| One of the biggest myths as it relates to | | | | you want to try to find out what it was that |
| business comes from one of my favorite movies | | | | kept your prospect from becoming a customer. |
| of all time, 'Field of Dreams'. In the movie, | | | | Some of these reasons may include price, |
| Ray Kinsella, is inspired by a mysterious | | | | skepticism, they no longer have a need, or |
| voice telling him to follow his dreams. The | | | | they weren't fully educated about the |
| voice says, 'If you build it, they will | | | | benefits your solution offered.Once you're |
| come'. True to Hollywood storytelling, Ray | | | | able to determine WHY they chose not to |
| does build 'it' and 'they' do indeed | | | | purchase and if you've seen a pattern with |
| come.Unfortunately, it doesn't work the same | | | | other customers, you should then work to |
| in business. Many business owners have the | | | | improve your Step 3 in order to better |
| false idea that if they have the very best | | | | educate them as to why you offer the ONLY |
| product or service, they are guaranteed | | | | possible solution to their problem.Step 5. |
| instant success. In essence, 'if [they] build | | | | Deliver Exceptional Customer ServiceI don't |
| 'it', 'they' will come.An incredible, 'knock | | | | know if you've noticed this or not, but the |
| your socks off' product or service does not | | | | meaning of the phrase 'Customer Service' has |
| guarantee success.If you're like most small | | | | changed considerably over the years. No |
| business owners, you've doing everything you | | | | longer do you see 'Full Service' gas |
| know how to do, but you're still not | | | | stations. Receptionists have been replaced by |
| attracting enough new customers. You've | | | | automated phone systems. Airlines no longer |
| tweaked your website. You've increased the | | | | offer complimentary meals on flights. This |
| size of your yellow pages ad. You've even | | | | decline gives you a significant opportunity |
| sent out direct mail pieces designed to | | | | to stand out from the crowd and create |
| generate some quick holiday business, but | | | | immediate loyalty by going above and beyond |
| none of it seems to be working.What most | | | | expectations.'Thank You' notes, gift baskets, |
| small business owners fail to realize is that | | | | courtesy calls, or special discounts are a |
| there is a very specific process for creating | | | | few examples of ways to provide service that |
| demand for your 'it' so that in turn 'they' | | | | goes 'above and beyond.'Step 6. Encourage |
| will come. Just as they miraculously did for | | | | Your Customers to 'Spread the Word'While Step |
| Ray Kinsella. This process is called the | | | | 3 might be the most overlooked step in the |
| Sales and Marketing Cycle.By understanding | | | | cycle, this step is undoubtedly the most |
| each step in the Sales and Marketing Cycle, | | | | powerful step if done properly. If your |
| you will have the knowledge necessary to | | | | customer has had a positive experience with |
| create a marketing 'system' that will allow | | | | your solution, it is possible to enlist this |
| you to build your very own 'Field of | | | | customer into your very own unpaid sales |
| Dreams'.Step 1. Create a Marketing PlanThis | | | | force.There are many ways to create this army |
| step is undoubtedly the most important step | | | | of marketers for you and here are two that I |
| in the cycle. You must clearly define where | | | | use quite frequently. The first is to simply |
| you want to go and how you plan to get there. | | | | ASK for referrals. If you don't ask, they may |
| As Steven Covey says, 'begin with the end in | | | | never know that you expect them to spread the |
| mind.'To create a clear vision of what you | | | | word.The second way is to ask for and use |
| want to accomplish, you must define your | | | | testimonials. A short, but concise |
| target market, determine your Unique Selling | | | | testimonial from a satisfied customer is a |
| Proposition (USP), write out your goals, and | | | | very powerful tool for removing skepticism in |
| finally establish a marketing budget. Without | | | | other prospects considering your |
| each of these ingredients clearly defined, | | | | solution.Step 7. Repeat Steps 3-6 with Your |
| your vision will be murky and you won't know | | | | Existing Customer BaseAfter going through the |
| when it's time to make course | | | | effort and expense of identifying, educating, |
| corrections.Step 2. Get the Attention of Your | | | | and ultimately selling to your customer, does |
| Target MarketIf you've done your homework in | | | | that mean the relationship must end? |
| Step 1, you're well on your way to capturing | | | | Absolutely not! A sad but true fact is that |
| your prospects attention because you already | | | | the asset most often overlooked by businesses |
| know who your ideal customers are and what | | | | today is their existing customer base.Once |
| problems they're trying to solve. Now it's | | | | you have a customer that has purchased |
| just a matter of finding the proper medium to | | | | products or services from you, simply begin |
| convey these benefits to your target | | | | steps 3-6 again with bigger and better |
| prospects.If you're an offline business, a | | | | products. Marketing to your existing customer |
| sequence of mailings to a targested list, | | | | base is the cheapest marketing you can do and |
| lead generation advertising, television or | | | | it has the potential for delivering the |
| radio spots, joint ventures, and even leaving | | | | greatest returns.What do you do if you don't |
| flyers on car windows are ways to let your | | | | have additional products or services to offer |
| target prospects know that you have the | | | | your existing customers? In two words, FIND |
| answer they seek. For online businesses there | | | | SOME. Create an information product. Assemble |
| is 'Pay Per Click' advertising such as Google | | | | smaller, related products into a 'package |
| AdWords, ezine advertising, joint ventures, | | | | deal'. Become an affiliate or licensee of |
| or writing and submitting articles to online | | | | someone else's product or service. Whatever |
| publishers.One key to keep in mind, no matter | | | | it takes, you MUST find more opportunities to |
| the medium selected to convey your message, | | | | sell more 'stuff' on a more frequent basis to |
| you always want to stress the BENEFITS. Sell | | | | your existing customers.Understand These 7 |
| the sizzle, not the steak.Step 3. Educate | | | | Steps and You Will Be Able to 'Go The |
| Your Prospect about Your Product or | | | | Distance'As a small business owner, it's |
| ServiceThis step is more often than not the | | | | imperative that you understand this 7 step |
| most OVERLOOKED step in the cycle. This step | | | | Sales and Marketing Cycle and how it relates |
| is where you begin to actually convert your | | | | to growing your business. Once you do, you |
| prospects into paying customers.Each day | | | | will no longer wonder why even though you've |
| consumers are bombarded with hundreds, if not | | | | built 'it', 'they' aren't coming. You will |
| thousands of advertisements and offers for | | | | instead know the exact steps needed to not |
| competing products and services. Often times | | | | only fulfill the first prompting Ray Kinsella |
| the consumer is unsure of how to | | | | received, but you will also have the |
| differentiate between competing solutions. By | | | | knowledge and understanding needed to fulfill |
| educating your customer about the benefits | | | | the next prompting the mysterious voice |
| offered by your solution, you set yourself | | | | whispered to Ray: 'Go the Distance.'Chestin |
| apart from your competition and it will go a | | | | Salisbury is President of Lawn Care Marketing |
| long way towards gaining their trust and | | | | Magic, a direct response marketing |
| ultimately their business.Some of the ways | | | | consultancy located in Charlotte, NC that |
| that you can educate your prospects include | | | | focuses on the lawncare and landscaping |
| free reports via recorded messages, snail | | | | industry. He has been helping small |
| mail, or delivered via email spread out over | | | | businesses grow for 5+ years by creating |
| several days. Tele-seminars are also popular | | | | marketing systems that use time-tested direct |
| these days and are an excellent way to | | | | response marketing principles. Lawn Care |
| educate your prospects about the benefits of | | | | Marketing Magic has access to 100+ years of |
| using your product or service.Step 4. The | | | | experience and is capable of creating a |
| Sales Transaction OccursIf you've been able | | | | marketing plan that grows YOUR business. |
| to successfully educate your prospect and | | | | Chestin is also the chief-editor of 'The Lawn |
| have shown how your solution can fill their | | | | Care Marketing Magic Minute', a weekly |
| 'need', a sales transaction should be the | | | | e-newsletter that focuses on helping your |
| likely result. Keep in mind however, that | | | | grow your business. |
| this is not always the case. When possible, | | | | |