Leave Them Hungry For More: Modernize Your Marketing

By Jerry W. Price

You have an opportunity to extend your brand. This means you will need to introduce your product or service as well as identify your target market. You have a short window of opportunity and want to focus on the promotional part of the marketing plan. However, with today’s diverse consumer audience, what bothers you the most is answering the question “How can you be effective?”

Where Do I Begin?

One thing has not changed - you must state in writing: “What do you do?” Write this statement knowing that it will be read by your target market.

What Works Today?

People are “wired” to feel things, so you must use sensory information. For example, use a story format. Just as in a seminar, you want to generate interest and curiosity.

What Do I Need To Do?

Most sales material is obviously sales material – it’s dull and looks like sales stuff. Surprise the prospect with a creative flair that demonstrates the product’s uniqueness. Remember the rule of seminar selling: “Let them leave hungry for more.” You want to generate interest and curiosity. Too much complex information causes prospects to experience uncertainty and make irrational decisions.

Sensory information sells. Give prospects something to respond to: offer a worksheet or a white paper you have written. Also, individuals like to see and hear their names, so personalize the information you give them.

Should I Focus On Brochures, Emails Or Drop-In?

Shift the way you present your information so that the prospect is forced to ask the question. Sales material should not pre-answer questions, but it should generate interest and curiosity.

Prospects think they know a lot, but they are over-confident about their knowledge. To overcome the “I already know,” highlight some of their knowledge first.  “I know that you already know that _____, have you heard or read that ____?”  Prospects will accept your idea because you tied it to something they already know. Humans are curious animals; they like their gaps in knowledge filled. This is known as situational interest.

Let’s Go Back To The Beginning. Where Do I Begin?

Link everything to past experience. In other words, memories are anchors.  Stories create mental pictures and refresh memories. A well-crafted example or story works to ignite questions that will open a discussion.

How Should I Use Brochures?

A consumer may be influenced by preapproach material, written information, brochures, letters, websites, emails, etc. The purpose of this material must be to attract attention. Material should be personalized as much as possible. Surprise gets attention, interest keeps attention. Avoid the analytical stuff, it destroys the client’s sensory ability to feel the solution. Always present the benefits, not the features.

How Do I Convince The Prospect I Can Deliver As Promised?

Draw on the internal credibility of those who are working on the project. Your network’s talent and connections are vital.

Jerry W. Price, BS, MS, EDS, FIC, LUTCF, is owner of Summit Schools, Fort Atkinson, Wis. Jerry may be contacted at [email protected].                      

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