Small Business Success with Classic Salesmanship in 3 Easy Steps
March 10, 2010
What makes a customer purchase a product or service? One way could be from a salesman using classic salesmanship with a customer. And what does classic salesmanship entail? Classic salesmanship includes getting to know the customer and discussing how they can benefit from a product or service. The salesman then directs them to the product or service with the features they need to get the benefits desired.
A good salesman does something that all too often small business advertising does not. They make a personal connection with customers and gain emotional reactions. Then they back up that emotion with reasoning and logic that supports what they want to do based on that emotional response.
The majority of small business advertising in print an other media simply show the features of a product or service, instead of showing the customer how they’ll benefit from those features. Customers don’t really care about features unless they directly benefit them.
A vehicle that can hold up to seven passengers is one example. But if I have a family of three, I have no reason to want or need this feature. It has no benefit for me. If a good salesman were to learn that my only child has a ton of friends over all the time, and that I shuttle them between activities, then classic salesmanship takes over and the salesman suddenly recognizes how the feature can benefit me.. That vehicle with room for seven can make my life easier because I can fit everyone into the vehicle and be the great parent because my child can spend time with more friends.
In order to have effective small business advertising, it’s important to know something about your customers, or potential customers. When you know enough about your customer to describe them, you can create small business advertising that is directed specifically to them. You can then show how they’ll benefit from your product or service.
The key to small business advertising could be summarized in three words: Features, Benefits, and Emotion. But the response you want to elicit-and the order in which these words and concepts matter to potential customers-is in reverse order.
First, your small business advertising must elicit emotion. It has to make an emotional reaction or response. They must feel connected or desire your product or service.
Your advertising must next showcase the benefits to your customer that justifies their emotional desire. Most people are looking for a reason to purchase a product or service they desire, but they need to justify the expense. By describing the benefits, you help the customer justify their expenditure on your product or service.
Finally the features of a product or service can be showcased. Do remember that features only matter in the first place if they demonstrate the real benefits that support the customer’s emotional reaction and desire to purchase. So never start in your small business advertising by focusing on the features.
Remember, if you want your advertising to result in actual business, then you want to elicit your responses in the proper order. First, get your emotional response. Second, explain benefits that justify the purchase. And third, highlight the features that provide these benefits.
Tags: small business, online business
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