| When I first started marketing online, one of the things | | | | going? You still have that big fish on your wall? How |
| that I was taught by my mentor at the time, Ann Sieg, | | | | are things moving forward with your decision making |
| was that one of the best marketing techniques and | | | | process? Good, good, you don't mind if I continue to |
| online relationship building techniques was to give away | | | | check in with you do you, just doing my job you |
| valuable information? What? Did you read that right? | | | | know?" And the owner would say that would be fine |
| Yes, it is the value that you bring to your customers, or | | | | and you would get off of the phone. Now imagine |
| potential customer that will open up more opportunities | | | | getting this exact same call 24 times over the next |
| for you to build your list and grow your business. | | | | year. How much would you look forward to this call, |
| Here is an example that I heard early on in my sales | | | | and how fast would you get back to this person if |
| career that I think illustrates this best. Let's imagine a | | | | they left you a message? |
| typical sales call where you go out and meet with a | | | | Let's take a look at what the not so typical sales rep |
| potential client to learn more about them and to give | | | | did for that same year. He read a lot of business |
| them a chance to learn more about you. At the end of | | | | journals and did regular research online learning more |
| the first call, you find out that they are definitely going | | | | about the company, their partners and there |
| to be buying your product or service, but they are in | | | | competition. As he ran across something that was |
| the early stages of their process and it will be at least | | | | particularly interesting, he would cut it out, or write |
| a year before they make any buying decisions. | | | | down the URL and send it to the business owner and |
| Now, if you were a typical sales person, you would | | | | follow up a week later asking if the owner received it |
| have noticed the big fish on the wall just to the right | | | | and ask him if had heard that, or what he thought |
| when you walked into the owner's office. Being the | | | | about it, or he might ask him if that has any impact on |
| master sales person that you were taught to be, you | | | | his business? Now imagine getting this information and |
| would say, "Wow, that's a beauty, did you catch that?" | | | | call 20 or so times over the next year. |
| And the owner would tell you that he did, and that it | | | | At the end of the year, who do you think got the |
| was a long time ago, and that he keeps meaning to | | | | business? Why? If you answered the typical sales rep, |
| take that thing down. | | | | then I would not quite my day job if I were you. If you |
| Now if you were a not so typical sales rep, you would | | | | see that by bringing real value to the business owner |
| have found out how the owner got into this business, | | | | you build both a professional and personal relationship |
| what some of his biggest problems were, who some | | | | and you see how that would build trust, you are well |
| of his strategic partners were, and what some of his | | | | on your way in building your business. Remember, |
| long term goals for the business are. | | | | people only do business with people they feel they can |
| One of the key factors in getting this account would | | | | trust, and if a person show a real interest in you, your |
| be in building a relationship in the follow up over the | | | | business, it's future, and supplies valuable information in |
| next year. The typical sales rep would call every two | | | | the process, he wins. |
| weeks and say, "Hey mister business owner, how's it | | | | |