Archive for the ‘Selling’ Category

Good Examples of a Sales Pitch

Good Sales Pitch Examples

Good Sales Pitch ExamplesCreating a good sales pitch requires a number of key elements. You have to understand your audience, your competitors and of course your own business.
 
Although these components to a great sales pitch seem obvious they are often overlooked or undervalued.

Learn How To Create a Sales Pitch

Our staff at AMR Media has over 20 years of global sales and marketing experience. We have worked with many sales professionals in a wide range of industries. Our experience includes working in the field testing our system for creating a winning sales pitch.
 
You will be able to download a copy of our Sales Pitch Examples book and learn to build your own effective sales pitch.
 
 

Will Google’s Panda Update Drive Your Sales Down?

Google released the Panda update earlier this year in an effort to improve SERP’s or the quality of your search.  On the surface this update makes complete sense and in the long run should help to improve the overall quality of search results.

Will Your Sales Decrease From Panda?

Many small businesses have utilized SEO strategies that were often seen as acceptable.  These strategies often include ‘spreading the love’ of your business to many websites in an attempt to gain inbound traffic.  This simple strategy worked and was used from small business all the way up to large corporation.
 
With the Panda update from Google your past efforts may be in jeopardy.  If these ‘referring’ sites are seen by Google as link ‘farms’ the online marketing you paid for could be washed down the drain.  If that happens to your off-site link building sites then your online sales will be impacted.

How To Recover From The Panda Update

Finding a good online marketer is critical.  They must understand thoroughly how the Panda update works and how this will impact your prior online marketing efforts.  Understanding your will be the start to building a new marketing strategy to meet your online sales goals.  Ignoring this update will certainly spell disaster.
 
I’d like to hear from you if you think your online sales will be negatively impacted by the Panda update.  Leave a message below with your concerns and questions.
 

Best Sales Pitch: How to create a winning script

Building your sales pitch is almost as important to your business as the service you provide.  Being able to create a winning presentation in a sales meeting or networking event is a critical step in building trust and understanding.  Your prospect will listen and watch you as you’re providing your unique selling proposition.

How do you create a winning sales script?

The keys to success in creating a winning sales pitch are what we will be covering in our next book.  We will cover step by step simple yet effective ways to create an elevator pitch that will draw in your best prospects.  You will learn to win during the selling cycle and attract new customers that will not only buy what you are selling but become repeat customers and advocates for you.

Sales Pitch Presentation

How you present yourself during the sales pitch is almost as important as the wording itself.  You must look the part of who you are selling and if you look out of place, wither better or worse, you will send visual clues to your prospect.  These clues aren’t the ones you want.  They will pick up on the disconnect between how you present yourself and what you are saying. 

Sales Pitch Templates

Not every example is transferrable to every business.  Having an “elevator sales pitch” example is only a reference to what you must create yourself.  This process isn’t difficult but does require you to work through some standard steps to develop your own template.

Examples of effective Sales Pitch: Simple strategies for sales pitches

How to create a winning sales pitch?  

Using a simple method to create an effective sales pitch can often lead to a focused sales strategy.  The simple steps below walk you through the key ingredients on creating a winning sales pitch.  There are many examples of sales pitches but having one you created is often the best and only way to go. 

Step 1 – Get Their Attention

This is the first step in any sales process. As great as 80% of sales success is a direct result of a good opening statement or headline. This is your first impression. It’s critical. And it should be crafted with the utmost care. Whether you are face-to-face with a prospect, communicating through direct mail, on the radio, or even in the yellow pages, what you say here determines whether your prospect is going to listen eagerly or shut the door in your face. A key benefit helps.  Here is an example of a simple sales pitch that gets attention.

"We’ve just received our largest shipment of iPods ever. Check them out before you leave!"

Sales & Pitch Letters for Busy People: Time-Saving, Money-Making, Ready-to-Use Letters for Any Prospects

Sales and marketing is a fast-paced environment, and there is never enough time to write good letters–letters that will communicate, convince, and close. Sales & Pitch Letters for Busy People will help salespeople at every level save time and avoid having to produce sales and pitch letters from scratch.

Sales & Pitch Letters for Busy People is a handy, quick-reference guide that not only tells you how to write virtually any kind of sales pitch letter, but includes a wide range of samples that you can easily and quickly adapt and use right now.

This book includes concise, easy-to-use writing tips and resources that get attention–and results! Packed with solid writing advice and useful techniques, it also includes a CD-ROM that contains templates not only for all of the sample letters included in the text, but even more. This guide will cut the time you spend on writing sales, marketing, and pitch letters in half–and will help you get the results you want and need. Don’t worry about finding the "right" word or phrase, or even the "right" format of your sales correspondence–the work has been done for you.

Some example letters presented are:
* Sales letters offering special discounts
* Pitch letters introducing a new product or service
* Letters that request referrals
* Referral marketing campaigns
* Pitch letters to the media
* Cold call sales letters
* Marketing campaigns for service businesses
* E-mail pitch and sales letters
* Letters for selling more to existing customers

The letters can be copied, modified, and customized to fit your 

List Price: $ 19.99
Price: $ 0.99

 

Sales & Pitch Letters for Busy People: Time-Saving, Money-Making, Ready-to-Use Letters for Any Prospects Reviews

Buy Sales & Pitch Letters for Busy People: Time-Saving, Money-Making, Ready-to-Use Letters for Any Prospects now for only $ 0.99!

Step 2 – Identify The Problem – Clearly

Listen closely and you will hear what your customer needs. Too many people skip this step altogether in their eagerness to close the deal. But you can’t possibly offer a solution until you have identified and clarified the problem. And you cannot move ahead in the sales process until and unless the prospect has agreed that the problem is real and that they are ready to do something about it. Before you offer help, give the prospect the floor.  Here is an example of identifying a customers problem during your sales pitch process.

"I just can’t seem to find iPod accessories that fit my budget."

Step 3 – Build Interest and excitement

The next step is to generate increasing interest from the prospect. This must be done by quickly establishing a relationship. People don’t do business with people they don’t trust. Demonstrate that you have a solution to the problem or need. Show the prospect how they might benefit by allowing you to go into further detail.  This is an example of how to grab their interest and confirm their need while you develop your sales pitch.

"I understand that finding accessories has been difficult. We may have just the solution you are looking for."

You have captured their interest. Now they want you to elaborate.

Step 4 – Give A Testimony – Let them see what others have said

In this stage, you introduce some more benefits for the prospect by showing how others like them have received benefits from your product or service.  Here is a sample you may use when you write a sales pitch.

"An interior designer came in with the same problem just last week. We helped them find affordable iPods accessories within our floor stock."

Step 5 – Validate Their Objections – Make them feel good throughout the sales cycle

At this point the prospect’s interest has been established and you have given some proof that you may indeed be able to solve their problem or need. But you must still validate their underlying concerns about you and your company. Will you deliver what you promise and stand behind your product or service? This is where you discover their fears and concerns (objections) and answer them. Demonstrate your recognition that their feelings are real and valid. Show that you are willing to earn their trust. They need to know that you and your company value them and won’t leave them stranded if they have a problem. Here is how you can gain trust during the sales pitch cycle.

"Here are some photos of several custom iPods accessories we have done. All within budget, and within a reasonable amount of time. We’ve been doing this kind of high quality work for over thirty years now."

Step 6 – Create Desire – When you write your sales pitch

In this step, help the prospect come to a decision about your offer. Revisit their desire for the product or service and help them reach a favorable conclusion. Show them options and how to place the order. Hook them in with an effective sales pitch and land the order.

"To create the perfect match, we’ll modify the ear buds to match your needs. If you have a sample, we can make the match now."

Step 7 – Move Them To Action – Land the order with the right sales pitch

This step is simple yet often overlooked. It is the single greatest reason for lost sales. You must ask the prospect to take action now. You can’t sit back and hope they will just decide to accept your offer. You must be proactive by asking for the order. Give them an incentive to act now. There are many tools to move people to immediate action. It may be a special price, a free add-on or any number of incentives.  Here is how to ask for the order with the right sales approach.

"All you need to do is sign here and we’ll get started on it right away. And since you are a first-time customer, I’d like to give you a 15% discount if you buy today."

Step 8 – Be Sure To Follow Up

This is one of the most important steps in successful salesmanship. Stay in touch with your prospect or customer. Provide outstanding after-sales service. Demonstrate that your concern for them is just as real after the sale as it was before. Telephone or send a note that says,

"How did the ear buds work? Are you pleased? Thank you again for your business."

Even if you didn’t make a sale, recognize that situations are constantly changing. The cardinal rule of the street says that it takes four calls before the average sale is made. Most people quit at three. So by staying in touch, you will discover new needs, and be there at the right time and place to close the sale.

Website Design Ajax: How small businesses in Ajax, Ontario can reach the global market.

Ajax Ontario is a small community between Canada’s largest city, Toronto, and Oshawa headquarters for GM (General Motors) of Canada.  This community typically has feed these two markets and has done very well for itself.  The Town of Ajax has an eclectic collection of business and industry.  Local expertise can succeed in the global market and do so very well.

How can local business in Ajax, Ontario reach global markets?

Many countries around the world look toward Canada and the USA for high quality advanced products and services.  Canada has an advantage in that it is seen more broadly as a friendly country with a highly skilled labour force.  Local businesses must take advantage of this and their own skills to move in to new markets.  Having a well thought out marketing plan that accounts for targeting growth markets (relative to your products) is fundamental to realizing true growth.

AMR Media has helped businesses facing tough hurdles in the Ontario manufacturing sector.  Businesses that have primarily focused on the USA market have had to react quickly and with focus to keep their doors open.

To do this a well thought-out marketing strategy and execution was needed.  As an example AMR Media in conjunction with online services such as Industrial Machinery News (http://www.industrial-machinery-news.com) built a program to attack specific markets with specific products.  This focused approach took advantage of SEM techniques, flexible website design and strong knowledge of international business to business (B2B) sales.  The net outcome was a 300% growth in inbound lead generation and more importantly almost 100% of these leads were pre-qualified.

Today’s business climate demands that we think more strategically and more globally.  Having people that have the knowledge and practical experience of being located in these markets is crucial to the success of your company.  AMR Media has this knowledge and has travelled the world over selling and marketing Canadian products to a global customer base.

Contact us today to find out how we can help your business grow.

6 Tips for Small Business Success

 

Thank You 

Always, always thank them.  Thank them for meeting you, talking with you and especially for giving you an order.  They do have a choice and make sure they know they made the right one. Do it the old fashioned way: take pen to paper and write them a note.

Walk The Walk 

be consistent in every thing you do.  Call it branding or call it common sense.  Make sure your business has a consistent look and feel. A customer must get the same flavor from everyone within your organization. Always.

Smile

The first 3 seconds are critical.  If you’re smiling you set the tone for a positive meeting.  Customers are people and people are who buy.  Don’t assume your quality, features or products will sell for you.  You’re the sales person and you sell the company.

Be Positive 

Your attitude is seen every where.  From your voice on the phone to your email messages your attitude comes through loud and clear.  If you’re having a bad day then take a break find something to cheer you up and don’t make those calls!

Soft Sell

Don’t try or use pressure sales, they rarely work.  Sell soft. Solve problems and satisfy wants.  Keep your customers first and do what’s best for them.

Think Outside The Box 

Branch out and don’t get caught in thinking “this is the way we’ve always done it’.  If you do and your business is tanking guess what will happen.  Your business will SINK! If you’re hitting hard times ALWAYS re-evaluate your strengths and make sure your head is out of the sand.
 

4 Tips for Small Business Success

Target

Know what you’re good at and do it better then anyone else.  Don’t get lured in to being a ‘jack of all trades’ because if you do you will soon become ‘master of none’.  Small businesses can only do so much.  Keep your focus and target those who will buy from you

Be Unique

If everyone else is doing think twice about doing it.  If you do you become a ‘me too’ company and fall in a pile of others.  Stand out from the crowd and make a difference and be noticed.

Build a Team

Don’t hire an employee to fill a position. Employ a person to be part of a team to build your business.

Respond Fast

Be first to get to back to them.  Be first to call them.  Be first as often as you can.  Time is the most precious commodity. When delivery is expected Friday, show up Thursday afternoon. Return calls and emails now.


4 Small Business Marketing Tips

 

Try Unusual Marketing Tricks

The saying what’s old is new again works well in marketing.  Often companies follow trends in marketing and by doing so become a ‘me too’ company.  Look back at some old methods to draw customers in.  Try using a postcard that recycles one of your current ad’s.  Push them to your website and follow them through the process by asking them to enter in a special offer code.  This will help track your ROI in your marketing strategy.

 

Get The Point

Too many advertisements pack every single thing in to them.  You’ve seen them, wordy, cluttered, ‘noisy’ just plain ugly.  After you create an ad re-write it 3 times and reduce copy, graphics by 5% each time and increase white space the same.  You will end up with a clearer message that is easy to ready.

 

Partner With Other Small Businesses

Almost every business service or product is bought in conjunction with another product or service. Find what your customers are purchasing when they purchase from you.  If you join forces with another company both of you will benefit.  Increase your exposure, reduce your sales overhead and ultimately increase sales.

 

Get Your Customers Selling For You

Your customers already trust you and value your service and will do more for you then you realize.  All you have to do is ask.  Ask your customers for testimonials, referrals and where they think you should look.  Customers have an interesting insight to your business that is often overlooked.  They will more often point you in direction you never even thought of.  This is your blue ocean of sales.

3 Small Business Marketing Tips

 Advertise To Sell

Don’t get caught up trying to be like the big guys.  Your business can’t afford to advertise like your larger competitor.  Create ad’s that sell, TODAY!  You can learn from them even ‘borrow’ ideas from them but don’t think you can play in there field.  A simple tip is to always include an offer in your ad.  Make it easy for your customer to respond to it and knock on your door.

 

Offer What They Will Buy

You may have a great product or service that is at the top of the pile.  Just remember there are customers to be had at the bottom or close by.  Don’t exclude these prospects with over selling or over pricing your product.  Have an option that you can sell for less, make a profit and attract new clients.

 

Capitalize On Premium Products

Just like some people won’t buy the top of the line others will.  Make sure you clearly differentiate your premium service or products.  Selling up will impact your margins greater then trying to land more orders.  Package for value and clearly show your prospects why you are the one to buy from.

 

Try Unusual Marketing Tricks

The saying what’s old is new again works well in marketing.  Often companies follow trends in marketing and by doing so become a ‘me too’ company.  Look back at some old methods to draw customers in.  Try using a postcard that recycles one of your current ad’s.  Push them to your website and follow them through the process by asking them to enter in a special offer code.  This will help track your ROI in your marketing strategy.

 

Get The Point

Too many advertisements pack every single thing in to them.  You’ve seen them, wordy, cluttered, ‘noisy’ just plain ugly.  After you create an ad re-write it 3 times and reduce copy, graphics by 5% each time and increase white space the same.  You will end up with a clearer message that is easy to ready.

 

Partner With Other Small Businesses

Almost every business service or product is bought in conjunction with another product or service.  Find what your customers are purchasing when they purchase from you.  If you join forces with another company both of you will benefit.  Increase your exposure, reduce your sales overhead and ultimately increase sales.

 

Get Your Customers Selling For You

Your customers already trust you and value your service and will do more for you then you realize.  All you have to do is ask.  Ask your customers for testimonials, referrals and where they think you should look.  Customers have an interesting insight to your business that is often overlooked.  They will more often point you in direction you never even thought of.  This is your blue ocean of sales.

Is business to business sales based on fear?

 

For many years now I’ve tried to understand the logic or process to how businesses buy stuff, particularly capital equipment.  I’ve read and heard many people talk about a wide range of reasons B2B customers purchase from them.  If you were to get 5 sales people in a room and ask them they would all have different reasons.  Here are some of the more common reasons I’ve heard.
 

Relationship Sales: They buy from me.

 
Now I have to laugh at this one.  Come on lets think about it here.  You’re so special to this ‘customer’ that they will buy from you because of you?  Or even be persuaded by you?  Ok I’ll give in to the persuasion but I can’t help but laugh at the part that the sales person is the key.  If this were the case then every ‘good’ sales person would win every order and price would never be an issue.  Now that never happens.  
 
Agreed you do have to have a relationship with your prospect in order to sell them your products or services.  But it is far from the most important trick in a salesman’s bag.  What about from the supplier’s point of view.  We are a large industrial capital equipment manufacturer and our customers purchase from us because of the relationship our customers have with our sales team.  WHAT!  How can any business survive on such an outrageous belief.  
 

Customers buy because we are the best in the industry.

 
Ok we all want to and feel we are the best.  Get over it, you’re not.  Every major industry has at least 3 top companies, each of which offers something very close to the same product.  The differences are generally so minimal that the customer sees you as all the same.  This is why every company making a capital purchase mandates having 3 quotes.  Being the best is extremely difficult to quantify.  Take the automotive industry.  Here you would think it would be easy to determine who the best was.  Find a car that goes the furthest on the least amount of fuel and delivers reliable comfortable driving.  Yea like I thought, you don’t even know where to start.  So being the best isn’t the critical key to success in selling capital equipment or for that matter anything else.
 

We offer the most features.

 
Somewhat like being the best features and benefits are often a cloud that customers walk through.  Capital equipment sales are synonymous with complex sophisticated technology.  Many manufacturers dream up cool catchy terminology to help differentiate themselves from the competitors.  This then becomes a tool to setup an advantage for buyers to purchase form you.  I remember when Chrysler was in the middle of the mini van war.  They advertised that they had the most cup holders then any other manufacturer.  Now hold on, do we really need or could even use 27 cup holders?  No we wouldn’t and that became such a useless reason to buy.  So features and benefits are not the primary thing buyers use to decide what to buy.
 

We’re the lowest price.

 
Starbucks coffee comes to mind when I hear that.  They are far from the lowest priced coffee in the marketplace.  I don’t have much to say on price other then it is usually a scapegoat for either the customer or the sales person. Sales people will use it when they have lost an order and can’t find a way to rationalize the loss.  Customers will use it when they what to get rid of you. They see no value in what you are selling and as such force you to see that.  So price is as well not the biggest driver to purchase.
 

So what is the main reason people buy capital equipment?

 
FEAR
 
Fear is the underlining reason all purchases are made in a business to business sale.  Ok stop screaming at me, it is.  I challenge you to list any other reason that isn’t connected to a fear.  So lets go through the top reason why people buy.
 

Relationship

The fear is that the buyer doesn’t want to make the mistake of purchasing the wrong thing.  This fear will drive a person to seek out someone who he can trust.  This trust is what is thought of as a relationship. 

Being the best

Again the buyer sees his neck on the line when they are making a purchase.  The culture within this company may be such that they need the best in order to be successful.  It’s this fear that drives them to seek out ‘the best’ based on their perspective.

Features

Some people are very fearful that they won’t get ALL the bells and whistles in a product.  This is why Chrysler made a product with 27 cup holders.

Price

This is fairly obvious.  The buyer is fearful that they will be ripped off and pay more then they need to for your type of product. 

 
 

3 Important Tips In Capital Equipment Sales

  1. Find the customers ‘hot button’ 
  2. Associate a fear with the ‘hot button’ and describe how you solve this fear.
  3. Don’t over do the ‘fear’ association. Plant the seed and let it grow.