Apr 10
13
Stop Selling and Sell More!
by: Helen Connors-Groom
Successful companies have a secret. Sometimes you sell more by not selling. Strategic Marketing is a sport. By aligning the resources you already have, you can create a “magnetic network” that really can help you to sell more by not selling.
Take for example the man who sells firewood, in Arizona no less. Definitely a niche market, right? So how did he sell more… well actually he did it by not selling. Instead, he formed Strategic Marketing Alliances with the local Pool Builders & Backyard Remodeling Companies. They, well they didn’t really sell the firewood either. Instead they used it as a “Value-Added” incentive with every project they sold that included a fire pit or beehive fireplace, they included a year’s worth of firewood. Not a bad idea, and one that turned out to be a great advertising tool, referral generator, not to mention a win/win for everyone involved; the firewood company, the pool builders, the backyard re-modelers and most importantly the customers.
Another good example of selling more by not selling was when we owned Gazinka’s Backyard, a company specializing in very large expensive wooden play systems. We actually trained our sales staff not to sell, rather to ask lots of questions and orchestrate lots of referrals.
People didn’t come into Gazinka’s to “buy” a swing set. In fact, we didn’t even advertise that we sold swing sets. At Gazinka’s, we sold “Dreams” and our “tag line” or “branding” was Gazinka’s Backyard….Where You Can Buy a Dream! When customers came into our showroom, more often than not, they had just moved into their dream home, had another baby, were about to remodel a backyard, put in dream pool, have a birthday or celebrate a holiday and our swing sets were actually just one small part in the dream our customers had for their families.
So we taught our sales people to ask about those dreams, build upon them and help to make them come true. If you knew that someone’s dream included a putting green, backyard BBQ, Fire Pit, Pool and a safe place that their kids would want to play, you help make that Dream come true, not by referring them elsewhere, but rather by orchestrating, coordinating, facilitating and implementing all of their wants and desires. By asking questions, often you can become the one stop that’s all, turn key, trusted resources for all of your client wants and needs.
When you stop selling and take care of your clients wants and needs a funny thing happens. Price is never an issue, instead you begin to hear… What do you recommend?
If you have great success stories or tips regarding forming Strategic Marketing Alliances we’d love to hear about them. Or if you would like help leveraging your existing Strategic Marketing Alliances or forming new ones call Clear View Marketing today… We would love to help make it rain on your parade!
