is however one final thing that will help finally close the sale.
This article briefly explores the steps to getting to the point of the close, and then uncovers that final clincher, that will help you see your sales triple. And it should not cost you a penny.
In order to create a relationship that leads to a customer buying from you, and hopefully becoming a customer for life, you need to build trust. It needs to be clear to your prospect that you have something that they want, and that they can get it from you.
So how do you go about creating that need - that realisation that you have something they want? I have covered this in other articles, but the main driver, is that you speak to them, in their language about their problems.
How to create the evidence that you deliver what you say.
Next you have to get them to believe that you can deliver what you promise. The easiest way to do this is through testimonials and references. Pick a couple of references, from amongst your satisfied customers that share the same issues as your current prospect. Show them that you have indeed solved very similar problems before.
Your testimonials should ideally include both a time and a value statement. This basically says what value the customer got from your offering. This way, your future customer will have a comfort factor, to help them make that decision.
But is your solution right for them?
Many sceptics may say that, just because it is right for the guy down the road, dose not mean it is going to be right for me. They need to see this offering working for them. In many instances, you should build into your sales and marketing plan, budget to do trials with the customer. You need to prove that it can work for them.
It is vital, with all trials to have a plan, that helps the prospective customer, follow a set of actions with the trial, which clearly demonstrates the benefits of your offering.
Is it however possible to get your money with out having to do a trial? I mean when you walk into most shops, they won't let you take the items home to trial them out, and then go back and pay for them!
But they do give you a mechanism to ensure that you get what you pay for. That if the product does not do what it says on the tin, and then you as the customer are protected. So how do they do that?
Offer a 100% money back guarantee.
Just as you want to ensure that what you buy will work, so do your customers. Yet today few small businesses offer that money back guarantee! I have been told by so many business owners, that I just don't get it! There is no way that they could afford to do that.
But stop! Put yourself in your customer's shoes. If you can not take the risk, and you created the offering - then why should they take a risk? You need to be 100% certain that you are selling a product, fit for purpose, to your customer. They need to be certain, they need to see you put your money where you mouth is!
When your customer knows that you are confident, they will be more confident giving you their money. Especially when they know that can get it back if they are not satisfied.
About the Author
This article was written by Peter Lawless, founder of 3R Sales and Marketing. For previous articles like this, visit 3R's Articles. Alternatively, subscribe to Success our free monthly Information Bulletin with sales and marketing articles.
