Boring Marketers Have Skinny Kids
By Terry L. Brock
Today’s marketplace calls for innovative approaches to reaching buyers. I remember the legendary Zig Ziglar producing an audio cassette (this was a while back!) program entitled, “Timid salespeople have skinny kids.” That humorous title vividly let salespeople know that you can’t be shy about what you’re doing in sales. If you do, you won’t have many sales. You won’t have much money. Your kids will go hungry (be skinny). Good advice. Thank you, Zig!
Today that has altered some. I still agree that we can’t face life with timidity. Boldness and courage are virtues that will always be important. However, today, you can’t just barrel your way into a buyer’s mind. Buyers are confronted with so many choices that a filtering system has emerged that didn’t exist before.
When Zig told us this --- I think it was in the 70’s --- we weren’t inundated with email messages, YouTube, MySpace, 100 billion cable channels (seems like that many anyway!) and more. Today we have to break through the clutter and it won’t be done with lung power, shouting and an obnoxious attitude.
To gain the attention of buyers today, you need to be entertaining. This means you have to provide value in the form of “worth paying attention to” before buyers consider it worth buying what you have.
That doesn’t mean telling a bunch of jokes. For most of us, we’re not good at telling the old “A priest, a minister and a rabbi walked into a bar…” type of jokes. Telling a joke in a bad way diminishes your status in the mind of many.
However something is never boring if it relates to what your buyer is interested in knowing.
It requires work on the part of the good marketer to figure out what it is that the potential buyer (the all-important person in a business relationship) wants. Find out about their top 3 problems. Then direct your message and what you say, print, record, etc. etc. to their benefit. What you might think is nifty and groovy doesn’t matter. Last time I checked YOU were not the one buying YOUR products! Focus on the customer, the buyer, who is putting down hard-earned money in exchange for what you’re selling.
For many buyers today, we want to know that the person is really interested in us before we do business with them or their company. If a person or company is only interested in me while I can buy from them, I quickly lose interest in that person or company and their product. Successful relationship marketers today get to know their potential buyers. They learn about them and what it is that matters to them. They learn about the pain they are experiencing. Successful Relationship Marketers really care about their customers and what they are going through.
Before anyone will engage in a financial transaction with another, trust has to be there. This is where Relationship Marketing sparkles. Even in a quick transaction at a convenience store, the buyer has to trust that the quality of the merchandise is not harmful, provides for the need and is reasonably priced. If any of those variables are violated or there is a doubt, it will cause hesitancy or kill the sale. A confused buyer always says no.
Establish trust in the mind of buyers. Let them see you as an expert who cares. You need to be an expert at what you’re selling. Have the quantum competence necessary to earn their respect. Then take your Relationship Marketing to the next level by showing you care for them. Listen to their needs and relate to their needs where your product or service meets those needs.
As you are entertaining and providing value, you will have an abundant supply of customers, buyers. If you’re boring, you are going to be as hungry as that timid salesperson that Zig Ziglar warned us about years ago.
To see some examples of how you can spice up your presentation in the form of video check out what I have now on my Blog. Go to www.TerryBrock.com and click on the “Terry’s Blog, Latest Update” on the left side. You’ll get a chance to see some videos that you can use as an example in your marketing. The principles of Relationship Marketing in those videos can help you to blend that into your own products and services.
Using these principles of Relationship Marketing as demonstrated in the videos can build your bottom line---and keep your kids from being skinny!
*******************************************
Terry Brock is an international marketing coach and columnist who helps businesses market more effectively, leveraging technology. He shows busy professionals how to squeeze more out of their days using time-honored rules and practical technology tools. He can be reached at 407-363-0505, by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com.
Today’s marketplace calls for innovative approaches to reaching buyers. I remember the legendary Zig Ziglar producing an audio cassette (this was a while back!) program entitled, “Timid salespeople have skinny kids.” That humorous title vividly let salespeople know that you can’t be shy about what you’re doing in sales. If you do, you won’t have many sales. You won’t have much money. Your kids will go hungry (be skinny). Good advice. Thank you, Zig!
Today that has altered some. I still agree that we can’t face life with timidity. Boldness and courage are virtues that will always be important. However, today, you can’t just barrel your way into a buyer’s mind. Buyers are confronted with so many choices that a filtering system has emerged that didn’t exist before.
When Zig told us this --- I think it was in the 70’s --- we weren’t inundated with email messages, YouTube, MySpace, 100 billion cable channels (seems like that many anyway!) and more. Today we have to break through the clutter and it won’t be done with lung power, shouting and an obnoxious attitude.
To gain the attention of buyers today, you need to be entertaining. This means you have to provide value in the form of “worth paying attention to” before buyers consider it worth buying what you have.
That doesn’t mean telling a bunch of jokes. For most of us, we’re not good at telling the old “A priest, a minister and a rabbi walked into a bar…” type of jokes. Telling a joke in a bad way diminishes your status in the mind of many.
However something is never boring if it relates to what your buyer is interested in knowing.
It requires work on the part of the good marketer to figure out what it is that the potential buyer (the all-important person in a business relationship) wants. Find out about their top 3 problems. Then direct your message and what you say, print, record, etc. etc. to their benefit. What you might think is nifty and groovy doesn’t matter. Last time I checked YOU were not the one buying YOUR products! Focus on the customer, the buyer, who is putting down hard-earned money in exchange for what you’re selling.
For many buyers today, we want to know that the person is really interested in us before we do business with them or their company. If a person or company is only interested in me while I can buy from them, I quickly lose interest in that person or company and their product. Successful relationship marketers today get to know their potential buyers. They learn about them and what it is that matters to them. They learn about the pain they are experiencing. Successful Relationship Marketers really care about their customers and what they are going through.
Before anyone will engage in a financial transaction with another, trust has to be there. This is where Relationship Marketing sparkles. Even in a quick transaction at a convenience store, the buyer has to trust that the quality of the merchandise is not harmful, provides for the need and is reasonably priced. If any of those variables are violated or there is a doubt, it will cause hesitancy or kill the sale. A confused buyer always says no.
Establish trust in the mind of buyers. Let them see you as an expert who cares. You need to be an expert at what you’re selling. Have the quantum competence necessary to earn their respect. Then take your Relationship Marketing to the next level by showing you care for them. Listen to their needs and relate to their needs where your product or service meets those needs.
As you are entertaining and providing value, you will have an abundant supply of customers, buyers. If you’re boring, you are going to be as hungry as that timid salesperson that Zig Ziglar warned us about years ago.
To see some examples of how you can spice up your presentation in the form of video check out what I have now on my Blog. Go to www.TerryBrock.com and click on the “Terry’s Blog, Latest Update” on the left side. You’ll get a chance to see some videos that you can use as an example in your marketing. The principles of Relationship Marketing in those videos can help you to blend that into your own products and services.
Using these principles of Relationship Marketing as demonstrated in the videos can build your bottom line---and keep your kids from being skinny!
*******************************************
Terry Brock is an international marketing coach and columnist who helps businesses market more effectively, leveraging technology. He shows busy professionals how to squeeze more out of their days using time-honored rules and practical technology tools. He can be reached at 407-363-0505, by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com.
posted by Terry Brock @ Thursday, April 24, 2008
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