Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Getting Your Foot in the Door

Now that you have your highly targeted list of potential clients it is time get an appointment with the decision maker. Most people might consider this the hardest part, but we will show you exactly how to have a high success rate.

The first place to look is the businesses that you patronize on a regular basis. The next time you are in their store/office, just seek out the owner and strike up a conversation. Start off by complimenting their business and tell them what you like and why you use them all the time. When they ask you what you do for a living, tell them you help business owners improve their bottom line with a comprehensive marketing plan. If they sound interested, schedule a time to come back and you are well on your way to landing a new client.

The next method involves sending direct mail that sends the prospective client to your website. The trick here is to get them to open your letter. In order to execute this plan properly, you should create a campaign with a series of mailings. The first mailing will have your initial offer and direct the business owner to your website. If you don't get a response with the first letter, then send a follow up letter. In this letter you can create a sense of urgency and offer a special offer. A good example would be "Act now and respond in the next 3 days for your free ranking report." If this letter goes unanswered, then it is time to send the final offer letter. Explain that the special deal is about to expire unless they take action and contact you right away. It is best to setup your campaign so it is spread out over 2 to 3 weeks. This gives you adequate time to have your offer seen by the decision maker.

Get In The DoorThe goal of the direct mail is to drive the prospect to you website. This is where you will have your sales video or long sales copy explaining what your offer is all about. It is also a good idea to offer a free report in exchange for the prospects contact info. Your website should be the only place you list your phone number, so that you know they have seen your sales presentation before they call. This way you know they are a qualified lead when they call and you don't have to waste your time answering questions with unqualified leads. At this point you arrange your initial consultation with the business owner. Later on in the course we will discuss how to conduct this initial client meeting.

Making sales calls and sending out direct mail campaigns may be a little challenging for some of you. This doesn't have to be the case. If you feel a little overwhelmed with all the selling, then outsource and hire someone with sales experience. You can find many well qualified salespeople in your local online classifieds site. Just post an advertisement for a sales position that pays commission only. The best part is that this will free up your time to concentrate on providing a great service for your existing clients.
In the next lesson we will focus on the sales process further and explain how to entice your prospects to contact you by offering free reports and white papers.

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