Finding customers is like finding a lover
This interesting article compares finding a customer to five stages of romance. It is very similar to other articles we have at this site already, but I think looking at finding customers as being similar to finding love is very accurate and very useful - it may even allow you to have fun when marketing your products - which always helps!
This article is by Laura Lake.
Are you struggling with closing sales and turning those prospects into clients? Perhaps it is time to evaluate your courting process to see where you are losing them.
Sales is not difficult. It is simply a matter of courting the prospect until he or she is ready for you to "pop the question." You have my promise that if you court your prospect effectively you will hear more yes's than no's.
Let's take a look at the courting process. There are five phases to the courting process. These phases include:
Introduction
Mutual Attraction
Friendship
Courtship
Engagement
Introduction
The Introduction is when you meet your prospect. How did you meet your prospect? Did someone refer them?
Did you find out about them through a cold call or a network meeting? This is not an insignificant phase, so do not take it for granted. For example, if someone has referred the prospect to you, the prospect is more likely to have faith in you than if the prospect had never heard of you before. In this phase, it is time to build trust and mutual respect. In this phase, you plant the seed for the prospect to want to meet with you again because more than likely you are not the only player on the courting field.
How do you secure that second meeting? You must interject value in your conversations. You can do this by asking questions and listening. You would be surprised to find out how many sales professionals do not take time to listen to the problems of their prospects. Your goal in this phase of courting is to find the problems they are having in their business or organization for which you can provide a solution. Do not ever underestimate the power of listening.
Mutual Attraction
If you have done your job in phase one, you and the prospect will have a mutual attraction. You will be attracted to the prospect because you know that you have the solution to his or her problem. The prospect will be attracted to you because you listened and you may have a solution. When mutual attraction occurs, it means you have successfully built trust and respect into the relationship. You have a solid foundation with which to continue. Continue to build the relationship as you did in the earlier phase by listening intently to your prospect. Get to know the prospect's pain points. What will the solution you offer do for their business? What pain points will your solution address? Will it turn their bottom line from red to black? Will it allow them to stop requiring their employees to work 60 hours a week?
Friendship
You have gone through the two core phases of courting. It is now time to begin developing the friendship.
This is where both parties exchange conversation. You continue to listen, but now you are able to prepare the prospect for the solutions that you have to offer. If you have courted the prospect effectively through the first two phases, this phase will be a piece of cake. You are not approaching them with a hard sell.
Rather, you are giving them the solution to the problem. This will get the prospect's attention. Remember this isn't about you making a sell. It is about you changing the course of their business for the better, and they know this. If you achieve this successfully, the prospect will not be on the defensive. Instead, he or she will be open to what you have to offer.
Courtship
You have built much trust in the previous phases of courting. You have shared common goals and interests and you have built a number of common elements in your relationship. In this phase, it is time to begin building on those elements. Pay attention to your prospect. How is the prospect reacting to you? Is the prospect as eager to follow-up with you as you are with them? If so, you have done a great job in the preliminary phases of this courtship. If the prospect is not meeting his or her commitments, such as telephone calls or meeting times, you need to review and possibly revisit the previous phases before continuing. In this phase, your prospect should be waiting with baited breath. The prospect should be anxious to hear from you and eager to hear your suggestions when he or she asks you a question. If this is true, carry on the fifth and final phase.
Engagement
This phase is a piece of cake. You have built trust, and your prospect is eager to do business with you. You know their pain points and you can confidently answer any objection that they may have.
Because of the relationship that you have built with your prospect, you know that the prospect's objections will only provide you with insight and give you further opportunity to continue your dialog and build an even stronger commitment. In this phase you can address the prospect's needs, soothe his or her ills, and dispel any fears.
The courting process is easy. Just remember in each phase to give them time, attention and information. This will increase the number of sales that successfully close.
