By Bob Meyer

No matter how you sell—by a captive sales force, by a telemarketing unit, by a distribution network of some type, through a retail store, via the Internet, or by a combination of methods—you need to have your sales force selling on a continuing basis. In today’s competitive world it’s necessary for survival.

Your sales team will find it easier to close sales if you are more visible in your market. Continuity both in the marketplace and in sales effort tie together.

Here’s a quick look at the seven reasons why you must develop a visibility and a continuity in the marketplace:

1) Your audience forgets 90% of what they see and hear within two weeks.

Why is this so? In the U.S., we are exposed to more than 2,700 advertising, public relations, sales promotion and marketing messages every day. Of them, we “see” only 80. And we really recall and take action on just 12.

There is a strong need to repeat your message…because of competition in the marketplace.

2) Your market changes constantly.

The marketplace is not stagnant. Because we move, because of better communication and transportation, because we get bored, because we want new challenges, because we want to dive into new opportunities—the market changes.

And when your market changes, you have to chase it—which means you need to repeat your message.

3) Test new ideas on a continuous basis…and re-test old ideas.
Since your marketplace is like an octopus—never staying in one place for long—you need to find out how to reach it best. And you need to do it in an ongoing fashion. Also, resurrect old ideas that worked when you used them before. Try them again.

4) Communicate with your customers on a regular basis.

There is no reason for you to think that your audience remembers what your offer is. Or why they should respond to it.

You must promote your offer on a regular basis. Use multimedia. Use a combination of e-mail, web, mail, print, telephone, broadcast, trade shows, “take-ones,” and other marketing tools to let your market know what your offer is.

5) Ask for the order.

A study done by Sales and Marketing Executives International indicated that 81% of all sales are made on the fifth call, or later, in the sales process.

What this says is that you need to ask for the order over and over again. You need to repeat your offer, repeat the benefits, repeat the request for action…and ask your prospects and customers to give you some additional business.

6) You need visibility in the marketplace.

You are more likely to be remembered when it’s time to buy, if you are seen frequently.

7) You need continuity of sales efforts.

No matter how you sell you need to have your sales force working on a continual basis. In a highly competitive environment it is necessary for survival.

Building your customer base is an on-going process. And using the services of members in your trade exchange should be, too.

Many of your mailing and advertising needs can be covered through barter: production of sales literature and catalog sheets, printing, mailing-list maintenance, as well as the mailing services.

When you cover these expenses through the exchange you’re writing checks against your inventory, not your bank balance!

This entry was posted on Monday, January 29th, 2007 at 3:25 am and is filed under Entrepreneurs & Small Business, Marketing, Purchasing & Financing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.