Whether you are a new or established business, these 10 tips can help you elevate your brand, extend your market reach and increase your revenue stream in a way that will lead to higher productivity and profitability.
1. Differentiate: You can’t effectively market your business if you haven’t considered what differentiates you from the competition. What makes your product or service different from your competitors?
2. Core Competency: This not only describes your entry into your market segment, it also reveals your unique value proposition as well as expressing your contribution that is difficult for your competitors to imitate. How are your goods and services stamped with your unique style of delivery?
3. Passion: Sharing your message online through social media or via your website is only the tip of the iceberg in sharing your passion. Pick up the phone or share your passion with those you meet. You never know if you are meeting a potential customer. Whether you are a realtor excited to discuss new listings, a tech company educating customers about changes in SEO, or a painting contractor looking to expand their network, remember that people can only know what you do if you talk about it. Are you engaging potential customers in your passion and vision?
4. Innovate: The easiest customers to convert are existing customers. Consider what added products and services might benefit existing customers. Identify new revenue streams for existing products, or new products for existing channels of distribution. What goods or services have you delivered to one customer that another might be interested in? In examining your channels of distribution, what new product would satisfy this niche?
5. Niche: Taking a shotgun approach to marketing will never be as effective as identifying a few core market segments to pursue. Combine your unique value proposition with those most likely to recognize its value. What is your niche market and how can you focus your efforts in a clear direction?
6. Why Change? Why You? Package your message like a story that centers on the benefit of change for your client. Create your buying vision around a compelling reason for change. Why are you the natural choice in delivering the solution?
7. Discovery: There is a measurable difference in how a prospect responds when you share your message through discovery rather than selling. Deliver your message by asking questions rather than over selling. Allow your clients to arrive at their buying decision through discovery. How are you packaging your message and does it inspire more questions rather than making closed statements?
8. Agreement: You need to understand your client’s needs and position your message in a way that serves them. A prospective client may feel defensive only when they feel you are selling and not listening. Incorporate a way to gain their agreement rather than argue your point. When you are interacting with your customers are you also learning from them?
9. Call to Action: When you are passionate about your message, whether engaged in a phone discussion or in print advertising, you always need a call to action. In any sales message it is important to ask for the order or at the least, an opportunity to send a bid or proposal. If you are seeking an appointment, offer two dates and times and ask: which would work better for them? No sales technique is complete without a closing question or a call to action. When examining your print advertising or sales message are you including time sensitive specials or compelling reasons to act now?
10. Systems: An organized and methodical daily sales routine will be considerably more effective than a sporadic and haphazard approach. A contact management platform along with an organized follow up strategy is paramount to your success. When examining your sales routines, are you setting consistent and organized methods of follow up?
Kari Brown
