4 New Ways to Trump Your Sales Competition

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

The following 4 new ways to trump your competition will give you all the edge you need to entice your prospects to close the sale, and come to the other side.

1. Make Recommendations- When your potential customer informs you they already are “working with someone”, you can still provide some value to their time and meeting with you by providing some recommendations or solutions for their business challenges. For example, you might suggest that if they are ever looking for a different product, that you offer XYZ. Planting the seed and leaving a good impression while they’re working with someone else is a strong strategy in earning future business.

2. Ask to Share Contact Information- Because companies and products are always changing, it makes sense to ask for contact information for future reference. If you have a brand new shiny product you want to share, asking for their contact information first is a bit of insurance for how that later pitch might be received.

3. Don’t Bash Your Competition- Once you find out your lead is already “taken”, your first instinct might be to tell them the company or person they’re currently working with sucks. Don’t do it. In fact, find something you DO like  or respect about that company and provide an authentic (as possible) compliment. Nobody wants to hear you diss the services they’re likely paying good money for. You’re not there to criticize their current choices. You’re there to understand WHY they are using someone else, and then pitch what you could do differently.

4. Understand Their Needs- Now that you know what your customer likes about the current company, you can work on your sales strategy to win them over to the other side. Don’t do this in all one visit or call. Instead, go through your notes, evaluate their business, discover what challenges you could alleviate or which needs you could provide, and then reach out again with a fully developed game plan.

Trumping your sales competition isn’t rocket science. Always remember the following:

If they feel pressure from you, the answer is no.

If they feel like you’re trying too hard to be liked, the answer is no.

If they don’t think you understand their business, the answer is no.

If they get overwhelmed by what you’re saying, the answer is no.

Learn to drop your sales and marketing hat, and instead act as though you already have the job. By doing this you change the relationship into a collaborative effort from the very beginning. Instead of being “sold” your services or products, your leads will see you as someone who has joined their team to help them achieve their sales goals.

 

Stop Writing New Blog Posts (No Really! This Might Work)

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

There’s just something about Fridays. Much like Spring Fever or the end of the school year, Fridays hold promise for fun times ahead. The folks at Buffer App must be Friday Fans as well, because according to their latest experiment, recycling older blog content in the new, new.

Now I won’t admit I’m slacking off. Maybe that’s what the content marketers at Buffer App are doing, but I seriously think this is a brilliant idea. In fact I might even try it on Monday too. We’ll see how it goes.

The following 5 blogs are ones that I suggest you read. Because let’s face it (you’re obviously not really working).

Wink.;)

Why Your Business Needs a Social Presence

How to Write Blogs That Rank in Search

Words Have Power-Why You Need a Blog

Why You Need a Social Media Calendar

How to Write Content That Gets Shared or (Gasp!) Stolen

 

Top 5 Digital Marketing Mistakes That Startups Make

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

Entrepreneurs often make mishaps that can greatly hinder their company’s growth. Avoid the following top 5 digital marketing mistakes if you want your strategy (and business) to be a success.

1. Misunderstanding Your Audience- A common mistake, the failure to pinpoint and focus on your target audience means your marketing plans will be ineffective. What a waste of time! Get to know the people who follow your brand so that you can anticipate their needs, and deliver.

2. Lack of Content- Posting away on social channels is not the way to convert your followers into consumers. While photos and videos can garner some likes, you need to publish and share content that relates to them so that you can develop long-term relationships.

3. Lack of Budget- Unless you’ve got an open pocketbook, poor budgeting can lead to the demise of any business. Evaluate who you are paying to help you reach your business goals. Whether it be internal employees or external marketing agencies, failure to evaluate results and modify can cost you your startup.

4. Forgetting Mobile- Don’t you dare start any business with the idea that you can ignore a mobile strategy. Mobile users exceed desktop users. You’ll need a responsive website that visitors can easily navigate through all of the mobile devices. Mobile and digital marketing go hand in hand.

5. Too Social- Are you being too social? When you’re planning your social media strategy, narrow your focus to just a few platforms. If you’re bouncing from Instagram to Pinterest to Twitter and then Facebook, you’re spending a lot of time (or money) and likely failing to deliver quality and relevant content on each. Pick a few ponies.

Starting a new business takes much consideration. Once you understand where to focus your digital marketing efforts by avoiding these top 5 mistakes, you’ll set yourself up for growth and expansion.