So now I’m not as inclined to read the paper.  I will, because I want to see if there is something new out there I wasn’t aware of, but I’m not going into the document thinking either neutral or happy thoughts.  I have a giant chip on my shoulder.  And when the doc tells me all about stuff that has been in the world for months, I will think badly of the company.  Anti-mission accomplished.

Now it just so happens I downloaded a white paper from another company on Thursday.  That company also left me a voice mail today but that was more reasonable since it has been several days.  And her message wasn’t an in-my-face, jump-all-over-it kind of voice mail.  It was a very low-key, “wanted to see what your thoughts were on the white paper”.  Her voice mail made me feel like she actually did want my opinion.  And as the two events happened close together (I picked up the two voice mails at the same time), it was an interesting contrast.

So the morale of the story is, don’t think that because someone downloads your material they “owe” you something.  You chose to put out free information so people who take advantage of it are following your direction.  When you do follow up – and you should – make it clear you want to start a dialog.  Not necessarily sell something right this second because you don’t know what product would be right for them as a client.  In fact, for all you know they need 12 products or services – you can’t tell from a download!  So take the time and build the relationship.  Ask the questions and listen to the feedback.  And for heaven’s sake give the person some time to read the document.  Otherwise, you come across desperate and annoying.

There was a time when people didn’t have processes.  Then, it was vital to mention you had one and clients wanted details.  How could you ensure you would be able to replicate your results if you didn’t have a process?  Today, most people talk about a process so it has lost the impact.  Today, you have to illustrate your process differently.

For some of my clients, we design a graphic to illustrate their process.  These pictures convey exactly how the process will repeat the success and are easy to follow.  In fact, I’ve had a couple of clients that when we tried to draw their process we couldn’t and they have gone back and simplified the whole thing!  Another option is to name the process.  Giving it a name gives it meaning as well and also an opportunity to discuss where the name came from, how it works, etc. A third option is to highlight a key step in the process – “we focus on the “XYZ” of our process to ensure world-changing results”.  Again, this changes the game and gives the client something to talk about instead of blowing off your process as just another process.

Generic words that are used by everyone shouldn’t be part of your brand unless you are using them in an unconventional way.  Instead, use pictures, names or call outs to really bring your message home.

Fritz, on the other hand, plays a different game.  When one throws the toy to Fritz, he goes to it, and then you are suppose to go to him so you can play a little tug, and then he runs away.  The game is then to follow him to the next place where you get to throw it again. Now some would say that Fritz never learned to play the game (or that we are over-indulgent with our dog but we won’t mention that) but I say this game is better and is more like your customers today.

Why is it better?  Well, as the person throwing the toy, I throw the toy, hang out for awhile and then get to throw it again in traditional Fetch.  With Fritz, sometimes I’m throwing, sometimes I’m chasing, sometimes I’m tugging, but I am always interacting with him. And sometimes I go the other way and get in front of him which changes the direction.  I get as much out of it as he does.

Sure there are days I wish he would just play fetch and let me do something else while we play. But the reality is that isn’t his game and he isn’t going to play it.  Neither do my clients.   The best days with my clients are the ones where I get to change the direction and show them something new.  But the days I still get to interact are important too.

So what are you doing with the new game?  Are you still waiting to see if someone will just play fetch?  Or are you ready to join us in playing this new game – and adding to the interaction?

Over and over people came in with their ideas that they held onto like children.  But when questioned, they were so focused on the person asking the negative question that they ignored the fact that others were still interested!  One couple actually blew the deal because one of the investors asked an, “I’m interested” question while another made a comment about why she was out and they addressed the “I’m out”!  They put all their energy into defense when there was a perfectly good chance of getting the deal if they had just listened and stayed focused on their goal.

If I knew someone going in, I would certainly recommend they accept the “I’m outs” for what they are and hear everyone before they started defense.  They should also remember, as we all should, questions are not negative or positive – they are an indication of interest.  In someone asks you a question, there’s a reason they want to know the answer. So answering it helps move the process along.  Answer them honestly – this is not the time to make promises  you can’t deliver.  If a customer does say “I’m out”, see if you can understand why.  One of the nice things the sharks do is they do explain why they are out.  Most of the time, there is no point in discussing – if the shark doesn’t feel they have any connection to an industry, your talking isn’t going to change that.  But, there are times when they say something that isn’t accurate and the presenter has a chance to explain.  That happens in our sales process too – if a customer says “I’m not interested because…”  you get a chance to really explain why they are wrong.

Now sometimes, they are right.  ”I’m not interested because we have filed Chapter 11″ isn’t something you can answer.  But, can you offer them something?  Put them on a mailing list to keep up with industry trends?  Call back in 1 month when their position will be clear?  The name of a good industry-focused recruiter?  Something? Offering something even to a “no” shows you believe in your product and actually interested in a relationship.  And that can go a long way to turning a no into a yes.

So be careful not to be defensive when talking to people.  If they ask a question, take it at face value and don’t try to read too much into it.  And if they are “out”, try to give them something so at some point they come back in.

As a small business owner, walking away from potential business is tough.  There’s always the “what if” game going on in your head.  In the past I have had prospects who worried me regarding follow through or payment and addressed those issues in the proposal (which turned out very well).  But this one just didn’t feel right.  I wasn’t convinced I would enjoy working with this individual nor would I provide him the kind of service he needed – he just wouldn’t get what I was talking about.   So I walked away as professionally as I knew how.

It is very tough to recognize that not everyone is right for one’s services.  But there are some needs that aren’t a fit.  When it doesn’t feel right, the best thing to do is to move on – it is a better solution for both parties.  So don’t be afraid to walk away if it doesn’t feel right.  And if you need someone to tell you that again, give me a call.  I know this is tough!

So what can’t you offer that your clients need?  What areas would be great to have someone to refer to and have them refer business your way?  It is always important to narrow your offering to be easy to explain and allow you to deliver consistently.  Now, it is time to think about what areasyou haven’t covered. A solid partner who understands the value of what you do and how it fits together with what they do is invaluable and when you hand off that client, you know they will come back.

Once you figure out the area(s) you could use a partner, you need to find one.  Keep in mind this is going to be someone you refer clients to so spend some serious time talking to their sales team, understanding what they offer and make sure you are comfortable.  If they offer a demo, be sure to go through it and fully understand.  Then, do an experiment – referr only one person and closely track the progress with your client.  I have known some people who have split the cost with their client to test out a service.

Once you have this established, you get the benefits of knowing where clients are going for those services, you appear bigger than you are since you made the referral, your clients will begin to see you as a one-stop-shop which can be invaluable as you grow your business, and you get to know what’s going on in multiple industries.  Partners can  be a huge strength and seriously help grow your business.

If I jump into a pool, I have to deal with the change in temperature but it only affects me – unless I splash everyone else in the pool. In reality, most of my clients don’t mind jumping headfirst into something they want to do but is unknown. They know they can figure it out or get used to it or whatever. But walking into that party and bravely walking up to a total stranger and introducing yourself is tough for anyone.  So here are some ideas to make it easier:

1. Know who will be there – research your list first. Don’t just call and ask for a position, call and ask for someone by name.  At that party, it is much more powerful to walk up to someone and say, “excuse me, aren’t you Jane Smith from ABC Company?” than just try to interrupt.  Same with calls – know who you are calling.

2. Create bullet points for what you want to cover. There is nothing worse than answering the phone and having the other person say, “Oh! I expected to get your voice mail!”.  Only once have I said, “okay – here ya go!” and transferred that person to my voice mail but that one was fun.  Scripts are nice, but they often sound like scripts so only read a script if you know you can make it sound natural.  Bullet points allow you to check them off as you hit them but also allows more flexibility.

3. Leave a voice mail – many people have told me over the years they don’t leave voice mail because it is never returned. Well, when I look at my missed phone calls or if I’m in my office and see a number, if the person doesn’t leave a voice mail I wonder why.  It seems odd that their  information wasn’t important enough to go in a voice mail.  Likewise, compelling voice mails CAN get results so have something to say in your voicemail!

4. Actually, have something compelling to say either way.  Tell me something I might not have known, could use in a meeting, could quote to a client, could send in an email, SOMETHING.   That gets people’s attention and gives you the instant credibility you need. In fact, if I have a good piece of information to give a prospect, I generally like to leave it in voice mail or send an email first because then they call me to get more info.  Very powerful stuff.

5. Remember that the difference between interrupting someone at a party and calling them on the phone is they can choose whether they take your call.  If someone is standing next to you trying to talk it is tough to ignore them but if the person is truly busy, they won’t pick up.  So in that regard, they gave you some permission to interrupt – even if it is for a very short time.

Everyone has to make cold calls at some point and they aren’t easy. But having a plan, knowing something of value to say, being honest and professional goes a long way to making it easier.  You have a product or service to offer that this person may need or you wouldn’t call. Just keep that in mind and uh… dive in?

When I began my business, I embraced this philosophy whole-heartedly.  I am not a good hunter.  I don’t like the uncertainty, the failure/misses, or the need to put myself out there like that.  Coincidentally, my clients aren’t either.  They don’t like the hunt.  So we build programs that are more about the harvest.  Being a gatherer has its advantages – people remember you longer and with more warm feelings if you are a gatherer.  I know this is true because in the last two weeks I have run into people I have been cultivating for 6 months who are now ready to do business.  They’ve gotten my newsletters, phone calls, emails and blog articles and now are ready to go. Hooray!

So when I say to be a gatherer – here’s what I recommend:

Know what kind of fruit you want – what kind of business would be best or second best?
Know where the fruit is – know which prospects could give you the type of business you want.
Provide the water and sunlight to the fruit trees – Give them vital information for their business.
Check on the plants – Contact your prospects to see how things are going.  Have a good reason to be checking though!
Be ready to harvest when the fruit is ripe – There is nothing worse than being ready to buy and not being able to for some reason. So when the prospect is ready, be available.  Answer the email or phone call, schedule the meeting, whatever it takes.

The tasks involved in cultivating plants is the same as managing prospects.  Be sure you have the tools you need and backups to help if the market conditions don’t provide what is needed.  After all, slow and steady often wins the race!

I’m not interested in discussing the merits of the bill, but how he presented – or marketed – this particular issue. He started out just fine. Stated what it was about and that the reason it was important was because, according to his sources, people do not report crimes to 911 because the recordings may be heard through the media. The DJs questioned this pretty strongly because the information is still available as public record so was it really the media coverage that caused the problem? Now here is someone who obviously felt strongly about his cause, but couldn’t articulate his arguments. First he said if a person is worried about retaliation, they are less likely to report a crime. In fact, a professor at a local school reported a crime and that night received a call from a group of people calling from the front yard of his apartment building to let him know they knew who he was and that he made the call. The bill-sponsor was then asked if the individual a. reported that incident (no) and b. was his 911 tape played through the media somewhere? (no). So that lost his point.

He then went on to say that “smart defense attorneys” get the 911 calls, give the information to their clients and then the client’s friends make sure the witness won’t testify. So now, not only did he not persuade a voter in this state that he is spending his time wisely, but went on to insult every defense attorney in the state of Ohio! I don’t know many defense attorneys, but I am willing to bet many of them are very good people who would never intentionally put someone in harm’s way. To say that “smart” defense attorneys do this, was just completely upsetting to me. And thereby absolutely lost any hope of me paying attention to his cause, argument or probably things he says in the future.

So where did he go wrong? First, he didn’t understand the problem his “product” was solving well enough. He clearly wanted to solve a bigger problem but his product doesn’t do that so he came off foolish at best. Second, he bashed someone else in a very broad stroke. We’ve all heard “don’t bash your competition” but it is an easy thing to do. If he hadn’t made all defense attorneys out to be bad people, I would have tried to listen to him more. Third, while he did a gutsy thing going to the media to help raise awareness for his cause, he wasn’t prepared for them to be a little defensive about it and ask the tough questions. He seemed caught off guard that they were concerned.

And now the lessons – first, know the exact problems your product solves. If you solve just a small piece of a bigger issue, know that up front and be ready to answer why you can’t address the rest (in this case, the Constitution is a great fall back for why his bill doesn’t address bigger issues). Second, DON’T BASH YOUR COMPETITION. It is just tacky! Not to mention you don’t know who knows whom, what they think of your competition or what they think of you. If a customer does it, they are welcome to do so and thank them for the information. But don’t jump on that bandwagon. It isn’t going anywhere good. Finally, know your audience. When you are talking to someone, know what their company does and how. Understand their industry. Don’t just go in and figure they’ll see the benefit without doing your research. And remember, everything can be a marketing opportunity!

Product or Service
Strong Company Brand
Strong Personal Brand
Established or Create the need
Long or Short Sales Cycle
Known Industry
Established vs. Startup
Tech Savvy Customers

At each step, we analyzed the company and the customers to make sure we understood who people think we are, who we know we are and who we want to be.  That is the core of a good marketing plan.  And while no one knows your company better than you do, there are many details that have not been put into words.  That makes a huge difference when trying to target marketing.  The last thing we want to do is throw a bunch of stuff at the wall and see what sticks!

We’ve talked in the past about buyer personas and that is really the next step to your marketing plan.  Create 5-7 characters in your marketing story that are typical of your best customers.  What are they like?  What do they do in their spare time?  Married?  Children?  Where do they live?  Give these characters as much dimension as you can.  Then, when reviewing marketing options, ask “does this attract Scott” or is “this answering Mary’s concerns”.  Since you know so much about the characters, you should be able to answer the questions.  And we all know what my answer will be if you say you don’t know your customers that well. GO ASK.  If you are local, go sit down with them and if not, get everyone in your company together and put together what you know.  Then, the next time you talk, find out what’s missing.  Otherwise, you will not be able to tell if that new technology is the best thing to use or if traditional advertising works better.

Your marketing plan is vital to know how to steer your ship in 2010.  Many people are forcasting changes to social media this year with a tightening of networks and more depth in relationships.  If you have a strong plan, you will be able to adapt to those changes as they come and handle them immediately.  Bring on the plans!

Product or Service
Strong Company Brand
Strong Personal Brand
Established or Create the need
Long or Short Sales Cycle
Known Industry
Established vs. Startup

The final, and yes, it is last on purpose, is to start looking at your customer base.   The first question is, are they tech-savvy?  It makes no sense to put efforts into Twitter if your customers or prospects aren’t there. Period.  On the other hand, you can’t assume you know. Age is NOT a determining factor in technical ability. Part of it has to do with defining technical.  If you ask the average person “how technical are you” they will say they aren’t. However if you start asking do they use Facebook, Skype, Twitter, a computer, excel, etc. you will get a better handle on what they do and don’t do.  A great way to start the conversation is to ask how they find a new business they didn’t use before.  Do they open the phone book or go online?   Non-tech savvy customers mean they are not going to find you on the web no matter what you do so putting your time there is a waste.  However, if they do anything on line, there is a good chance you could direct them to where you want to be.

There are many ways to get yourself on line and able to be found.  The best way to start is to Google and Bing your company, your name if you are in sales, and then keywords used to find your products or services.  Typically when you Google or Bing those keywords you will want to include a geographic area. Use these as your starting points to determine where you should be and also make sure all the information is correct.  You want to do this with both search engines because otherwise there could be information you missed.  The good news is Yahoo now uses Bing as its search engine so you no longer have to check there as well.

Once you have a handle on their ability on line, you will know how much effort to spend there vs. other marketing avenues.  In the course of those discussions you should also learn where they look for information and what information they need so you can target your efforts.

Product or Service
Strong Company Brand
Strong Personal Brand
Established or Create the need
Long or Short Sales Cycle
Known Industry

Both established companies and start ups have unique challenges when trying to build their marketing plans.  If an established company is in a known industry, they will have a very difficult time overcoming current perceptions – their brand is out there.  But, a startup has to find people willing to take a chance on an unknown quantity.  Either way, a good marketing plan is key to achieving the goals.

Being an established company means you have experience from which to draw.  This is great news because there is no better marketing than your customers. Build a portfolio of testimonials, case studies and stories to use in every media and conversation you have.  Spend as much time talking to your current customers as new ones – you want people just like your current customers, right?  Really understanding their needs, wants and challenges allows you to connect with new clients faster and easier.  If you don’t know today what is keeping your clients up at night, find out. Now. And that doesn’t mean guess – you should KNOW.

A start up company doesn’t have the luxury of calling on those stories and experiences.  Instead, you have to focus on what’s wrong with the current market and why you started the company. What needs weren’t being met?  What needs to happen to get things done right?  The best marketing angle to take in this case is “one of you”. As “one of you”, I recognized the following problem with…. If you were a frustrated customer just like the people you are appealing to, they will listen.  If you have hit one of their true frustrations.  So how do you know if you have?  Again, you need to talk to people.  Connect with people however you can -LinkedIn, Blogs, local Chamber organizations, etc. to get a chance to have a conversation.  Be sure to listen more than you talk and find out what the frustrations are. Then, as soon as you get that first success, capitalize on it.  I worked for a company at one point that made a point to let everyone know who the first 5 clients they had ever had were and we were to treat those people even better than the rest.  They had retained all five for 10 years when I moved out of the area and left the company.  Pretty impressive!

Looking at your marketing plan with this in mind can also help figure out how to prevent the other guy from getting to your client.  If you understand the benefits a start up can bring, you can answer it up front.  If you know what the current providers do well, you can head that off before you get hammered with questions.  Either way the best defense is a good offense.

Next we will conclude our series with Tech-focused on Non-tech-focused clients.

Product or Service
Strong Company Brand
Strong Personal Brand
Established or Create the need
Long or Short Sales Cycle

The next item to review in determining your marketing plan is if you are in a known industry or not.  For example, if someone says they do carpet cleaning, we all know what that means. But, if someone says they are the foremost expert in biophysics, there’s a good chance only a few people know what that individual does on a daily basis.  It is important to understand that not everyone knows what you do every day.  And even if people think they know an industry, they may not truly understand what you do.

One industry that is interesting from this perspective is recruiting.  Recruiters are definitely misunderstood. Many people haven’t dealt with recruiters and therefore don’t have any idea what they actually do – they call them “head hunters” and generally assume the candidate pays them to find them a job.  This is absolutely the opposite of most recruiting offices.  Generally they are hired by the client to find a specific person and then have to employ many ways to find that perfect individual.  So in a case like this, a recruiter has a unique challenge to design a marketing plan as they not only have to get their personal message out there, but also educate the prospect on what they do.  Several industries share this challenge and Chiropractors are the first to come to mind.

On the other hand, there are industries that people don’t know exist.  We all understand the insurance industry but how many people have heard of long-term care insurance?  This isn’t like life or car insurance of which we all have a basic understanding.  This is insurance that provides for a time when we can’t take care of ourselves.  Not exactly something the average person wants to consider.  So the marketing plan to get the word out on that product is even more challenging as you have to educate, and then get over the concerns and emotional issues of the subject.

In a known industry, one must differentiate.  Going back to our carpet cleaning example, if someone comes to your home or office to clean your carpets, you have a set of expectations.  Some are built on past experience and some based on the results you desire. As a carpet cleaner, you have to get the client to understand why you are the best, and may not be the cheapest.  That is a very different message.

So it is important to know if people you are selling to have an understanding of your industry, have an incorrect understanding of your industry, or if they have no understanding.  In each case, the message must be delivered to deal with that situation appropriately and effectively.

Product or Service
Strong Company Brand
Strong Personal Brand
Established or Create the need

The length of your sales cycle has a lot to do with your marketing.  A good marketer always has an eye to how to manage the workload when the marketing efforts pay off and it is a rare situation to have things pay off in a nice, orderly fashion. Generally everything comes in at once.  So understanding if you will have several large deals a year vs. a bunch of small ones means understanding how long a sales cycle you run.

Obviously most business owners can describe their sales cycle – it is a measure they pay attention to on a regular basis.  But how should that influence your marketing?  In a short sales cycle, you can get a lot of quick hits. A person makes a decision right away and there are no barriers or issues to hold them back.  That means your marketing needs to be targeted, to the point, and SHORT.  Don’t bog me down in a bunch of details if I need to make a quick decision.  Let me ask for more info if I need it (or find it on your website).  Make the reasons to decide yes compelling – use testimonials, case studies, or examples of your work to show me how this will be a benefit.  Don’t expect me to fill in the blanks myself – I didn’t care until you said something so I’m not going to spend time on it. Make it as easy as possible.

But if your sales cycle is long, then there are lots of opportunities for me to change my mind, look at other people, or generally stretch it out even more.  In these cases, it is critical to identify key points in the process and sell to those.  Prospecting?  Sell to getting an appointment to discuss your products – not the final sale.  If you are constantly pushing to get to the final sale, you may lose the person in the process. Instead, set up a series of smaller wins so that the end result is more assured.  Reviewing previous sales, if you have the data check and see what buying percentage there is as each prospect got through those milestones.  If 80% of prospects buy once they get through the on-site demo, then sell to that demo and get more people through that process.  If only 20% of people buy after the demo, then you know you need to retool your demo, change the mechanism or interview existing customers to see why that was valuable to them so you know where in the process to put it.

In a long sales cycle, messages need to be more informative and detail-driven.  Rarely is a product or service with a long sales cycle considered by itself – it is generally being reviewed next to its competitors.  With that in mind, the easier it is for the client to get information about the product or service the more likely they will favor it.  If I am heading a purchasing committee to obtain a service and one company gives me all the information while the other makes me ask, I will naturally feel company A is more open, honest and willing to share information.  I will see them as strong communicators and be more inclined to give them the business.

The sales cycle dictates a lot about the marketing message including content, intent and type of information.  But no matter what, your goal is always to make it easy for the client to decide to go with YOU.  So be sure your messages, marketing materials and website always make it EASY.

Product or Service
Strong Company Brand
Strong Personal Brand

When anyone is trying to sell something, the buyer has to recognize a reason to pay for it.  We refer to those reasons as needs.  For some businesses, the need is always there – it is an established need.  For others, they have to create the need to get the buyer to purchase.  Each should be approached differently.

For example, I have a friend who is a seamstress. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a couple items of clothing in a pile waiting to be repaired, hemmed or generally sewn in some way.  That need is established.  So her marketing needs to be focused on getting the person to act on that need.  That is a very different approach than say, someone who needs to hire a recruiter to help them fill a position.  Recruiters need to be top-of-mind at all times so that when the need arises, they are the ones who get the call and not the person who happens to call that day.

An established need is going to be one that the majority of your customers have before they know about you.  The good news is you can talk to your current customers to discuss what that need looked like before they came to you, how they felt about it and why they didn’t take action sooner.  Advertising is good for this type of need because it can trigger an immediate response.  ”Call now” ties in with an established need.  Understanding as much as you can about your clients before they came to you can help you target your marketing to the right people.

A need that will be in the future means your marketing has to be about creating that top-of-mind awareness. When the need arises, it is highly unlikely the client will have your folder on top of their desk with information easily found. Instead, they need to know who you are and what you do in such a way that calling you is obvious.  Newsletters, informational tips, in person meetings, etc. are all ways to keep your name in front of someone and remind them of your expert status.  When they need help, they will want to call in the expert!

Here again it is a good idea to talk about what happened before the client called you.  Understanding what the thought process was, how they remembered you and what information they pulled to call is critical.  If you are someone they will call in a crisis, having your number somewhere they can easily find is critical.  Magnets for a frig or post-it notes can be especially helpful for those clients.  Being lots of places on the web means if someone can’t find your information in their office, they can easily find you on line.  Be sure to know how people you like to work with found you so you can put more efforts into those channels.

Each type of need has its own unique challenges and need to be addressed differently. A one-shot small newspaper ad isn’t going to help a future need because the person would have to keep it somewhere they will remember.  However, if the need already exists, your efforts should be put into channels that will help get people to act on the need.

Next, we will explore how long the sales cycle is for your product or service.