Tag Archives: Consulting

Marketing and Sales All in One

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30-Second Marketing for Consultants Part 3

Henry, a guest at the lunch time gathering, asked, “If you’re a one man band like most beginning consultants what is the difference between marketing and sales. Isn’t it all one?” The problem is the crossover from marketing to sales

“In a way it is,” said Kate. ”That was hard for me to understand early on when I was setting up my sales consultancy. When you’re out there on the front lines it’s not easy to see how marketing can do anything to help you.  Let’s face it, most sales people keep telling whoever is doing their marketing to just get them some qualified leads to close. When you’re the one doing the marketing and the selling it tends to give you a different viewpoint.”

The problem is the crossover.

“The problem is the crossover,” Henry said. “I don’t know when I’m selling and when I’m marketing.”

Our writer/editor Gail said, “The difference is pretty simple. Marketing is in mass. Sales is one on one.”

“Okay, I can see that,” said Henry, “but the words required seem to be different while they are the same.”

Gail asked, “What do you mean?”

“Everybody says that you need to talk about delivering a benefit. That’s the way to get them to come to you,” Henry replied.

Media, Message and Magnetism

I’d brought Henry to this meeting with the marketing lunch bunch so I figured I’d better wade in. “Henry,” I said, “don’t confuse trying to write copy for an ad versus a brochure or a web site with developing a sales pitch.

Media—If the information you are presenting is paid for by you it is marketing and needs to be treated as such. That is true whether it is an ad, brochure, website or skywriting. Yes, benefits should be stated.

Message—If you are not meeting someone in person, it is marketing and needs copy that positions the product or service in words and pictures. You need to convince and/or persuade by using text and graphics that are easily understood by the suspect, prospect or client.

Magnetism—comes as you learn how to speak in the language of your suspect, prospect or ideal client. Speak to them in person. Listen. Hear and use their words to describe what you do. Listen as they tell you the problem they have and describe it in their terms. Pay close attention to what they say about how a solution to their problem would look, taste and feel to them.

Here’s an example of the difference:

Positioning Line: Clock Thermostat

Ad headline: Live warm, sleep cool and wake up saving money.

30-Second Marketing:

Hook: I help you save money while you’re sleeping

Hold: You know how some people set the thermostat back when they go to bed to save money but have to get up to a cold house in the morning?

Pitch:  What we do is hook the thermostat to a clock so you set it once and it automatically cools things down at night then automatically starts heating the house in the morning so it is warm when you get up.

Close: It’s available in a battery operated version with all the instructions you need to hook it up yourself in minutes.

Henry said, “Thanks. That helps.”

The Takeaway:

The concepts that convince for any product or service must be expressed in both print and conversation. Only conversation is interactive and can be modified on the fly.

The words that persuade can (and should) be pulled from the ideal client’s lexicon.

How and when they are used are dictated by whether you are marketing or selling.

Jerry Fletcher’s blog recaps conversations with clients, prospects and the unruly mob of business development professionals he consorts with. They discuss marketing that works from solopreneur to enterprise level. Jerry, The Consultant’s Communication Consultant, is the ringleader and “Watson” of the dialogue. Sign up for the blog and other publications at: www.JerryFletcher.com/Profit.html

Jerry has been researching and implementing small business marketing that builds businesses, careers and lives of joy for 25 years as President of Z-axis Marketing, Inc. Learn more at www.JerryFletcher.com

Schedule a personal appearance. Jerry speaks internationally on Networking, Marketing and Contact Relationship Magic. www.NetworkingNinja.com

The Right Answer to the Most Common Question

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30 Second Marketing Part 1

“It never fails. You walk into a place, say hello and within minutes you get the question,” I said. “It happens to every consultant, coach and professional, daily.”

Chris, our digital marketing director and the youngest member of the lunch bunch Singular most often asked questionblinked and asked, “What Question?”

Kate rolled her eyes, took a sip of iced tea and said, “It is THE Question. It is the simple request from someone to help identify you by the career path you are on. It is stock-in-trade for sales folks like me whenever we meet someone new.”

“It is the single most asked question in the USA,” I said. “And most people trip all over themselves trying to answer it.”

Chris asked again, “So what is the question?”

Gail, our resident writer, put him out of his misery saying, “The question is: What do you do?”

Bubba, the branding Buddha, drawled with his usual southern charm, “Theahs just no way you can avoid it. Seems like folks kindly want to put you in a little box in their brain with a label stuck on it that fits their piddly memory.”

“You got that right,” I responded. “People always try to categorize new information and that means if you want to be remembered you need to do whatever you can to avoid what Bubba called, that piddly brain box.

An elevator speech is not the answer. That approach has come and gone.”

“But everybody says that you have to have an elevator speech if you’re going to be any good at networking,” said Chris.

“Everybody?” Asked Rick. “I don’t think so. The uninformed…maybe. The slow to understand the difference between how to market and how to sell…probably. Those that don’t understand the primary lessons of direct marketing, where I make a living…for sure. There are way too many people out there that just don’t get it.”

“A conversation instead of a commercial is the right answer,” Kate said. Most people will take interest in you and your profession if it is presented in an interesting way. But if you fall into the trap of describing yourself in common terms you lose. For instance, which would you rather talk to, a guy who says I’m a cpa” or one that tells you, “They call me Captain Crunch.’ That’s what Fletch calls a hook.”

Chris turned to me and asked, “What’s a hook?”

I told him, “A hook is the opening gambit of 30 Second Marketing which is a formula that helps you get to that conversation you want to have to make yourself memorable and give the person you’re chatting with ways to explain your difference to your ideal prospects.

The 30-Second Marketing formula:

Hook ‘em     (Get their interest)

Hold ‘em      (Tell them the problem you solve for most clients)

Pitch ‘em     (Tell them how you solve it)

Close ‘em    (Persuade them to take the next step)

The problem most consultants have is that they know way too much about their area of expertise so they have difficulty sorting out simple terms that people understand which relate to the reason they are looking for a consultant or professional to help them.

For example:

I’m a mechanic                  versus          I make cars go

I’m an IT expert                 versus          I make computers do it your way

I’m a website developer     versus          I build web sites that make rain

The Takeaways:

Make your answer memorable by simplifying it and putting the parts of the formula in language just about everyone can understand.

Test it. Try it on people you don’t know including prospects and pay attention to what they say and do. Then revise based on remarks, reactions and responses.  

Avoid lip service—the kind of responses that friends and family give you that aren’t realistic but rather are intended to make you feel good.

 

Jerry Fletcher’s blog recaps conversations with clients, prospects and the unruly mob of business development professionals he consorts with. They discuss marketing that works from solopreneur to enterprise level. Jerry, The Consultant’s Communication Consultant, is the ringleader and “Watson” of the dialogue. Sign up for the blog and other publications at: www.JerryFletcher.com/Profit.html

Jerry has been researching and implementing small business marketing that builds businesses, careers and lives of joy for 25 years as President of Z-axis Marketing, Inc. Learn more at www.JerryFletcher.com

Schedule a personal appearance. Jerry speaks internationally on Networking, Marketing and Contact Relationship Magic. www.NetworkingNinja.com

 

Selling Consulting: 5 Questions Rainmakers Listen For

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Ken contacted me through Linked In and arranged a phone call. Selling Consulting 5 questions rainmakers listen for

It started out with him pitching me his publishing services and ended with two questions:

  1. Would I have time for him in my schedule?
  2. What would it cost?

Kate, our sales doyen said, “Like I always say—Never Stop Selling!”

“You’re right,” I agreed. “And I usually just sort of stumble into it.”

“That,” she said, “can be fixed. Think back on the conversation. When did it switch from him pitching you to the other way around? Was there a question that either of you asked that caused things to put you in the seller’s seat? If you’re listening you’ll hear one of these which will make it easy for you to shift the conversation:

  • How do you work? This one is sometimes a general interest question but if it comes after you’ve mentioned some accomplishment for a client means they want a taste of that for themselves.
  • Why do you consult? At a cocktail party it can be an opening gambit but if it comes after you’ve revealed your years in practice or how you acquired your expertise to someone you’ve identified as a prospect… Remember, a prospect is someone that has a problem you can solve, is willing to talk to you and can sign the check to pay you.
  • How many clients do you work with at a time? The clue phone should be ringing if you hear this. Always answer truthfully noting that although you are busy, you have room for another now depending on the time commitment required.
  • What is your hourly rate? They are looking for a way to figure out what it would cost to put you to work for them. Do not answer directly. Yes, a lot of consultants and professionals work on an hourly fee basis and that is what the world expects. My recommendation is to work on a value based or retainer basis with all your clients. Value based means you agree to put together a plan just for the prospect based on the value they assign to solving the problem they have. Normally you will want to give them three options and let them choose. Option 1 solves their problem for an amount that is 10% to 20% of the value they assigned to solving the problem. Option 2 includes option 1 and adds a desirable add-on that will make the solution more effective. Option 3 includes options 1 and 2 and provides additional access to you for more complex and longer term fixes. Frequently, option 3 generates long term retainer agreements that allow you to provide your expertise on an on-call basis. That eliminates the requirement of developing huge proposals and all the time that entails. You still may have to map out how you’re going to handle something but it less of a pitch and more of jointly determined approach.
  • Have you ever worked in my industry? Again, tell the truth. If you have, give them information on successes. Never get into industry politics. Always speak of former clients positively—even if you fired them or vice-versa. The real reason they are asking is their belief that their industry is different. People believe that their industry, state, profession etc. can’t be understood if you don’t work in it. Don’t argue. Instead tell them how you were a total newbie in some industry you have had success in. Explain how part of your approach is to first understand how the industry works and then solve the problem by bringing to bear all the people knowledge and processes you have come to understand working in a spectrum of industries. Or, if you are truly knowledgeable in a specialized area, give them facts, figures and success stories.

All those questions just start the conversation. It’s up to you to take it to a profitable conclusion.

  • If it is in a networking situation either personal or business get agreement to meet at their office.
  • If someone is pitching you, Then decide when you want to schedule a follow-up based on the interest they show. Always follow up. Top sales professionals estimate that beginning and even experienced sales people miss out on 20% to 30% of potential sales just through not following up. Plan to meet with them face to face if possible.
  • If a referral source is asking questions, carefully determine if they will tell you who they are asking for. If they will, orient your answers and questions to that prospect. If not, answer and question and suggest that it might be wise to introduce you to the prospect over lunch, on you, of course. Then, try to get that face to face meeting in their office.

The Takeaway:

Never stop selling! Listen for the questions that suggest more than casual interest in your consulting capabilities. Pay attention to indications that there is real interest in what you do.

 

Jerry Fletcher’s blog recaps conversations with clients, prospects and the unruly mob of business development professionals he consorts with. They discuss marketing that works from solopreneur to enterprise level. Jerry Fletcher is the ringleader and “Watson” of the dialogue. Sign up for the blog and other publications at: www.JerryFletcher.com/Profit.html

Jerry has been researching and implementing small business marketing that builds businesses, careers and lives of joy for 25 years as President of Z-axis Marketing, Inc. Learn more at www.JerryFletcher.com

Schedule a personal appearance. Jerry speaks internationally on Networking, Marketing and Contact Relationship Magic. www.NetworkingNinja.com