I was recently reminded of Seth Godin’s book with the same title when I was looking at new cars the other day (the original title was: “All Marketers Are Liars”).  The salesman was very polite and talkative, which isn’t bad.  He started telling all kinds of stories, and when I asked him for further information and where I can find it, based on his story, he couldn’t give me the information.  

Seth says in his book, “When you find a story that works, live that story, make sure it is a true story, authentic, and subject to scrutiny”. 

This particular salesman had stories, but they were not authentic.  They were designed to get a sale only.  They weren’t the result of a story the company was committed to wholeheartedly and as a reason for being.

If a story can’t stand up to scrutiny, as in my experience, you lose a customer and a sale. Eventually it catches up to you. 
Seth gives an example in his book about a glass maker.

According to Georg Riedel’s message on the glass maker web site, “The delivery of a wine’s message, its bouquet and taste, depends on the form of the glass…”

Robert Parker, Jr, the king of wine reviewers, said, “The finest glasses for both technical and hedonistic purposes are those made by Riedel.  The effect of these glasses on fine wine is profound.  I cannot emphasize enough what a difference they make.”

Perhaps thousands of others are now believers.  “Millions of wine drinkers around the world have been persuaded that a $200 bottle of wine (or a cheap bottle of Two-Buck Chuck) tastes better when served in the proper Rieidel glass.”

But when the proper scientific tests were done that eliminated “any chance that the subject would know the shape of the glass, there is absolutely zero detectible difference between glasses.  A $1 glass and a $20 glass deliver exactly the same impact on the wine: none.”

The idea that the form of a glass makes a difference is the story.  They sell millions of dollars’ worth of glasses every year.  The resulting perception is that the glasses help you to enjoy your wine more than you did before drinking it in a Reidel Glass.

“Marketing apparently makes wine taste better.”  It seems that “an expensive glass and the story that goes with it, has more of an impact on the taste of wine than the oak casks it’s brewed in.  Georg Riedel makes your wine taste better by telling you a story.”

Very interesting lesson!

What story can you tell about your product or service?

But before you answer and rush off to create a story, you may want to get a copy of Seth’s book and read it.  There is much more to the story of creating a story…the most important being that it must be authentic.  But when you get this right, it is one of the most powerful things you can do for your business.

Technorati Tags: all marketers are liars, all marketers tell stories, business story, Georg Riedel, robert parker jr, Seth Godin

Convincing “Almost Customers” to do business with you.

All of us have a hoard of prospects that were initially attracted to us for some reason or another.  It could have been your ad that attracted them, a direct mail piece, or any other method you might have used to attract that prospect.

Once you have attracted a prospect to look at you, they are very close to buying from you.  I call these “Almost Customers,” because they have yet to do business with you.

Here are some ideas for converting them into buying customers.

1. In my experience there are 6 questions you must ask yourself and get answers for. Potential customers will not buy from you until all of the 6 questions are answered. Your potential customer may not think of all of these questions, but they will become your customers if you will answer these questions for them

a. Precisely what are you offering?

b. How should they get it from you?

c. Why do they need or want it?

d. How fast can they get it?

e. What if they don’t like it after they get it?

f. What do they need to do to get it?

Also, if you have a website, make sure that you answer these 6 questions and state them prominently.

Again, it’s not about features but about benefits.  Your customer is only thinking, “What’s in it for me.”  So answer these 6 questions around providing benefits.

2. Set up a system to consistently follow-up with your prospect.  In my experience, most prospects don’t buy the first time they see or hear about you.  If you have a system to follow-up, they will eventually buy from you, especially if you’ve answered the prior 6 questions.

Your follow-up can be as extensive as sending them a weekly newsletter with useful information, as I do, or as simple as contacting them occasionally with a new offer.

3. Make a memorable Impression the first time they are in contact with you.  Think of powerful reasons for prospects and customers to think of you, especially when they encounter a competitor.

Again, in my experience, most prospects who do not buy from you the first time, will come back to buy later.

4.  Send a “Thank-You” message after the sale.  It means a lot to them.  Just think about all of the Thank-You messages you received whenever you purchased something.  Perhaps like most of us, you never received a “Thank-You” message after making a purchase.  Can you just imagine how your customer will feel when you are the only one to send them a “Thank-You” message? You will indelibly leave an imprint in their mind that you are one of the few business owners that appreciate their patronage.

If you have other ideas that we can share with our readers, let me know.

Technorati Tags: Client conversion, Customer Conversion, turning prospects into clients, turning prospects into customers