This is normally the Marketing Minute, but today it’s the Sales Second. Okay … several seconds. Marketing is about warming things up for the sales. Sales is about getting them to fork over some money and sign your contract. So, I thought I’d yap a bit about hard core sales.

In the design biz, the sales process can take a while. It’s not unusual to woo a prospect for six to eight months before they sign on the dotted line and hand over some dough. Sometimes longer. Sometimes a lot longer. So, you’ll want to shoot for having several prospects in your sights and at various points along the process.

The thing is, in most cases, before a prospect becomes a client, something needs to change. Odds are, they already have a source for design services. This is a good thing. You don’t want to be the one to train them. If they already have a resource, they also probably value professional design and and are willing to pay reasonable fees for it. The idea here is to make contact and build the relationship. You want to be at top of mind when that something changes – like their current designer screws up big time or the prospect is looking for some fresh thinking.

It all starts with a first contact. Typically, that’s you getting in touch with them, but every once in a while, the prospects starts the dance. During this first contact period, you want to qualify the prospect. That usually means learning if they buy what you sell and have the money to pay for it. Moreover, you want to find out if the chemistry between you is good. There are lots and lots of very talented designers out there who can do the job. Turning a prospect into a client is often a matter of them liking you best. So, be likable, but also be genuine. That’s important. If a client gets the feeling you’re simply kissing up to them, trust begins to erode and trust is awfully important in our kind of work.

Beyond these points, you want to become a valued resource. Email them a link here and there or snail mail a printed article you believe will be helpful to them. Can you put Ms. Prospect in touch with some of your other clients whose products and/or services may be of benefit? This little tactic can many everybody happy. For example, one of my clients is a modeling agency. I also have several clients who are photographers. Yet others hire models. Bingo! Matches made in Heaven. Well, at least matches made on my phone or email.

Don’t get ahead of yourself and don’t count any chickens before they’re hatched, fully grown and laying more eggs. It’s an easy thing to do. Joe Prospect had been qualified as a peachy prospect. You’ve worked hard to build the relationship and demonstrate your value. Then the day finally rolls around and Joe calls asking for a proposal on his juicy project. You’re thinking you’ve got this one in the bag. You don’t. Just because a prospect asks for a proposal or presentation doesn’t mean they’re ready to take the big leap – conversion from prospect to client.

When I was young and stupid, I’d get to this point, do up a proposal, meet with the prospect … and then rest on my hind quarter. “Heck,” I figured, “I always nail the gig. They’ll call.” That was wishful thinking. Sure, I did nail most, but not all of them. I was a wee bit full of myself. Don’t rest on your hind quarter. Whip up a brilliant proposal, dazzle them with a stunning presentation and then close. To “close” simply means to ask for the sale. When do you know when to close? Good question. Some clues are having agreed on terms, they’ve approved a budget and/or schedule, you’ve covered the previous points and now you’re staring at each other and nobody’s saying what to do next.

Closing is what this process has been all about. If they don’t sign at the proposal/presentation meeting, don’t give up. Follow up in a timely manner. Answer all their questions. Follow up some more. If they ask for more information or have questions, answer them promptly and accurately. If you don’t know, tell them you don’t know … but you’ll find out.

At the end of the sales process day, conversion is always the big leap. But, if you’ve correctly qualified them, nurtured the relationship, demonstrated your value and asked for the sale, you’ll be light years ahead of the next designer who hasn’t.

Until the next
Marketing Minute
all the best,
nt

Since sales is probably the one business function that many designers would prefer to steer around, or completely ignore, naturally, I thought it might be good to visit it. To keep things tidy, I’m going to break things up into three posts. So, put on your favorite pair of checker slacks and that stunning plaid jacket. We’re goin’ sellin.’

In this series, I won’t be writing about following up on referrals or meeting with prospects who are already sold on your talent and abilities. That’s way too easy. Nope, I’ll be writing about finding a cold contact – someone you don’t know and who’s never heard of you – building a relationship with them and turning it into a sale.

It’s important to recognize that selling services is different than selling a tangible product. With product sales, the prospect can touch it (in most cases, anyway, unless it’s under lock and key) look it over, compares features and benefits, compares competitive prices, etc. With service sales, the “product” is largely 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 six to eight months or, often, longer … a lot 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, to be honest, some not at all.

Typically, there are three phases of the cycle: making contact, building the relationship and, finally, closing the sale. In the immortal words of Glinda, the good witch of the North, “It’s always best to start at the beginning. So, let’s start with making contact”.

Making Contact
There are several articles on BoDo’s sister site, Creative Latitude, that talk about self-promotion and marketing and plenty more on the Web – 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 tactics 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. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to woo a prospect who really isn’t a prospect. These would be those contacts who are outside of your target niche, folks who want the world for a buck and a quarter, the ones who give you the heebie jeebies, etc. Plus, it’s a good idea it 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 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.

Beyond all this … or actually, before, make certain you have a strong value proposition, differentiation factor(s) and confidence that the service you provide is of value. It’s also important to to have integrity and be genuine in your beliefs, behaviors and communications.

Next, you want to make doubly sure the prospect is a decision-maker. Try to not waste your breath and efforts on someone who will end up saying, “Sounds great! But, I’ll need to get with the higher ups. They make the decisions for this kind of stuff.”

That said, it is a good idea to have someone on the prospect side who can be your advocate. Someone who can help sell you on the inside.

Finally, do things to help move the sales cycle along before you even talk to Joe Prospect. That includes the stuff previously mentioned, such as giving talks, joining a club and getting active, volunteering your services to a worthy cause, etc. It also includes emailing white papers or reports and/or making them available on your site, publishing and e-newsletter or authoring a useful, informative blog and such.

Do these things and you’ll make the path to the dotted line a lot easier, help to position yourself as an expert and for Heaven’s sake, lose the checkered slacks and plaid jacket.

Next, we talk a wee bit about building relationships … without online dating services and all that mushy stuff.

Until the next,
Marketing Minute
all the best,
nt