Ciamos

Bernadette Doyle

1. Get Clear on WHO You Are Targeting

If you don't know WHO you are targeting, how can you know WHAT to offer them or WHERE to reach them? If you are vague about this, you will pay the price later in terms of wasted time and/ or money. If you try to serve 'everybody' then you may find that you don't appeal to ANYBODY. This first step is vital for laying the foundation of your whole marketing approach. If you don't spend enough time on this step you are building your business on a weak and shaky foundation.

2. Understand What They Really Want

People don't buy because they understand what YOU do, they buy because they feel UNDERSTOOD. When you truly understand your prospects' hopes, fears, desires you are well on the way to making the first sale. So how do you figure out what they really want? Listen! Pay Attention! My first successful niche was for B2B salespeople who needed to set their own appointments. I understood that they wanted help with both effective techniques and motivation because I had worked side-by-side with many of these people and heard them complain about their struggles to reach decision makers by phone.

3. How Can You Help Them?

The closer you can get to their desired end result, the more successful you will be. Successful marketing is about really understanding what people want, and then giving it to them. Most people approach marketing the other way round. They decide what they want to offer, and then try to convince people to take it.

So this step is about getting creative and designing a solution that is impossible to refuse. For example, instead of offering personal training at £60 per hour for a indefinite period of time, why not offer a 'Lose 10lb in 6 weeks' package that includes personal training, nutritional advice and maybe even motivational materials for a set fee. Instead of offering life coaching at £300 per month, why not offer packages that meet your prospects' needs eg '90 Days to a New Career'. The more tangible and specific you can make what you offer, the more successful you will be.

4. Find Them

Most people think that finding new clients starts here, and try to skip steps 1-3. But the effort you put in on the previous 3 steps will really start paying off here. What you need to bear in mind is 'affordably reachable'. Start looking for websites, publications, meetings and associations, online discussion groups where your target prospects are 'hanging out' in significant numbers. If you can't find these, then you aren't looking hard enough OR you've picked a niche that is too hard to reach, and you'll need to go back to step 1.

5. Get Them To 'Raise Their Hands'

You know WHO you are targeting, and you've discovered WHERE they are hanging out. Now HOW can you get them interested in what you have to offer?

TIP - don't start selling immediately - that will trigger sales resistance and close down opportunities for good.

Instead, focus on sharing some value and building the relationship. I like to offer some form of free information such as a free report, e-book or teleseminar to encourage the prospect to find out more about me in a low risk way. Make sure that whatever you are offering is aligned to a key goal or problem that your target prospect has.

6. Follow Up

Now that the prospect has 'raised their hands', you need to expect and plan for the fact that the MAJORITY of people will not buy from you after your first contact, so you need to follow up. The most important things are that you vary the way you follow up, keep adding value, and always, ALWAYS invite the prospect to take the next step. (Sounds obvious I know, but you'd be surprised how many people forget to do this.)

For one of my products, I have a sequenced follow up of 18 messages sent over a 90 day period. Some people buy immediately, most take longer to make their decision. But with thorough follow up you can prevent missed opportunities from slipping through the cracks.

7. Close The Sale

Depending upon your sales process, you might be closing the sale in person, or you might expect your webpage or sales letter to close the sale for you. (I prefer the latter because it's more easily duplicable). Whatever your process, you need to provide ALL the information that the prospect needs to make their decision with confidence.

Leave anything out and the sale will stall. Your biggest obstacle at this stage is procrastination, so make sure you give people a REASON TO ACT NOW such as offering an extra 'sweetener' like a bonus or added extra to nudge them into action.

8. Make Additional Offers

Thought that when you'd landed the client your work was done? Not so! The bulk of your profits will come from additional sales made to existing, satisfied clients. So what should you offer next? Let your clients be your guide. After they have used your initial product or service, they are likely to have other issues, problems and/or needs arise.

How can you help them with those subsequent challenges? As long as you have done a good job and exceeded their expectations with your first transaction, you are well on the way to a mutually profitable business relationship for both parties.

© 2007 Bernadette Doyle

Bernadette Doyle publishes her weekly Client Magnets newsletter for trainers, coaches, consultants, complementary therapists and solo professionals. If you want to get clients calling you instead of you calling them, then get your free tips now at www.clientmagnets.com