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In a recent marketing workshop I attended, I discovered that most business owners rely on just two or three strategies to attract new business. Even well-established companies tend to rely on one or two strategies. However, there is a multitude of ways to drive new business to your door. Here are a few:

Networking. Perhaps the most commonly used approach by small business owners. However, it is often poorly executed. Many people attend a networking function and take the wrong approach by trying to meet as many people as they can. They bounce from person to person, handing out business cards like it is an Olympic event and they are vying for the gold medal. They fail to realize that the most effective way to network is to cultivate relationships and give referrals to other members first.

Referrals. This marketing strategy places a close second in preferred methods of generating new business leads. The key here is to develop a systematic approach to ensure that you take proactive approach instead than a passive one. Rather than assuming that satisfied client will refer someone to you, ask for that referral. Tell people who your ideal client is and ask for their help in finding these types of clients. The real estate agent who represented the seller when we bought our house, sends us a card every year and reminds us that she loves referrals. It is not pushy, does not sound like she’s begging, and I’m confident it helps generate new leads.

Writing. This often under-utilized strategy is an excellent way to become recognized as an industry expert. Every industry has trade magazines and most are hungry for good content. The Internet is also filled with websites and e-zines looking for material to send to their subscribers and customers. I now write at least one article every month and send it to more than two hundred publications. This strategy alone has helped drive more traffic to my website more than anything else. It is sometimes challenging to come up with ideas and to write an 800 word article but the investment of time and effort is definitely worth it.

Newsletters. This is another powerful technique to keep your name in front of your customers and prospects. Provide key insight into business challenges and offer solutions to them. In other words, help your prospects and customers solve problems. Some newsletters are nothing more than advertising so be sure to provide valuable information to your customer. Although it is less expensive to send a newsletter electronically you can issue it in paper format. A local real estate agent regularly sends out a one-page update of the housing market in our neighborhood.

Cold calling. Without a doubt, this is usually the most challenging way to market a business - I know very few people who actually enjoy cold calling. However, it can be a good way to uncover qualified prospects in a relatively short period of time. Be sure to start your conversation with a good opening to capture the other person’s attention.

Give free information. At the marketing workshop I attended, the facilitator suggested to give information to interested prospects. I have used this approach on my website and have quadrupled the number of subscribers to my newsletter in the last year. You do not need to give away ALL the information relevant to your product or service. Instead, offer information that will help your target market with their problems. For example, when people sign up to my e-zine, they receive a report that outlines 100 tips they can use to increase their sales.

Offer a guarantee. A concern many people have when changing suppliers is the risk associated with the change. They may not be completely satisfied with their existing supplier but the risk of choosing a supplier who may be worse can prevent them from changing. Eliminate this concern and offer a guarantee.

Advertising. This can be a great strategy if you know how to create a good ad. The best marketers know that great sales copy is what makes the difference; I have experienced this first-hand. When I began selling my book on my website, I generated mediocre results for the first two years. I eventually changed the copy on my site and sales have soared every since. Glance through the ads in your trade magazine and you will quickly notice that most ads focus on the company’s product features instead of on the customer’s problem. Create a great ad by concentrating on the problem you can solve.

There are many other ways to market your business and generate new business leads. However, the ideas I mentioned in this article are effective low- or no-cost options. Use them consistently and watch your sales grow.

© 2004 Kelley Robertson

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. He is also the author of “Stop, Ask & Listen - Proven sales techniques to turn browsers into buyers.” For information on his programs, visit his website at http://www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com. Receive a FREE copy of “100 Ways to Increase Your Sales” by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine.

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The story

A few weeks ago, I met Chris at a networking event. We chatted about what his
company was doing and what my business was all about. He quickly realized that
his company’s online solutions could be beneficial for us and said, “Charlie, we
should really meet soon so that I can show you our solutions that can lead you to
more business.” We had fairly good rapport and my company was then currently
considering improvements to our online approach, so I was willing to respond to his
suggestion.

A few days later, Chris called me and we set a meeting. During the meeting, he
showed me a brochure with all his company’s solutions and kept asking whether
this or that solution would be of interest to me.

We finally nailed down one area of immediate interest and three areas for future
consideration out of the list of around 10 solutions. Then I asked a few technical
questions that Chris could only partially answer, so he suggested that I meet one of
their software engineers for further clarifications. This was fine with me, especially
because the engineer provided me with more satisfactory answers.

Before I left, Chris promised to send me a quote for the more immediate
requirement, including some of the options that were briefly mentioned by the
engineer. I received the proposal a couple of days later, and after a few more days,
Chris called me to check if I received the quote and if everything was clear.

Let’s see which aspects of Chris’s approach are in line with the “Stop Selling!”
approach, and then I’ll discuss what a person with the “Stop Selling!” mindset would
have done differently:

In line with the “Stop Selling!” approach

The responsiveness and reliability that Chris displayed was perfectly fine and gave
me, his potential buyer, the feeling that his is a credible, trustworthy company.

Even if Chris did not have full technical competence, it was not an issue for me as a
buyer - I appreciated his efforts in having the engineer answer my questions.
Furthermore, the situation assured me that in future dealings, he wouldn’t suggest
solutions unsuited to my expectations, and that he would understand my
expectations in the first place.

The way I was received at his office was very welcoming and certainly immediately
improved the already existing good rapport - an important basis for building trust.

What I would have done differently

It actually started at the networking event. As a potential buyer, I found it way too
premature for Chris to claim that his company’s solutions will lead my company to
more business. If he would have shared that his company’s solutions helped other
companies similar to mine, it would have been much more attractive and believable
to me.

Also, instead of saying “can show you our solutions”, I would have preferred if he
said something like “I would like to discuss with you what you are doing today and
what your potential is for more online business in the future.” This way, he would
have focused on my interests (potentially more business) as opposed to his (their
solutions that he wanted to sell).

During our meeting, Chris immediately presented his company brochure with his
company’s products to see whether any of them would interest me. I would have
preferred if he asked about my business first and what kind of online solutions we
already had in place. He could have helped me discover which aspects of my current
solutions work for me and which aspects create difficulties. Also, we could have
developed a vision for my online business for the next couple of years and then
together work out a plan on how to get there. His company’s products could have
been tools to make this plan a reality, and if they turned out unsuitable or
insufficient, I would have been grateful for his suggestions on who else could help
complement their solutions. As a next step, we could have discussed how to create
the cash flow from the online business to pay for the necessary - perhaps high-cost
- tools. Eventually, it could have even ended up in a strategic partnership with his
company.

Chris was not able to deepen the trust to a level that would have made this kind of
exploration possible. To me as a buyer, it was quite obvious that his main interest
was to sell any of their products even though he didn’t do it in a pushy way. Instead,
we stayed at the product level and in situations such as this, customers end up
either buying a small solution, which will lead to some improvements, or buying
nothing at all.

Conclusion: If you are focused on selling your product rather than on the
best possible outcome for your potential buyer, you might miss out on great
opportunities and will become a mere product consultant. Instead, if you coach your
buyer through his best buying decision, you will not only create first-class
relationships but will also expand the potential for doing business with your
prospective buyers.

Charlie works with executives who are already successful and want to stay at the
leading edge. They are often challenged by issues like:
- How to improve staff retention, especially how to keep top performers
- How to achieve a corporate success culture that guarantees longterm success
- How to create new levels of excellence through high employee engagement
- How to transform the business results through a different approach towards sales

Charlie, an executive coach & trainer who is known for his innovative approaches
towards leadership, change processes and sales, assists his clients in mastering
these challenges. They achieve outstanding results through Charlie’s unique
application of latest findings in research combined with his own experience in
international management and leadership.

Charlie is the author of numerous articles and of the book The Groupness
Factor. He delivers speeches and keynotes on sales, leadership and coaching.

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The story

A few weeks ago, I met Chris* at a networking event. We chatted about what his company was doing and what my business was all about. He quickly realized that his company’s online solutions could be beneficial for us and said, “Charlie, we should really meet soon so that I can show you our solutions that can lead you to more business.” We had fairly good rapport and my company was then currently considering improvements to our online approach, so I was willing to respond to his suggestion.

A few days later, Chris called me and we set a meeting. During the meeting, he showed me a brochure with all his company’s solutions and kept asking whether this or that solution would be of interest to me.

We finally nailed down one area of immediate interest and three areas for future consideration out of the list of around 10 solutions. Then I asked a few technical questions that Chris could only partially answer, so he suggested that I meet one of their software engineers for further clarifications. This was fine with me, especially because the engineer provided me with more satisfactory answers.

Before I left, Chris promised to send me a quote for the more immediate requirement, including some of the options that were briefly mentioned by the engineer. I received the proposal a couple of days later, and after a few more days, Chris called me to check if I received the quote and if everything was clear.

Let’s see which aspects of Chris’s approach are in line with the “Stop Selling!” approach, and then I’ll discuss what a person with the “Stop Selling!” mindset would have done differently:

In line with “Stop Selling!”

The responsiveness and reliability that Chris displayed was perfectly fine and gave me, his potential buyer, the feeling that his is a credible, trustworthy company.

Even if Chris did not have full technical competence, it was not an issue for me as a buyer - I appreciated his efforts in having the engineer answer my questions. Furthermore, the situation assured me that in future dealings, he wouldn’t suggest solutions unsuited to my expectations, and that he would understand my expectations in the first place.

The way I was received at his office was very welcoming and certainly immediately improved the already existing good rapport - an important basis for building trust.

What I would have done differently

It actually started at the networking event. As a potential buyer, I found it way too premature for Chris to claim that his company’s solutions will lead my company to more business. If he would have shared that his company’s solutions helped other companies similar to mine, it would have been much more attractive and believable to me.

Also, instead of saying “can show you our solutions”, I would have preferred if he said something like “I would like to discuss with you what you are doing today and what your potential is for more online business in the future.” This way, he would have focused on my interests (potentially more business) as opposed to his (their solutions that he wanted to sell).

During our meeting, Chris immediately presented his company brochure with his company’s products to see whether any of them would interest me. I would have preferred if he asked about my business first and what kind of online solutions we already had in place. He could have helped me discover which aspects of my current solutions work for me and which aspects create difficulties. Also, we could have developed a vision for my online business for the next couple of years and then together work out a plan on how to get there. His company’s products could have been tools to make this plan a reality, and if they turned out unsuitable or insufficient, I would have been grateful for his suggestions on who else could help complement their solutions. As a next step, we could have discussed how to create the cash flow from the online business to pay for the necessary - perhaps high-cost - tools. Eventually, it could have even ended up in a strategic partnership with his company.

Chris was not able to deepen the trust to a level that would have made this kind of exploration possible. To me as a buyer, it was quite obvious that his main interest was to sell any of their products even though he didn’t do it in a pushy way. Instead, we stayed at the product level and in situations such as this, customers end up either buying a small solution, which will lead to some improvements, or buying nothing at all.

Conclusion: If you are focused on selling your product rather than on the best possible outcome for your potential buyer, you might miss out on great opportunities and will become a mere product consultant. Instead, if you coach your buyer through his best buying decision, you will not only create first-class relationships but will also expand the potential for doing business with your prospective buyers.

Copyright (c) 2006 Progress-U Ltd.

Charlie Lang’s mission is to change the image of sales through the completely buyer-oriented Stop Selling! approach. He is a passionate and professional executive Coach, Trainer, Public Speaker and Author of over 100 articles related to leadership, coaching, change management and innovative sales. For more info visit http://www.progressu.com . To receive his complimentary monthly articles on sales or leadership, visit
https://secure.thriva.com/Reg/Form.aspx?IDTD=1259&IDRPH=2039

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