Process - Marketing⁺

Process – Marketing⁺ a collection of papers from PlannedSites for SME's

"It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required." - Sir Winston Churchill

Selling has long been regarded as infra dig in the UK. It was mostly regarded as an art form carried out by a “born” salesmen.

But you’ll be glad to hear we’re advocating that your selling is a process. While it may be true that a gift of the gab could be advantageous over a stuttered, incoherent babble, selling for most of those involved in it is nothing more than a process.

Selling is NOT the art of persuading someone against their better judgement.

Whatever the preconceptions you can’t sell thousands of pounds-worth of doubleglazing to a householder who really doesn’t want it.

You will only attract new clients if you can offer benefits (see “Must-Have Ingredient” ). You will only attract new clients if they perceive it will be to their advantage. All you have to do is to identify those benefits and present them. It could take some time (neither you nor the prospect is likely to be in the same place at the same time both with the time and inclination required).

It will therefore require a method almost certainly involving many and varied methods of attracting the prospect’s attention. You will appreciate this method is more likely to be successful if you evolve a process and stick to it rather than relying on a haphazard approach.

Start by looking at the various (and numerous) marketing methods we’ve given you here and pick the ones you will use. This should be a mix of direct and indirect. An example of the latter is PR – you aren’t likely to land a client directly and solely from a mention of your website in the local paper. But that mention could well be recalled by the prospect when he opens your mail-shot the following day and cause him to read it rather than throw it away.

Sketch an outline plan and carry it out. The light of experience will undoubtedly mean you adjust the programme – the process – as you go. But always keep it clear and unambiguous so it is easily executed by your staff.

Remember that you could well need up to seven, even ten, contacts for success. DON’T GIVE UP TOO EASILY.