How Saying Less Could Lead to More Sales
Do you spend much of your marketing efforts composing countless pitches that you disperse to current and prospective clients? While you may find this enables you to attract business here and there, a more efficient approach may be found in composing the pithy pitch-a promotional piece designed to break marketing conventions by driving to the point more quickly while demonstrating your professional value. In his article entitled “Ditch Your Desperate Marketing,” David Seaman gives a few pointers in creating the perfect pitch:
1. Stop groveling
Please! Stop begging for business. You may think it earns you sympathy while creating a small-town image of another business suffering from the recession. It just makes your business look pathetic. No one’s going to retain your services simply because you’re down and out, needy, or on the brink. They’re going to retain your services because you’re good at what you do and you do it often.
2. Exude confidence
Akin to number one, when you believe that your services enhance a client’s business you’re able to promote your practice without begging or apologizing. Recognize that you offer incredible value to each and every prospect you encounter. Knowing that will enable you to exude confidence, thus convincing your contacts that they can trust you with their finances.
3. Change your purpose
Consider changing your focus from closing the sale to providing indispensible information. Seaman explains, “…rather than send needy static pitches, send out carefully written pieces of advice that are likely to be circulated forever… Instead of writing primarily to close the sale…, write primarily to impress and excite the reader.” While his focus here may be on promotional newsletters, it’s a tip that could be applied to practically any marketing technique. Also, when you’re able to share practical information with a prospect, your professional value increases.
4. Eliminate wordiness
We’ve all encountered sales pitches that go on and on and on. We’ve also read promotions that say the same thing two, three and even four times. Trust your readers to be smarter than the average consumer; compose pointed and concise pitches.
5. Take your time
It’s okay to take time to craft a thoughtful and well-rehearsed sales pitch. In fact, you may consider sharing your pitch with experienced consumers-your family and friends. They can provide helpful feedback that will enable you to revise and hone your promotion until it’s pitch-perfect.
While your sales pitch shouldn’t fit inside a fortune cookie, you may find that a more pithy approach is a much more effective use of your time. By applying the above tips, you’ll quickly discover how less can indeed mean more.
The Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to QuickBooks
Sometimes enhancing your sales pitch can be as simple as enhancing your service offerings. We’re guessing you’re already aware that nearly 80% of small businesses use Intuit’s Quickbooks software. While other programs may be useful, Quickbooks has definitely captured the small business market. Learning Quickbooks will not only help you keep more efficient records, but it enables you to teach your clients how to use the software so that you can get the information you need, making your job much easier. UAC’s Professional Bookkeepers Guide to Quickbooks will enable you to work more efficiently by using all the features and shortcuts this software offers. Add to that your ability to add QuickBooks consulting, setup, and help services to your menu, and you have a risk-free venture.
Take advantage of this opportunity to increase your efficiency, your bottom line, and your sales pitch by enrolling the in the Professional Bookkeepers Guide to QuickBooks today!
Resources
Seaman, David. “Ditch Your Desperate Marketing.” 22 July 2009 Entrepreneur.com
