| Educating your clients to make them willing to pay | | | | To do this in a way that adds value to the |
| the price you put on your product/service, is one | | | | prospect or client, simply choose a number of |
| task that every business owner should take | | | | key offerings in the market that fall into the |
| seriously - especially given the intensity of | | | | same category as your product/service, and |
| competition out there in today's business | | | | identify their strong/weak points with respect to |
| marketplace. | | | | their ability to deliver the solution sought by |
| Think about it for a moment. Toothpaste brands | | | | buyers. |
| proliferate in the market, and even for those of | | | | Using your knowledge/insight as an "expert" in the |
| us who are loyal to certain brands, one cannot | | | | field, explain to the prospective buyer what s/he |
| deny feeling the "temptation" every now and then | | | | should look for, in order to be sure of making the |
| to try out some new brand that's offering | | | | right purchase, for the invested money. What is |
| something extra or new - such as a special | | | | likely to happen AFTER s/he has heard or read |
| breath cleansing or tooth whitening formula. | | | | your useful guidelines - at the least - is that s/he |
| Quite often we would have chosen to stick with | | | | will come to see you as a source of reliable |
| our favorite brand because of what we know - | | | | expert information, that aids prudent decision |
| or think we know - about it. The reality however | | | | making. |
| is that most times what we "know" would be | | | | My Example: One day, they announced they had |
| based on what the maker of our chosen brand | | | | launched a website. I promptly visited it, and |
| has told us on the tube or the wrapping, as well | | | | within 15 minutes of looking around, decided to |
| as any adverts they may have placed in the | | | | write them an email outlining specific modifications |
| media. | | | | or additions they could make to it, to get better |
| The problem however is that every product or | | | | results. |
| service provider uses these kinds of marketing | | | | I did this because my examination revealed that |
| methods mentioned above, and so, there is the | | | | too many features were missing from the site - |
| danger that it all begins to sound the same, or | | | | things that could ensure they got optimal results |
| that we - the buyers - may get so overwhelmed | | | | that they needed: RESPONSES from visitors to |
| with the mass of information being thrown at us, | | | | the site! |
| that we subconsciously stop listening, watching or | | | | Once again, I did NOT offer to do it for them. |
| reading. | | | | Instead, I told them to pass my ideas on to their |
| That's why the business owner who wishes to | | | | webmaster so s/he could consider my proposals |
| constantly get paid CONSCIOUS purchase making | | | | for possible "usefulness" and apply where |
| attention by his/her target audience will need to | | | | appropriate. |
| invest quality time and effort into making them | | | | 3. Tell Them How Your Product/Service SOLVES |
| PERCEIVE that s/he offers useful EDUCATION | | | | Their Problem: Your demonstrated insight into |
| that can help them intelligently make choices that | | | | their needs (from 1. above), and your willingness |
| truly benefit THEM. | | | | to STEP ASIDE and let them consider possible |
| S/he will do this KNOWING that his/her product | | | | alternatives to YOU(in 2. above), will be your |
| or service already has the features that will make | | | | most potent weapon for "selling" yourself |
| it get considered by appropriately educated | | | | successfully to your target audience. |
| prospects as the RIGHT choice for the price it is | | | | In this step, you will again start by THINKING of |
| offered at. | | | | what makes your product or service an effective |
| Three (3) Steps To Educating Prospects, and/or | | | | and reliable solution to their need(s). As was the |
| Customers | | | | case in step 1, this should not be a problem for |
| What follows below is an explanation of steps you | | | | you, because you OWN the product - even if you |
| can follow, in the process of educating people | | | | are a reseller, you MUST KNOW enough about |
| who fit your target audience profile, towards | | | | how it works to solve the problem your intending |
| getting them to do business with you. | | | | buyer wishes to be rid of. |
| Note that the ideas described here can be applied | | | | Doing the above advised "thinking" will equip you |
| during sales/marketing conversations with | | | | to TELL your prospect and/or client how your |
| individual or group audiences. They can also be | | | | product or service will help him/her. Remember at |
| applied in developing your sales/advertising and | | | | all times to focus on painting a picture of the |
| marketing communication (flyers, posters, articles, | | | | desired end in the mind of your listener - or |
| website copy, ebooks, special reports, bulletins, | | | | reader. What s/he wants to achieve is what you |
| press releases etc). | | | | MUST demonstrate that your product or service |
| At the bottom of each step, I have provided | | | | can HELP with. Fail to do this, and you are very |
| personal examples of how I applied it(i.e. THAT | | | | unlikely to get hired! |
| step) in interacting with the owners of a popular | | | | My Example: Some days later, they replied my |
| radio and TV show, until they hired me to | | | | mail commending me for the good ideas |
| develop/implement a web marketing system for | | | | suggestions, but expressing a desire to meet with |
| their company. | | | | me on the possibility of a collaboration to |
| 1. Offer Proof That You Understand Their Needs: | | | | implement them. Now this was what I wanted, |
| You need to spend time THINKING about what | | | | but I was keen to be sure they truly knew how I |
| makes people feel a need for your type of | | | | could make a difference for them. |
| product or service. Be sure to identify as many | | | | So, when we met, I offered to prepare a detailed |
| as possible variants of the needs that different | | | | web marketing system development proposal |
| people may experience, that will cause them to | | | | they would read, and use, without needing my |
| want your solution. This should not be difficult - | | | | input. Indeed, after 2 meetings, I suggested they |
| since you are a provider of a possible solution! | | | | let their own webmaster try using additional ideas |
| If you do it right, it will show in your sales | | | | (including website resources) I found to do it for |
| marketing conversations (in physical meetings with | | | | them, so they would not have to hire me. (YES, |
| them) as well as your written communication - | | | | that's what I did!) |
| e.g. website copy. This is because you will be able | | | | Over two months later, they came back to hire |
| to TALK and WRITE about these identified needs | | | | me - with the marketing director stating that |
| from the perspective of the potential customer. It | | | | apart from the obvious "sense" I made in the |
| will boost your chances of convincing prospects | | | | web marketing proposal I prepared, what won |
| and/or clients that you truly understand their | | | | him over was the selfless manner in which I |
| needs. | | | | readily gave up all my own ideas and information |
| My Example: As an active listener on their show, I | | | | to their webmaster, even though I knew it could |
| would send SMS messages suggesting that they | | | | mean my NOT getting hired, if the latter |
| boost their marketing reach and impact by | | | | succeeded! |
| adopting an Internet website presence. | | | | Summary - Educating Them Influences Their |
| I did this about 3 times over the course of three | | | | PERCEPTION of YOU, Positively! |
| months - timing my messages to logically coincide | | | | The above outlined steps, if carefully applied, will |
| with issues that came up during the live show. | | | | lead the prospective client to PERCEIVE you as |
| Note that I NEVER offered to do it for them - I | | | | the most logical choice over others s/he may be |
| only told them they needed to do it, so as to | | | | considering. There is nothing better than |
| achieve MORE than they were doing at the time. | | | | establishing TRUST and CREDIBILITY in the mind |
| 2. Suggest Practical Ways They Can Accurately | | | | of your intending buyer. The minute people believe |
| Assess Similar Products/Services: People often | | | | you are competent, reliable and honest, they are |
| need to be sure they are getting the best bargain | | | | very likely to readily part with their hard earned |
| for the money they are spending. That's why this | | | | money when they need products or services you |
| second step is important. That's also why it | | | | offer. |
| comes BEFORE you tell the prospect or client | | | | And that's what the ideas I have shared above |
| about YOUR proffered solution (in step 3)! | | | | will help you achieve. It would interest you to |
| You see, any person you want to "sell" to is very | | | | know that I have successfully gotten Nigerian |
| likely to be more willing to give you a chance, if | | | | clients to pay me handsomely to deliver my very |
| you do not come across as the typically "pushy" | | | | unconventional products/services (e.g. custom |
| salesman. Do the opposite of what they are used | | | | spreadsheet software, article writing, website |
| to: tell them HOW to intelligently find the right | | | | marketing systems development, print-on-demand |
| product/service they need. Then leave them to | | | | publishing etc) to them using these same |
| use the information you have provided to find and | | | | methods. |
| CHOOSE you over others. | | | | |