In today's online business climate, there are those who say that one-on-one contacting is dead and a no touch approach for lead generating is the new rage. Rather than excluding the old method of phone calling and face to face contacting, I believe that a balance of the two prove to be the best answer. There is no denying that internet lead generating via SEO programs, auto mailings and the usual buying of leads are quite effective. In fact, it is feasible to think that one could operate a business without ever cold calling at all. I believe that we will see the "warm body" concept soon return at least in part. A cunning blend of the two will keep the entrepreneur on his or her toes and the business rocking.
To be honest, I never have cared for cold calling. That is a sure way to get a hard boot right in the ego. As such, it thrills me to see the new methods of contacting potential clients emerge. However, there is still something about that personal touch that computer contacts don't manage to accomplish. That alone leaves the potential customer/client alienated with the feeling that they've been communication with a cold and indifferent machine instead of a personal friend...not good.
One of the answers to that sterile process is personal branding. In other words, when you join a internet marketing company, they often will give you one of their very nice websites with all the bells and whistles which includes a back office. There is where all the information is gathered and accessed by you to assist in business.educationeasy.net lead generation and a myriad of other things. All that is amazing but it usually lacks one thing...YOU. Sure, your name is there but that personal touch and care cannot be replaced by all the slick presentations in the world. This is not to say that those things don't have their place. Your potential customer needs to see a professional presentation. That in many ways substantiates the fact that what they are looking at is indeed a legitimate business. Just remember that if your voice and face are not a part of that ultimate equation, the chances of success are reduced exponentially.
Clearly today people still prefer to have that close encounter with another person when they are deciding to buy a product or start a new business. If they feel all alone then all the gimmicks and modernized websites in the world won't fix that. Only another person can give them the feeling of acceptance and support. That's why so many are now abandoning the idea of using only the corporate website but instead are coupling that with an introductory personalized website of their own. A personal greeting video or instructional video of some kind inserted in that site are keys to getting people to recognize your honesty, sincerity and authenticity. These are three elements that must exist if you are to win the heart of your potential business associate. This also gives them an emotional connection to the actual concept or product that you are asserting. Without this, it is simply glitz and glam with no substance.
Avoiding personal branding is a sure way to leave the customer feeling that in some way that he or she is being talked down to. I know that sounds odd at first but if you think about it, people are more cynical and litigious than we have ever seen. Assuming that they will respond merely to some sterile commercial appeal alone is like assuming that they can't or won't think for themselves. I call it the "If I only had a brain" syndrome. Marketers often buy into that idea. These marketers wrongly assume that all they have to do is to tell the sheeple (sheep + people) what to do and they will do it.
That might have been the case at one time when we were more innocent but it appears that those days are gone. The public is more educated than ever before and sadly, they have been exposed to some harsh world conditions that sometimes make us all a bit more cynical. As such, we must approach the public with a genuine respect if we are to gain their confidence. It cannot be phony or they will sense that in a New York minute. The days of naivete are over. When it is assumed that the customer is not the sharpest tack on the board, it becomes condescending and they know it. The world of marketing is adjusting to this but the turn of the ship is slow. Get ahead of the game by considering the strategies that I have listed for you.
Below are some tools and methods that will enhance any business and help them to regain that personal touch that the public not only deserves but is demanding.
1. Add a personalized website to your array of marketing strategies. Include greeting or instructional videos to make your appeal. There are occasions when a professional spokesperson is ideal for a presentation but not here. Self branding is not new, we just forgot it for a while. Any insurance agency knows that if your customers call you by your first name, you are accepted into their circle of trust. Internet marketing is no different.
2. Try to develop a local base. Even though we all want the world to come to our door, we offer a certain security to the potential client if there are others in the "team" that actually know us and talk to us face to face. Yes, think globally but start at home.
3. Keep encouraging your neighborhood to join you in your endeavors. Put posters up in restaurants, truck stops, hotels, laundromats, work break rooms, hospitals, colleges and on and on. It's good to have your poster with web address tear off sheets at the bottom. That way, people can tear and go. I like to put my personal website address there so they can quietly go there without obligation. They feel safe that way without fear of being "hawked".
4. Consider local radio advertising if your budget can afford it. Newspapers and trade papers can also be good options.
5. Handing out fliers to passers by can also be effective. Be sure to check your local ordinances for that.
6. Don't forget to email your friends and let them know what you are doing. If you are insecure about doing that, consider what made you decide to start your business in the first place. If it is all that good, wouldn't you want to at least share it with the people you love? While it's true that most people want to wait to see if you make it, they are nevertheless watching. That's a clue that they are indeed interested but they are afraid to fail.
7. Your success alone is the most compelling advertising that you can do. While the other mechanical aspects are necessary and we have to develop a report with our customers or potential associates, nothing is so compelling and magnetic as success. This seems to be a catch 22 but keep in mind that the start up is always the hardest part. After that, you are IN business! It is a natural fact that people like to deal with those who are successful. People with a failure mentality only compel like minded individuals. I call them "Whinos". Sadly, they just cuddle up to the bottle of despair and drink more. That's another subject but many of these can be rescued with a change of thinking.
8. Follow up any leads with a genuine desire to satisfy the need of the contact. One on one is best but phone calls work fine. If you have trouble with the phone, just pick it up, dial the number and be calm. Put a "smile" in your voice and ask the potential customer if he or she has any questions. Let it organically go from there. Remember, sales are made from people that like you. Therefore relationship building is key. Oh, did I mention that if you are not genuinely fascinated by people then this might not be the business for you to be in?
Be encouraged as you progress. Take one problem at a time and fix it. Move to the next one and keep your campaign real. All the modernized tools are spectacular and should be used to make a powerful presentation. Adding the warmth of personal branding and you're bound for a long lasting experience in the world of marketing. We should always remember that the potential customer still has warm blood in their veins and they want someone that feels that their needs are real too. If you do this, people will be drawn to you if for no other reason, so many other marketers really don't get this. Ah, but those that do...their future is as bright as the sun!
I am an entrepreneur of many years. My favorite online business of all is Pyxism. It is a deeply discounted online travel company. It has the best elements built in to its design that I have ever seen. The pay is great and we get to travel. It's a blast! Thanks so much for reading my articles and watching my videos!
I am an entrepreneur of many years. My favorite online business of all is Pyxism. It is a deeply discounted online travel company. It has the best elements built in to its design that I have ever seen. The pay is great and we get to travel. It's a blast! Thanks so much for reading my articles and watching my videos!
Devon Blanton, Associate Member
pyxismiscool.com pyxismiscool.com
YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=kiHLGZf4G8g youtube.com/watch?v=kiHLGZf4G8g
YouTube channel: devon4travel
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