Here are two simple ratios for you to track when you market and sell your services:
1. The You/I ratio. Be sure that you say “you” 2-3 X more than you say “I/we” in your marketing materials. That way, you are focusing on your prospects’ needs.
2. The question/statement ratio. When speaking with prospects, especially in the early stages, be sure that 75% of what comes out of your mouth is an open question (not yes/no but open) and 25% is a statement. That way, you are learning about what your prospect values and not trying to read his or her mind.
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Ah, the two-thirds rules… or double-up marketing ;)
October 24th, 2005 at 10:41 am
In one of Dan Kennedy’s sales books, he says that you can get anyone to tell you anything you want to know simply by asking questions. His point is that people simply want to be listened to and if you listen to them (genuinely listen, not just stare and nod), then they will listen to you and they will buy from you. Your advice is very good and very true. If you want to succeed in life and in business, you have to stop looking in a mirror and start looking through a window.
October 24th, 2005 at 11:10 am
Sounds like good advice to follow, especially if you have something scripted out that you use/have memorized/rehearsed for talking to folks…
The hard part of course is not to make it sound like you’re reading it or that it’s just a fill-in-the-blanks script..
Which is why my dear ol’ pa used to say “All salesmen, or at least the good ones, are actors with well-rehearsed lines…”
October 24th, 2005 at 2:00 pm
“Which is why my dear ol’ pa used to say “All salesmen, or at least the good ones, are actors with well-rehearsed lines…” “
I agree!
October 24th, 2005 at 3:16 pm
Personally – I think these two techniques create the biggest gap between successful web development companies and the rest. When I first started out, I went to clients saying “I can do this, this, this, and this, and could do this, or this, etc”: selling was hard.
Our company has now developed a simple RFP (request for proposal) that some clients fill out, but more importantly, whenever I am doing lead phone calls, I have it front and center on my monitor, making notes on my notepad. For those interested, its on my company’s contact page:
http://www.crystalcleardesigns.com/contact.asp
October 24th, 2005 at 3:47 pm
No, this alone doesn’t work.
You need to actually focus on your prospects’ needs, in addition to proclaiming that you focus on your prospects’ needs.
A lot of people talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. A great number of “consultants” put on a great show up front but prove later on that they are completely ignorant of and out of touch with their clients’ needs. Clients will sense that you are out of touch if you try to pull this on them without backing it up with solid results.
October 24th, 2005 at 8:49 pm
Thanks Andrew. I have been looking for a way to describe to a client why his front page isn’t very good marketing material. After reading this blog entry I went back to read his front page and every sentence begins with “We”!
October 25th, 2005 at 8:22 am
This may be off topic, although I would like to mention that item 2 “75% Question/25% Statement” also works from PM/Art Director to designer when requesting a client change.
From the PM’s side, you want to ensure your client is happy so if you state, “The client would like this change, please make it.”, it might turn your designer into a drone and they will do without ask or worse build up resentment.
If you instead take that more question approach as in “The client would like this change, do you know of a better solution? or would you agree with his request?” Opens up the designers creativity, and generally opens up communication.
Hope that wasn’t too off topic,
Joel
October 29th, 2005 at 11:16 pm