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Yep, I had to go all the way to Israel for today’s marketing lesson. Let me explain. I traveled to a Tweetup of Silicon Valley’s finest social media enthusiasts the other day. (I didn’t go in but that’s another story…and a sad one at that)

Whilst I was out in the San Jose area, I decided that I wasn’t ready to go home just quite yet and figured that I would kill time at the mall for an hour or two. (its interesting that the mall used to be THE place to hang out for me…when I was like 12-14. Now it’s mainly an energy sapping experience)

I wanted to spend most of my time playing with the ipad in the Apple store. (still not ready for one yet, but the time IS coming) On my way to gadget heaven, I was stopped by an attractive young lady who made it her place to stand DIRECTLY in the path of my forward progress. And then she asked the question that I’m sure many of you all have been asked in malls across the nation: “Hey. Have you heard of the Dead Sea in Israel?” She was an employee of a skin care product line selling their goods from a mall kiosk.

Now being no stranger to this sales pitch, I immediately told the young woman that I was not interested. She smiled and I proceeded to the Apple store for my ipad madness. After playing like a big kid for a while it was time to leave and on my way out of the mall the same young lady stopped me AGAIN (can you say persistence) and asks again, “have you heard of the Dead Sea?” and smiled.

Now, once upon a time, I used to sell copy machines door to door in some of the most “interesting” parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. From this experience, I know it not the easiest thing in the world to sell someone cold whose first introduction to your product is when you invade their personal space. So, sometimes I stop JUST because someone is relentless and hear them out.

Well, little did I know, this woman was no rookie in the game but actually a seasoned veteran. She did a FANTASTIC job in her sales routine. From our interaction I was able to identify some key lessons that would serve any marketer or sales person well. (and face it, if you have a business you need to wear both the marketer hat AND the salesman hat)

Get the Attention of Your Target Audience

Now I’m not sure how many people walk by the kiosk where I was stopped but I’m sure its in the thousands. From this steady stream of shoppers, I wondered how this young woman targeted the people who she thought would stop. Maybe she looked for people who responded to a smile and smiled back. Perhaps she looked for people who looked like they had more disposable income than the average Joe. (that’s what I would do)

I came to the conclusion that, in this case, she played the numbers. This means that she talked to any and everyone that she could. I just so happened to have been someone who fell into her line of sight as she was looking to stop another person. (or I am just so dazzling and attractive that she couldn’t help herself…it’s possible)

For your own business, you need to learn how to not only target your audience but then be able to catch their attention when you do come across them. This means that you need to do some simple research. A few questions need answering:

  1. WHO is my target audience?
  2. How does my product add value to this audience?
  3. What pain does my product help them alleviate?

This is a good start. Utilize SEM to “get their attention.” Plenty of people are looking for your product or service every single day online. A good SEO or AdWords strategy will position you right in front of these peeps.   You also need to  make sure that your landing page is intuitive and easy to navigate.

Stick To Your Message

Little known fact: I can be a jerk sometimes. (hard to believe, I know) In this case when a sales person actually earns my attention, I like to put them through the ringer a bit to see how they will react. Honestly, its probably the best way for them to really grow as sales people. I bombard with questions.  I am completely disagreeable. I hit them with every objection in the book…JUST to see how they will react.

But this young woman was completely unflappable.  For every nonsensical answer that I hit her with she remained calm and poised and directed me back to her message which was “your skin could look even nicer with this skin cream.” I was quite impressed.

For your marketing message you need to do the same thing. Have a message with each page of your website. Make it clear and easily understandable. Online, there are soooo many factors that your are going up against in order to gain and maintain the attention of your audience. If you confuse your audience, they’re gone. If you have a weak (or non-existent) message, they’re gone.

Let me also clarify what I mean by “message.” I am referring to the main point of a particular web page. This is separate from your company brand, values, or mission statement. Your message can change from page to page. It mainly directs your audience toward taking some action. It can do so subtly or very overtly depending on how you choose to do it.

Overcoming Objections

I mentioned above that I was throwing out a ton of objections to the capable saleswoman. She met every objection with empathy and understanding but then managed to bring the convo back to her fine lotion products. It was amazing.

Your audience is always going to have objections about your goods when they come to your website. Honestly, there is no way for you to overcome all of their concerns on any one page of your site. (maybe an FAQ page but these REALLY make crappy landing pages).

The landing page should work on overcoming the major objections that your audience might have and gently move them towards taking an action. For example, if you are selling T-shirts some people may worry that you wont carry their size. You can allay this concern easily by mentioning on your landing page that you carry a full stock of every conceivable T-shirt size ever made.

Give Away Something of Value

I had NO intention whatsoever of making any type of purchase from the salesperson. Zip. Zero. Zilch. But then she pulled out all the stops. She offered me a free 18 month supply of some Salt Rub. (my hands have never been so soft. I can’t stop laughing at this for some reason… don’t judge me) This almost did it friends. The allure of a freebie always works.

Remember that no matter what your product is, giving something valuable away is a VERY powerful thing. You can give away product samples or valuable information. Do this with out the expectation of gain of any sort. Give just to give. This triggers powerful a psychological reaction that not only makes people feel good but helps you to gain credibility and trust with your audience. Just make sure its something of VALUE. People are not stupid and can see right on through most BS “sales tactics.”

Ask For the Business

Duh right? Wrong. You would be very surprised how many websites do not ask for the business. They don’t have any clearly stated calls to action. You’ve been to these sites. They look cool with all their pretty graphics and fancy web design but they leave you feeling empty and confused as to what to do next.  People actually respond very well to a little bit of instruction and a little push in the direction you want them to go.

Whether its pulling out their wallets, filling in their email addressees or just navigating to the next page, TELL your audience what you want them to do. It will help you out. A lot.

I don’t have enough fingers on either hand to let you know how many times this woman tried to close me on this Dead Sea lotion stuff. She was relentless but gentle in her approach. I’m telling you it was the stuff legends are made of.

No Deal

At the end of the day, no, I did not make a purchase. But, darn it, I thought about it. Long and hard. And like any effective marketing campaign, sometimes the success lies in just making a favorable impression. This is exactly what was done with me. I’m not in the market for any expensive lotion from far off lands but if I were, the Dead Sea is where I’ll look to buy from.

What are some other tips that you have found for success in your online marketing? Did this help you? Want to just say “wassup?” Please leave a comment and have a blessed day!