We all love stories - and we all know that we all love stories.
So why do we so often forget to use them in our marketing? A good story grabs attention, keeps your reader or listener engaged and curious, and is a fantastic way to demonstrate how your product or service can help someone.
Stories are also fine teachers. I remember going to real estate school and how much the lessons came alive when our instructor told about the things that happened to real live people when someone bent the rules we were learning.
Things like the crook who talked about 50 people into buying the same vacant lot and NOT recording the sale for 60 days. By the time the 60 days were up and all those people realized they'd bought the same lot, he was long gone. It must have been a hot market back then - or else the lot was priced so low that people were jumping to grab it.
Anyway - If he had merely told us that we needed to insist that our buyer's transactions were recorded immediately because bad things can happen, it wouldn't have made such an impression. Just think - I heard that story over 20 years ago!
So what kind of story can you tell that will somehow relate back to what you offer?
Can you tell a story that will teach your audience that they need what you offer?
Can you tell a story that will show how much you care about your customer's best interests?
Can you tell a story that shows how many ways your product can be used?
If you think about it, you probably have some true stories that would interest your readers. So... think about it!
Showing posts with label good salesmanship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good salesmanship. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
A tale of excellent service
The other night my neighbor said he was thinking about buying a car, but this was the wrong time of year to drive to Montana.
Since there are plenty of car dealerships a lot closer than Montana, we asked him what Montana had to do with it. And he told us the story about the Montana salesman...
Many years ago he bought a pickup. Being a person who is careful with his money, he had shopped around and so knew that the price he paid for that pickup was more than fair. By the time he wanted another new pickup he had moved to a new town, about 6 or 8 hour's drive away, so he went shopping close to home.
But he kept thinking about that salesman in Montana who sent him a birthday card every year. And so, knowing exactly what he wanted and the going price for that make with those features, he called Montana.
The salesman was glad to hear from him, and listened to his list of make, model, features, etc. Then he gave our friend a price, which was in the same ballpark with the others. But, he added, since you have a long drive to get here, I'll give you back $200 for gasoline, put you up in a nice motel, and buy your dinner.
Of course he said yes.
The salesman had assured him that the pickup would be ready when he arrived - and it was. The extra features had been installed, the truck was washed and waxed, and the tank was full of gas. The paperwork was even completed, so taking delivery of his new pickup took minutes, rather than the hours most dealerships impose on customers.
And so, our friend will probably shop around and learn what is or isn't available on the car he wants. He'll find out the going price, too. And then he'll call Montana, because that salesman did two important things:
He gave unforgettable service, AND he stayed in touch, year after year, in spite of the fact that his customer had moved away.
Do YOU stay in touch with customers if they leave your neighborhood?
Since there are plenty of car dealerships a lot closer than Montana, we asked him what Montana had to do with it. And he told us the story about the Montana salesman...
Many years ago he bought a pickup. Being a person who is careful with his money, he had shopped around and so knew that the price he paid for that pickup was more than fair. By the time he wanted another new pickup he had moved to a new town, about 6 or 8 hour's drive away, so he went shopping close to home.
But he kept thinking about that salesman in Montana who sent him a birthday card every year. And so, knowing exactly what he wanted and the going price for that make with those features, he called Montana.
The salesman was glad to hear from him, and listened to his list of make, model, features, etc. Then he gave our friend a price, which was in the same ballpark with the others. But, he added, since you have a long drive to get here, I'll give you back $200 for gasoline, put you up in a nice motel, and buy your dinner.
Of course he said yes.
The salesman had assured him that the pickup would be ready when he arrived - and it was. The extra features had been installed, the truck was washed and waxed, and the tank was full of gas. The paperwork was even completed, so taking delivery of his new pickup took minutes, rather than the hours most dealerships impose on customers.
And so, our friend will probably shop around and learn what is or isn't available on the car he wants. He'll find out the going price, too. And then he'll call Montana, because that salesman did two important things:
He gave unforgettable service, AND he stayed in touch, year after year, in spite of the fact that his customer had moved away.
Do YOU stay in touch with customers if they leave your neighborhood?
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Your clients need a little privacy - so give it to them!
Yesterday I re-listened to a CD about selling to a multi-cultural market. This segment of society is growing by leaps and bounds - it was already at about 1/3 of the population a year or so ago when the CD was recorded. And, according to studies by NAR, was purchasing 70% of the homes. Other businesses also need to be aware that 1/3 of their customers - more or less, depending upon location - will be from a culture different from their own.
That means, unless you're in a small town like mine, where almost everyone is either of Scandinavian or Italian descent, you need to be acutely aware of cultural differences.
This week I'll bring you some of the highlights from that CD...
But one thing covered on the CD seems to me to apply to everyone - every culture, every gender, and every age. That is the need for people to talk privately, without a sales person hovering over them saying "What do you think?" "Are you ready to order?" "Shall we write an offer on this house?" ... and on and on.
NO! Sometimes they aren't ready. Sometimes they need to talk to each other without anyone listening!
Multi-cultural customers often use a different language to accomplish this in front of the sales person - and sales people are insulted by the practice. But the truth is, they should feel encouraged by it. When buyers want to talk privately, it's one of those things called "A buying sign."
So, to best serve your bank account, let your customers have a little privacy.
Yours for prosperity,
Marte
Marte Cliff, Copywriter
writer@marte-cliff.com
That means, unless you're in a small town like mine, where almost everyone is either of Scandinavian or Italian descent, you need to be acutely aware of cultural differences.
This week I'll bring you some of the highlights from that CD...
But one thing covered on the CD seems to me to apply to everyone - every culture, every gender, and every age. That is the need for people to talk privately, without a sales person hovering over them saying "What do you think?" "Are you ready to order?" "Shall we write an offer on this house?" ... and on and on.
NO! Sometimes they aren't ready. Sometimes they need to talk to each other without anyone listening!
Multi-cultural customers often use a different language to accomplish this in front of the sales person - and sales people are insulted by the practice. But the truth is, they should feel encouraged by it. When buyers want to talk privately, it's one of those things called "A buying sign."
So, to best serve your bank account, let your customers have a little privacy.
Yours for prosperity,
Marte
Marte Cliff, Copywriter
writer@marte-cliff.com
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