Relationships matter in marketing and sales…

Marketing people today also work hard to create relationships. That’s what this whole social networking for business trend is about. We want people to get acquainted with us and with our product or service. And we want to build their trust, so that when they’re ready to buy, we’ll be their obvious choice.

That said, there is still a group of marketers who look at sales as a “one time shot.”

Take the vacuum cleaner salesman who came to my house, for instance.

I had put my name on a guessing-game at a fair booth, so I expected to hear from someone. Several months later, I did. I politely told them that I was happy with my old vacuum cleaner and wasn’t in the market for a new one.

The lady who called begged me to let her come out. She said it didn’t matter if I bought from her – that she’d get paid just for making the presentation. “Please, oh please let me come and see you.”

Being a bit soft-headed, I agreed.

But the lady didn’t come. She sent a young man in her place. When he arrived I repeated what I had told the lady and he said that was fine, he’d just show me the vacuum cleaner and get paid for doing so.

OK fine. That is, until he got to the part where he expected me to whip out my checkbook.

But I didn’t want a vacuum cleaner…

I told him it was a very nice vacuum cleaner and when I was ready to buy I would probably consider it. That’s when he got huffy! He practically threw the parts and pieces back into the box, scowling the entire time.

Being a marketer, and feeling uncomfortable with the tense silence that filled the room, I started talking to him about marketing – asking him about his methods of follow-up.

I was envisioning mail or e-mail follow-up. Something to keep his name and the product name in front of potential customers until they were ready to buy. He could have mailed every 2 or 3 months with a friendly greeting, and could have let people know when they had special pricing. He could have asked me for the names of friends who might be interested.

He could have done anything better than what he did.

He said he did not follow up with anyone. He angrily informed me that if you don’t buy when he does the demonstration, you aren’t going to buy – ever. He wouldn’t waste his time contacting me or anyone else a second time.

I could hardly believe that any sales person in this day and age would have that attitude, but there it was. And he was downright rude about it. The anger directed at me filled the air. I was very relieved when he walked out the door.

So, now I’m seriously thinking about buying one of those vacuum cleaners. But I sure wouldn’t want him to have the sale, and I don’t know his name. I guess the only way to be sure of avoiding him would be to come across as a sexist and tell the company that I’ll only buy from a woman.

Of course, given his attitude, he probably doesn’t work there any more.

In my experience, not many.

Why? Do they think it’s too difficult? It isn’t.

In yesterday’s post I talked about the vacuum cleaner company offering the prize of an unknown number of dollars to the visitor who could guess the number.

Maybe that prize is too high priced for your product… but it doesn’t have to be money you offer.

If you don’t have an inexpensive product to offer as a raffle prize, you could offer a coupon for a free pie at the local bakery, or even a carton of soda pop. People like to enter to win – especially if it’s free.

But then, what do you do with the leads?

First, get someone on the phone to qualify them within the next week. Some folks will have left their name just for the raffle and are NOT interested in your product or service.

Thank them for their time, then ask their permission to put their email address in your database for future promotions, just in case they’re interested later. Then put them on a “slow” list to hear from you only every month or every quarter. You don’t want them to decide to unsubscribe because you’re pestering them.

Then concentrate your time on those who are interested in what you offer.

Talk to them – make appointments to meet in person – ask permission to send them promotions for new products. In short… actually follow up!

And, if you visit them and see that they’re interested, but not quite ready to buy, don’t just brush them off. Be polite and stay in touch.

I was so disgusted with the vacuum cleaner salesman I talked about yesterday that I would do whatever it takes NOT to buy from him. Since he didn’t leave a card with his name, my only option when I decide to buy will be to say I will ONLY purchase from a woman.

So… if you really annoy a potential customer, you may not just be killing your own prospects – you might be damaging your entire gender!

Well, let me tell you about the vacuum cleaner salesman.

A couple of years ago we went to the fair and were just wandering around when a girl in a booth called out to me. She said she was lonesome over there, to come and talk to her.

So, I did. And she had a bowl full of dollar bills and a contest – win the dollars if you came closest to guessing how many were there.

I entered my guess – and my contact information – and about 3 months later I got a call.

I told the girl I wasn’t interested in a new vacuum cleaner but she begged and told me that she’d get paid just for coming to my house. OK then – come on, but I’m NOT in the market for a new vacuum cleaner.

To shorten a long story. The man who showed up in her place got very angry because I didn’t buy.

I asked him what kind of follow up he did with people who didn’t buy when he was at the house and he said none. “If people don’t buy when I’m here, they won’t buy at all. Follow up is a waste of time.”

Well, I did like that vacuum cleaner – and might think about buying one when the day comes that my current vacuum cleaner dies. But you can BET I won’t buy it from him!

He was SO rude.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about a better way to follow up on the leads you gather at the fair… or later, at holiday bazaars.

Why then, don’t all sales people follow up with clients? Why don’t they put it in their schedules and make sure it gets done regularly?

Real estate agents who have good training always keep their past client’s contact information and follow-up with them in order to get referrals and future business.

Why don’t all sales people do the same?

In the past ten years I think I’ve heard of only one. My neighbor gets a birthday card each year from a car salesman from whom he purchased a truck a few years ago.

I’ll give that car salesman points for doing that much, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder why they don’t all do it. I also wonder why the dealerships themselves don’t sponsor some kind of event for past clients each year when the new models come in.

Every person on earth likes to feel special, and automatically has a friendly feeling toward anyone who gives them that feeling. Thus, inviting a past client to an exclusive event would be a way to strengthen any relationship that was built while purchasing the last vehicle. Of course it would also be a way to entice that past buyer into becoming a present buyer. Most people do buy several vehicles over a lifetime.

But real estate and car sales people aren’t the only ones who could benefit from follow up.

Think of furniture sales – don’t most people buy more than one couch, or chair, or coffee table during their lives? And don’t they buy additional pieces? The store might put a past client on a list to receive flyers in the mail, but so far I’ve never heard of a sales person writing a note that says “Dear Mrs. Jones, We’ve just gotten in some beautiful end tables in a pattern that would compliment the coffee table you bought last year. If you’re interested, I’ve been given permission to offer you 20% on your choice.”

And what if, instead of a sales pitch, customers who bought significant items were sent a newsletter every couple of months? It could show the new styles, the new colors for the coming season, and maybe include some decorating tips.

Even a person who sells party-plan merchandise could probably add revenue by sending a personal note now and then – along with a flyer showing the newest products.

Right now I can’t think of any sales person that wouldn’t increase his or her business by staying in touch with past customers.

Can you?

The reason this came to mind today was because I was vacuuming. I remembered the vacuum cleaner salesman who came to the house last year and left angry because I didn’t purchase. I had told him ahead of time that I was not in the market for a new vacuum cleaner right then, but he pleaded with me to allow him to show it – saying that he’d be paid for coming out.

While he was slamming the parts back into the box before he left I asked him about his marketing and whether he had a system for following up with people who didn’t buy on the first visit.

He told me no. He said that it was a waste of time.

I guess it was, for him. His attitude was such that I would never buy from him – even now, when I’m seriously thinking about a new vacuum cleaner.

It is absolutely true that your marketing materials have to send the right message – they have to touch some emotion in the reader (or viewer) to cause them to stop, think about your message, and take action.

But for many businesses it doesn’t end there. You aren’t asking your customers to just “click here to order.” You’re trying to draw them in to use your services, you need to explain your product in person, or you want to sell them products on an ongoing basis. After all,if you’re selling your real estate services, want them to patronize your health spa, or are merchandising steel buildings, your marketing materials are designed only to bring you leads.

And if you get a dozen great leads in a day and then let them go cold because you didn’t respond to their inquiries – they’ll be gone by tomorrow.

Then, if you get a customer but fail to give the service they expect, they won’t ever come back.

So, while your website, your ads, your letters, and the rest will bring customers to you if they’re written correctly, what happens later accounts for at least 50% of your success.

I’m constantly amazed at the companies who don’t bother to answer customer inquiries. And of course, when I’m the customer I’m not only amazed, but annoyed!

Why do people do that? It costs money to get a lead, so ignoring them is a lot like taking handfuls of bills out on a windy day and letting them fly.

Speaking of bills, I ran across a really strange situation lately. Someone sent me a very persuasive direct marketing piece. I think I already told you about it. It was so persuasive that I decided to Google it, and found out that it was a scam. But… in the envelope with the marketing letter was a “Million Dollar Bill.”

That caught my imagination – I thought of all kinds of ways to use that for advertising, and even to enclose with a “Thanks a million” note to people who have done me a good turn. It’s just a fun thing to have. On the bill was the web address of the person who supplied the bills, so I went there.

Hmmm… no prices. No way to order. But there was an email address, so I wrote, asking for pricing and ordering instructions. That was at least 2 weeks ago and I’ve not had a reply. Now how goofy is it to go to the trouble to set up a website for your business and then ignore someone who writes wanting to know the price and how to order?

Since then I’ve found several other websites that sell the million dollar bills, and I’ll order from one of them. But again – goofy. This person made me aware of the product, but someone else will get the sale.

I’ll bet if you keep your eyes open you’ll find more examples like this. So… write and tell us about them!