The worlds of sales and marketing have changed. In fact they have collided and connected – thank goodness. So, today, let’s revisit the classics to supercharge our strategies. Old rules still have a place in the new realities of engagement as we endeavor to attract, reach and convert the masses.
We stumbled upon “The 10 Laws of Sales Success” by Len Foley, a sales management trainer and co-author of the book, Your Successful Sales Career, in a July 2005 post on Entrepreneur.com (visit this link to read the full article). Whatever your business type and focus, whether or not you go for the low-hanging fruit or reach for the stars, integrating one or more of these timeless tactics may be the shot in the arm your strategy needs.
#1: Keep your mouth shut and your ears open.
#2: Sell with questions, not answers.
#3: Pretend you’re on a first date with your prospect.
#4: Speak to your prospect just as you speak to your family or friends.
#5: Pay close attention to what your prospect isn’t saying.
#6: If you’re asked a question, answer it briefly and then move on.
#7: Only after you’ve correctly assessed the needs of your prospect do you mention anything about what you’re offering.
#8: Refrain from delivering a three-hour product seminar.
#9: Ask the prospect if there are any barriers to them taking the next logical step.
#10: Invite your prospect to take some kind of action.
And since we’re getting a little nostalgic, in this clip from the AMC television series Mad Men, lead character Don Draper takes the family-friend approach to another level, which demonstrates another classic trait that will transcend through the ages: emotion.
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