In October of 2001 a new portable media player was introduced to the music scene, changing the face of the music industry in ways no one had ever imagined possible. The iPod classic too k the world by storm at a time when people believed that Apple products were reserved for tech-geeks and graphic designers alone. Apple was struggling but, despite their fears, took a chance on something new and innovative.

Today there are several different versions of the iPod on the market – small, large, classic, and touch. The introduction of the Apple iPhone only served to enhance Apple’s stance in the marketplace, giving the company even more stability.

Why am I recapping the success of Apple and the iPod? Because the success of Apple PROVES how possible it is to create a dream product and have it be successful no mater how rough the economy seems to be treating you. YOU get to decide how the economy will treat your business. YOU get to decide if the public wants or needs your product. YOU get to make the sale.

The economy obviously won’t hold people back if they really feel as though they want or need any given product. If that were the case no one would have rushed out to purchase the latest iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, or even the newest version of Amazon’s Kindle reader.

Carve yourself a niche in the marketplace and make sure you’re visible. Your customers will not abandon you!

Sean

Sales Expert - Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker

The act of making a sale is part art and part science. One of the most important skills a salesperson can develop is the art of persuasion.

In my experience there are four main things you need to do when attempting to pursuade someone to make a purchase. These include:

• Being direct and to the point, immediately establishing your own credibility as a salesperson and someone your potential client should trust;
• The art of finding some sort of common ground between your business and the business of your prospect so that you can position yourself based on your similarities;
• The ability to show your prospect evidence that supports the fact that he wants or desires the product or services you are selling; and
• The ability to connect with your prospects on an emotional level.

Take any one of these skills and you’ll find your sales presentations begin to run smoother. Combine two, three, or all four and you’ll find your sales numbers increasing steadily.

Many of your prospects have already decided that they want to make a purchase. They’re just not sure what they’re going to buy or who from. It’s your job to pursuade them that they want what you have!

Sean

Sales Expert - Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker

In sales, you’ll come across three types of people. Those who are ready to buy, those who can be convinced to buy, and those who simply don’t care about what you have to say. As a salesperson you should, obviously, seek to build relationships with people who are ready to buy, but the trick is to understand WHY they are ready to buy so that you can appeal to their wants and needs.

There are nine key factors that usually motivate a person to buy a product. They are:

1. Ambition – they want to move their businesses forward and will buy whatever it takes to help them do so.
2. Status – they believe that their social and economic statuses demand they have the latest and greatest products.
3. Ego – they take great pride in their organisations and want to have nothing but the best, fastest, and most effective products and services.
4. Greed – they simply want to collect new products, be the first to have them, and be better than the competition.
5. Security – having the newest products and services makes some business owners feel as though they are secure in their position in the marketplace.
6. Fear of loss – no one wants to be the last one to get a new product – or to be the last one able to offer it to his clients or prospects.
7. Prestige – will having your product make this organisation stand out from the rest?
8. Pride of ownership – some organisations simply take pride in owning new products, make the most out of their function, and take care of them properly. They want to add something functional to their arsenal.
9. Desire – some people care less about the product than they do about having it before their peers or competition.

As superficial as some of these motives seem, they still drive certain people to buy. Find a prospect that falls into one of these categories, act quickly, and make a great presentation. You’re almost guaranteed a sale.

Sean

Sales Expert - Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker

A postcard is a postcard, right? Wrong! Your marketing campaign is only as good as the postcard you send out, and the postcard you send out is only going to be as good as the company you choose to develop, print, and mail it.

I recently met a woman who had a terrible experience with a well-known marketing company. They gave her a proof of what her postcard would look like, she approved it, and the postcard they sent had a major typographical error on the frong – a mistake that was made AFTER the proofing process. Sadly, had the woman in question researched the company a bit more she may have found that others have had similar bad experiences.

So what qualities should you look for in a good postcard vendor?

• Find out who is in charge, what level of training and experience the staff has, and how long the company has been in business. Is this an established organisation or a fly-by-night operation?
• Will the company you choose help design your postcard or will they only print the design you give them? An all-in-one printer will be more cost effective, so find another printer if they’re not willing to help with design.
• Does the postcard printing company you plan to work with offer mailing lists? Will they let you upload your own list for use during the mailing? Do they have options for helping you find new prospects?
• Will the company in question mail your postcards for you? Some do and others do not. It’s best to ask in advance.
• Clarify the pricing of the postcards. Ask if the price you are offered includes all of the design, colors, printing (on both sides) and postage. Will they give you a discount if you order a large supply of cards?
• Is the service you are considering easy to use? Can you go online and make changes or easily reach your representative by phone? If not, move on.

The right postcard vendor can make or break your postcard marketing campaign. Choose one that will offer high level of customer service without breaking the bank and you’ll be pleased with the results!

Sean

Sales Expert - Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker