| WebProWorld Marketing Forum |
Real Estate software marketing
My company has created a real estate software called RealtyPro. Can anyone give
me any advice on where and how I can market this online? Thanks for you help.
Public/Expert Speaking
Last night I had the privlage to speak at a local county function. It was for
a county wide organization with a pretty good member base. The theme of the panel
discussion was "How To Effectively Advertise Your Business".
How many monthly hits are considered good?
I have recently taken over as webmaster for a few sites they average 15,000-20,000
hits a month each. Is this a decent amount?
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11.16.05
The
Tidal Wave Sale
 By
Kelley Robertson
In a sales interaction with a prospective client, I offered several solutions
to his particular situation. I had asked him several questions, and upon determining
his needs, presented a variety of different answers.
I told him about the corporate programs I deliver, recommended one of my public
workshops, suggested that he register for my newsletter, and asked him to complete
a questionnaire that would help identify where he and his team could improve.
When I hung up the phone, it dawned on me that I may have presented too many solutions,
too quickly. Sadly, I had fallen prey to using the tidal wave sales approach (please
don't chastise me and tell me I'm insensitive - it has nothing to do with recent
world events). Unfortunately, I never heard from this person again, even though
I tried to contact him by telephone and email.
A tidal wave sale happens when you overwhelm your customer during the sales process.
In other words, you bowl them over with too much information or too many ideas
in an effort to close the sale. Here is another example:
A homeowner I know met with an interior designer for some consultation on improving
the appearance of her home. During their first meeting, the designer suggested
several different options and ideas and at the end of the meeting asked for a
deposit so she could begin the job. Although the ideas and solutions that were
presented sounded good, the homeowner was hesitant to make a commitment to move
forward because he needed time to digest and consider the multitude of ideas that
had been presented. It was evident that the designer had used the tidal wave sales
approach.
Many sales professionals, particularly SME's (Subject Matter Experts) make the
mistake of using this approach. They have the best intentions and truly want to
help their clients and prospects but tend to get carried away. As a result, they
offer all the solutions they can think of believing they are helping their customer.
However, in reality, they actually make it more challenging for customers to make
a decision.
Most sales people don't realize that they use this particular approach. They become
so accustomed to telling people everything about their product or service, forgetting
that too much information can actually be detrimental. They forget that most people
can only absorb a certain amount of information in any period of time.
I remember looking for a new bed with my wife many years ago. We visited four
or five stores and in each store we were told that we should look for something
different in a mattress. The sales people told us all about the features of the
beds they sold and by the end of the day we were completely confused and didn't
know what factors we should consider in our purchase. We felt overwhelmed and
as a result, ended up postponing our decision for several weeks. If the sales
people had asked us what was important in our buying decision they could have
presented a solution that was more relevant instead of giving us all the information
on their particular beds.
Customers look to you for help. They rely on your expertise to help them make
a buying decision. However, when you overwhelm them with information or solutions
you actually make it more difficult for them to decide. You need to be careful
how much information you give people, especially in preliminary conversations
and particularly if your product is highly technical in nature. Keep your answers
brief and to the point. Avoid giving too much information, too many answers, or
too many solutions. Here is a final example;
When my wife and I purchased our house we planned to replace the carpet on the
main level. The sales person in one of the stores we visited spent close to ten
minutes talking about under-padding. But most of the information he shared with
me had little relevance to my situation. And, in several instances, I had no idea
what he was talking about. It was obvious he knew a lot about his products but
he didn't know how to present this information concisely.
So, how can you avoid this?
The best way to prevent this from happening is to ask your customer or prospect
a series of high-quality questions to determine exactly what they need and to
learn more about their individual situation. Determine what solution is most appropriate
for them. Limit your suggestions to one or two ideas; resist the temptation to
offer several alternatives. Remember that telling is not selling. Professional
selling means helping people make an educated buying decision. That means you
need to focus your attention on your customer's agenda, not on closing the sale.
© 2005 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved
About the Author:
Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses
to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. He is also the
author of "Stop, Ask & Listen - Proven Sales Techniques To Turn Browsers Into
Buyers." Receive a FREE copy of "100 Ways to Increase Your Sales" by subscribing
to his free sales and motivational newsletter available at www.kelleyrobertson.com.
Contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com |
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