Neil Tortorella is a veteran graphic designer with
over 25 years' experience in developing identities,
collateral and web solutions for both large and small
companies. Based in Northeast Ohio, Tortorella Design
has received numerous awards for design excellence.
More on Sales: The Cycle of
the Sale
by Neil Tortorella
Back in June, I talked a bit about
sales. Since this is probably the one business function that
most of us would prefer to steer around, or completely ignore,
I thought it might be good to revisit it. So, put on your favorite
pair of checker slacks and that stunning plaid jacket —
we're goin' sellin.'
In this article, we're not talking about following up on referrals
or meeting with prospects who are already sold on your talent
and abilities. We're talking about making a cold contact —
someone you don't know and who's never heard of you — building
a relationship and turning it into a sale.
Selling services are different that selling a tangible product.
With product sales, the prospect looks it over, compares features
and benefits, compares competitive prices, etc. With service
sales, the "product" is intangible during the sales cycle. That's
one reason why the sales cycle (going from first contact to
signing on the dotted line) can be 6 - 8 months or, often, longer.
To keep yourself afloat, you'll need to have several irons in
the fire at various points in the cycle. Some will close sooner,
some later and some not at all.
Typically, there are three phases of the cycle: making contact;
building the relationship and, finally, closing the sale. Let's
take a look at each.
Making Contact
There's several articles on Creative Latitude that talk about
self-promotion and marketing — all the fun ways to get
the word out. None the less, it's always good to have a reminder.
Here are some of the typical methods:
Networking events such as ad clubs, chambers of commerce,
trade shows, clubs & organizations.
Direct Mail such as postcards, sales letters, printed
samples, brochures, 3-dimensional pieces
Cold/warm phone calls
Speaking engagements such as seminars and/or lectures
or talks to business groups
Press releases
Writing articles
Online prospecting
Working on charitable events and programs
Award competitions
Skywriting above your prospect's place of business (Okay
... that's a wee bit extreme).
Asking for referrals from business contacts, friends and
family
The idea during this phase is to actively be working several
methods to get your name around, known and remembered. You
want
to meet people. But, not just anybody. Ideally, you want to
meet and qualify folks who need what you provide and have
the dough
to pay for it. Plus, it's a good idea if they offer the potential
for repeat business.
Find those techniques that fit your style and personality.
Shoot for at least three to five activities each day. Maybe
you make
a few phone calls, attend a chamber breakfast, shoot off an
intro letter with a few printed samples one day. Then, on
the
next, you give a talk at the local Rotary Club, attend a board
meeting at a nonprofit and crank out some emails to current
clients and friends reminding them that you're always on the
lookout for referrals.
If you're diligent, you'll meet several new people who just
might become clients. But, to do that, you'll need to build
a relationship with them.
Building the Relationship
Building a business relationship is like building a personal
one, so don't sweat it. Unless you're a total hermit, you've
already got the experience you need. Just like with a significant
other, you need to show up. What I mean is to be available.
Listen. Learn and remember what's important to them and help
out where you can. Timing is the trick. You don't want to come
off like a stalker or pain in the hind quarter.
Here are some methods:
Take notes during your conversations.
Find out their spouse's and kids' names. Who's their boss?
What are the challenges they face in their job and industry?
Who are their key competitors? What kind of hobbies do
they enjoy? Look around their office if you've gotten
that far.
What's on the walls? Any nick-nacks and perhaps a paddy-whack?
Pop all this info into your handy contact manager (you
have one, right?) and set it up to alert you on important
days.
Be sure to ask how their family members are doing
Send out cards for birthdays, special achievements, etc.
Send a handwritten thank-you note when appropriate
Take them to lunch, dinner or a special event
Forward articles of interest, special deals you may hear
about, special events (Like that club meeting where you'll
be speaking. What a coincidence!)
If they've mentioned a problem or challenge they're having,
and you know the answer, for goodness sake, tell them.
The point is to become a resource and someone who is looking
out for them. It's very important that this be true. That's
one reason why it's good to find prospects you like as people.
Hopefully, you'll be spending a lot of time with them working
on that big project. But first, you've got to close the sale.
Closing the Sale
The day finally comes. Mr. Marketing Manager gives you a call
and asks you to submit a proposal for Da Big Project. You set
up a meeting to go over the specs, at which time Mr. Manager
clues you in that you'll be competing against three other groups.
You're still not as "in like Flint" as you may have thought.
You've still got one big hurdle to jump. You also learn you'll
be presenting to a couple of VPs and the CEO, along with your
buddy, Mr. Manager.
After the meeting, you get to work and begin to craft your perfect
proposal [link] and plan your presentation. You review the
company again, its products, its competitor and audience. You
go through the project goals and draft some delicious prose
showing how you're going to meet them with your brilliant work.
Judgment Day comes and you make your pitch, showing what needs
to be done and why you're the right solution for the project.
You ask for the sale. You're in good shape from all you learned
during the relationship building process. You have an edge
over
the other groups who were called in cold. Your presentation
is dead on-target. They give you a standing ovation, sign
on
the dotted line and write you a deposit check on the spot.
The planets align and rainbows appear in the sky. You've closed
the deal — all because you're the one who took the time
to make the best use of the sales cycle.
