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[Implementation Guide] Having Problems Selling? I Understand What You Need

by Bayo
7 replies
Are you struggling to get business owners to actually invest in the success of their business with you no matter what you try? If your answer is "Yes" then I understand what you need.

What $ells When It Comes To 'Offline' Businesses?

What sells? Probably none of the things you're thinking of, for example:

  • Apps for local businesses
  • Mobile marketing
  • Pinterest
  • Time-limited Google 'tricks'
  • Facebook marketing
  • SEO
  • Any other latest or upcoming 'killer' you've been told recently

The most compelling and persuasive selling message you can deliver in any medium, be it in person, through your marketing stuff online, through any method is NOT that you have something revolutionary to sell.

It's not about how their imaginary or real competitors will chew them up and "...spit them out" if they don't take action.

It's not about why they need to take action because the statistics say apps for local businesses is on the rise or their site looks ugly when viewed on a smartphone.

I got involved in local (and sometimes not so local) small business consulting, which is what 'Offline Consulting' really is, in 2007 and in under 2 years created a focused business that now serves professional services businesses and that is paying for our kid's college fees. It will continue to do so until my son and daughter both graduate.

He is a senior now and she is a sophomore.

I tell you this so that you can understand that when you treat what you do like a 'real business' with your success linked to being able to support things that have meaning to you and your significant others, when you do that, you WILL be successful in overcoming your self-imposed (and other) barriers and achieve your monetary and lifestyle goals.

So what does indeed sell that you need to know and live by?

It is: "I understand what you need."

The selling message that says "I have" is about you.

The message "I understand" is about the only person involved in the sale who really matters: that business owner.

Implementation

  • Uncover what they need.
  • Find out what they want.
  • Find out who they are.

Will it take extra time on your part?

Certainly, especially if you've bought into the belief that business owners ought to be running after you, credit card in hand just because you've got some internet marketing knowledge they don't have...but it can help you make sales easier, quicker and more regularly, no matter how bad you think you are at selling to offline businesses.

Bottom line is you should not sell your offline marketing service, you should sell your offline prospect.

BAYO
#guide #implementation #offline guru strategy #problems #sell better #selling #understand
  • Profile picture of the author Irish Intuition
    You hit the nail on the head my friend. Whenever I create advertising I use your
    basic philosophy. Most focus on what they sell and not what the prospect is truly
    compelled by.

    I like to hit on a few 'close to home' key points in my communications.
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  • Profile picture of the author d1ey0u
    This is a clear understanding of how you should walk into any meeting or phone call with a prospect. I've also found it to be a big help for my anxiety when I walk into a meeting telling myself this business owner is my friend. I'm not trying to sell them. I'm just meeting with a friend, talking about how I can help their business. As you said, I like to reveal the problems the business is having. From there, your services should sell themselves, and eventually this person should become a your "friend" in a sense.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bayo
      Originally Posted by d1ey0u View Post

      This is a clear understanding of how you should walk into any meeting or phone call with a prospect. I've also found it to be a big help for my anxiety when I walk into a meeting telling myself this business owner is my friend. I'm not trying to sell them. I'm just meeting with a friend, talking about how I can help their business. As you said, I like to reveal the problems the business is having. From there, your services should sell themselves, and eventually this person should become a your "friend" in a sense.
      I would argue that the main goal should be gaining an clear understanding of what the real problem is and then determining if they are motivated or able to fix it or not before anything else.

      Many would-have-been opportunities are lost because the offline consultant is too rushed to establish if they can sell their services, even before understanding what the real issues are and letting the business owner understand the impacts on their business.

      These are usually much bigger than what they think. It's only when we have an appreciation and articulate this that we're 'in the game' so as to speak.

      BAYO
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  • Profile picture of the author MaxReferrals
    From experience 17 years offline, what *sells* is showing business owners how what you offer does two things, and two things only:

    1. How they can gain more new customers, equating to more sales.
    2. How they can work less, and have more freedom in their lives.

    #2 is paramount, as the small business *IS* typically the business owner.
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    • Profile picture of the author Irish Intuition
      Originally Posted by MaxReferrals View Post

      From experience 17 years offline, what *sells* is showing business owners how what you offer does two things, and two things only:

      1. How they can gain more new customers, equating to more sales.
      2. How they can work less, and have more freedom in their lives.

      #2 is paramount, as the small business *IS* typically the business owner.
      No doubt, but there are MANY more 'hot spots' one can hit on.

      One thing they have a lot of is stress. Sometimes "get tons of customers' actually
      stirs up negative emotion. They may be busy already... now they are getting
      an offer to be more insane.

      Simplifying their life rules over all. What can take the edge off? Show them
      you have a remedy for the pain and they'll buy the cure
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    • Profile picture of the author Bayo
      Originally Posted by MaxReferrals View Post

      From experience 17 years offline, what *sells* is showing business owners how what you offer does two things, and two things only:

      1. How they can gain more new customers, equating to more sales.
      2. How they can work less, and have more freedom in their lives.

      #2 is paramount, as the small business *IS* typically the business owner.
      Interesting points.

      The first one is probably one of the big mistakes small business owners make i.e. thinking that more customers or clients equates to a bigger or better business. What they don't realize is that with an increase in customers or clients comes with other changes that they may not be prepared to make or have the capacity to make.

      I've seen many local small businesses get more customers only to proceed to deliver extremely poor customer service because they failed to plan for the increase appropriately or they underestimated what having more customer entails apart from sales.

      I've rescued businesses where their sales process effectively broke down as a result of more customers. I've also worked with businesses to help them basically understand that more customers does not mean more profits if they don't understand what they will need to change to support such growth.

      So not to digress from the main topic, it's not to say that more customers isn't a desire, but it also involves things that businesses do not even consider which leads to problems they never imagined to be associated with growth.

      BAYO
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      • Profile picture of the author mojo1
        Originally Posted by Bayo View Post

        Interesting points.

        The first one is probably one of the big mistakes small business owners make i.e. thinking that more customers or clients equates to a bigger or better business. What they don't realize is that with an increase in customers or clients comes with other changes that they may not be prepared to make or have the capacity to make.

        I've seen many local small businesses get more customers only to proceed to deliver extremely poor customer service because they failed to plan for the increase appropriately or they underestimated what having more customer entails apart from sales.
        BAYO

        I agree wholeheartedly. One of those names could be called The Groupon Effect.

        One of the main effects felt by small businesses who were not prepared for their Groupon deals (which btw were not inherently bad) was exactly what you've mentioned Bayo. They were ill prepared and usually didn't have any type of system in place to even begin to handle this avanlanche of customers.

        Thus, simply getting more customers in the door without a real marketing funnel/plan/strategy, etc., no matter how unsophisticated needs to be in place because without one, it is a certain recipe for disaster and business ruin.
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