According to Wikipedia, a brand is a name, sign, symbol, slogan or anything that is used to identify and distinguish a specific product, service or business. Everything about your 'brand' affects your ability to generate income with your new business. How you are perceived by your potential customers adds to your ability to secure their business. According to our own Jim Koufis, a large part of branding is to create a positive association between the brand and the product or service being offered by a business. An important part of this is your "Personal Brand", including your physical appearance.
In today's business environment, there are many codes of dress. Your personal appearance should reflect professionalism. It needs to convey the right image instantly. For example, if you are meeting someone for the first time for business purposes (this includes networking), you should dress for success. In my years as a travelling sales representative, I always wore a shirt and tie and jacket; that was the accepted business attire at the time. If you are "business to business" company, you may still wear more formal clothing occasionally. If you are a tradesperson, you will probably have a dozen or so t-shirts with your company name and logo to wear on the job and you will have a half dozen freshly laundered 'golf shirts' with your company name to wear when you are visiting a prospective client to do a quote.
Your personal appearance says much about you. When you are clean and well groomed, others will likely conclude that you have self-respect and they will be more inclined to listen to you. Your being appropriately dressed will reflect well on your company and the work you do.
What principles come in play relative to our personal appearance? Especially when we are going to a visit a client, our body, our breath and our clothing should be clean so that others do not find us offensive. For men, a neat personal appearance may include being clean shaven. Of course, we do not all dress alike. We are not expected to. People have different tastes and this is quite proper. But business principles should always be applied. What image are you projecting? Not only should our personal appearance be clean and well arranged but our equipment and tools should also be clean and neat. All of our sales and marketing materials, including business cards, brochures, presentation portfolio, etc. should be neat and well arranged.
Everything we do adds to, or detracts from, our image. And in today's competitive business environment, we have to make sure our image holds up to scrutiny. What's YOUR personal brand? How are you perceived by potential customers?
In summary, what do you need to do? Be neat and clean in your clothing. Hair should be neatly combed. Why is it important? Your personal appearance will influence how others view your business and the work you do. Simply stated, proper personal appearance will help you sell more!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
What Do I Do That Is Unique?
In most industries, there are a lot of choices for consumers of products and services. So, what do you offer that sets you apart from other businesses chasing the same dollars? What solid reasons can you give for prospects to make the choice to use your company? What do you do that is extraordinary, that no one else does, or does in your distinctive way? What do you do to enhance the customer experience? Or, as you might have heard Carl refer to it, what is your "USP" (unique selling proposition)? How do you communicate your unique offering to your potential clients?
For example, Donald Cooper, currently a well known business speaker, sometimes refers to some of the things he used to do as a women's clothing retailer. In the change rooms, they installed four hooks, instead of the usual two or three. They had an idea for the husbands and boyfriends to relax and read or watch television. When I had my paint store, we always had a play area for the kids, so that mom and/or dad could concentrate on putting together their decorating scheme. Imagine the impact on the customers! Seemingly simple things can make a hugh difference in establishing great customer relations and encouraging repeat business.
How do you determine what YOUR unique offering is? Whatever your business, how do you make the customer experience special? Constantly think, not about what you do, but about what your product or service actually does for the customer and how it is an improvement on ways clients currently obtain similar services. To borrow from Ivan Misner's line of reasoning, you don't buy awnings...you buy shade...you don't buy a lamp...you buy illumination...you don't buy eyeglasses...you buy vision. Get the idea? Once you establish that, then constantly strive to NOT be a "met too". Again, to draw on my own experience as an independent retailer, I relentlessly strove to stock high quality products that the "big box" stores did not have. I learned how to sell quality, not price. We endeavoured to be knowledgeable about the differences and talk about these distinctions in our advertising and during our sales presentations. We would always carry the product out to the car for the customer. Oh, how, I enjoyed doing that on cold winter days! Although these examples are from retail, what can YOU do that is unique?
When you a complete a job, where appropriate, say thank you in some special way, perhaps with a gift basket or something similar. If you are a contractor, for example, what little extras could you do that don't cost you much money or time, but would really make the customer happy (and lead to more business)? I remember years ago when we had a cedar deck built. The contractor did far more than nail together a bunch of lumber. I remember watching him take a few minutes to do things like slightly round the edges of the railings. It was like watching a cabinet maker. It didn't take him very long but we sure appreciated it! We ended up using him for a major kitchen renewal, completely renovating the attic and lots more.
"Break the rules, not the law!" Think outside the box.
In summary, take the time to figure out what you do different or special. Then keep talking about it.
For example, Donald Cooper, currently a well known business speaker, sometimes refers to some of the things he used to do as a women's clothing retailer. In the change rooms, they installed four hooks, instead of the usual two or three. They had an idea for the husbands and boyfriends to relax and read or watch television. When I had my paint store, we always had a play area for the kids, so that mom and/or dad could concentrate on putting together their decorating scheme. Imagine the impact on the customers! Seemingly simple things can make a hugh difference in establishing great customer relations and encouraging repeat business.
How do you determine what YOUR unique offering is? Whatever your business, how do you make the customer experience special? Constantly think, not about what you do, but about what your product or service actually does for the customer and how it is an improvement on ways clients currently obtain similar services. To borrow from Ivan Misner's line of reasoning, you don't buy awnings...you buy shade...you don't buy a lamp...you buy illumination...you don't buy eyeglasses...you buy vision. Get the idea? Once you establish that, then constantly strive to NOT be a "met too". Again, to draw on my own experience as an independent retailer, I relentlessly strove to stock high quality products that the "big box" stores did not have. I learned how to sell quality, not price. We endeavoured to be knowledgeable about the differences and talk about these distinctions in our advertising and during our sales presentations. We would always carry the product out to the car for the customer. Oh, how, I enjoyed doing that on cold winter days! Although these examples are from retail, what can YOU do that is unique?
When you a complete a job, where appropriate, say thank you in some special way, perhaps with a gift basket or something similar. If you are a contractor, for example, what little extras could you do that don't cost you much money or time, but would really make the customer happy (and lead to more business)? I remember years ago when we had a cedar deck built. The contractor did far more than nail together a bunch of lumber. I remember watching him take a few minutes to do things like slightly round the edges of the railings. It was like watching a cabinet maker. It didn't take him very long but we sure appreciated it! We ended up using him for a major kitchen renewal, completely renovating the attic and lots more.
"Break the rules, not the law!" Think outside the box.
In summary, take the time to figure out what you do different or special. Then keep talking about it.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The Importance of Follow Up
You put a lot of oomph into your marketing efforts. It requires a concerted effort to say and do the right things when you have meetings with prospects. You work hard to provide customers with great value for their money. Then, what is your plan for follow up?
There are several times when follow up is important, such as after the initial call, when you receive a referral, after a trade show, after a networking event, after a phone call, after a sale or when a client is dissatisfied.
However, we often don't follow up become we don't want to appear pushy, we forget, or we might think that the customer or prospect will contact us. Also, often we don't have any plan or system for doing so.
For example, at a trade show or networking event, or at the conclusion of an initial meeting, ask if they would like more information, and ask when they would like the information. Rather than appearing "pushy", this can set the stage for your being cast in a "consultative" role. This kind of credibility will produce more sales opportunities. Also, leave a "cliff hanger" - some question left unanswered, or detail that requires further research on your part. Concentrate on how you can solve their problems.
In order for this to be effective, you will need to keep accurate records. You don't have to be a computer expert, but have some kind of simple system to keep track of who you spoke to, when, what was discussed, when to follow up and what would be valuable to talk about. Then, before your next meeting, where appropriate, you can email a reminder and an agenda. Perhaps a day or two before your follow-up call, email the prospect to remind him of your appointment. In the subject line, enter something like "appointment for June 17th". The subject line acts as a reminder but is vague enough that the prospect will probably open it. In the body of the email, provide a very brief reminder of the point you plan to discuss.
To renew interest when you call, introduce yourself with your full name, and give your company name. Differentiate yourself. Remind the client why you are calling and what prompted the follow up call in the first place. Go back to your initial call and remind the person of "pain" and "gain" discussed. Repeat the theme established in the first call and follow up email. Say something like "I am calling to see if you met with your partner and discussed fixing the problem in your business that you have been talking with me about." Of course, put into your own words and modify to restate the problem which you uncovered in the previous discussion.
DON'T say "I was calling to follow up on the proposal" or "I am calling to see if you had any questions" or "I just wanted to make sure you got my email" or "The reason for my follow up was to see if you had come to a decision" or "I'm just touching base...keeping in touch". Always make sure your approach is focused on how you can serve the client, how you can make their life easier.
In summary, you can easily differentiate yourself from your competitors by making the effort to follow up with your prospects and customers. Don't take it for granted that they will call you. Be proactive and contact them.
There are several times when follow up is important, such as after the initial call, when you receive a referral, after a trade show, after a networking event, after a phone call, after a sale or when a client is dissatisfied.
However, we often don't follow up become we don't want to appear pushy, we forget, or we might think that the customer or prospect will contact us. Also, often we don't have any plan or system for doing so.
For example, at a trade show or networking event, or at the conclusion of an initial meeting, ask if they would like more information, and ask when they would like the information. Rather than appearing "pushy", this can set the stage for your being cast in a "consultative" role. This kind of credibility will produce more sales opportunities. Also, leave a "cliff hanger" - some question left unanswered, or detail that requires further research on your part. Concentrate on how you can solve their problems.
In order for this to be effective, you will need to keep accurate records. You don't have to be a computer expert, but have some kind of simple system to keep track of who you spoke to, when, what was discussed, when to follow up and what would be valuable to talk about. Then, before your next meeting, where appropriate, you can email a reminder and an agenda. Perhaps a day or two before your follow-up call, email the prospect to remind him of your appointment. In the subject line, enter something like "appointment for June 17th". The subject line acts as a reminder but is vague enough that the prospect will probably open it. In the body of the email, provide a very brief reminder of the point you plan to discuss.
To renew interest when you call, introduce yourself with your full name, and give your company name. Differentiate yourself. Remind the client why you are calling and what prompted the follow up call in the first place. Go back to your initial call and remind the person of "pain" and "gain" discussed. Repeat the theme established in the first call and follow up email. Say something like "I am calling to see if you met with your partner and discussed fixing the problem in your business that you have been talking with me about." Of course, put into your own words and modify to restate the problem which you uncovered in the previous discussion.
DON'T say "I was calling to follow up on the proposal" or "I am calling to see if you had any questions" or "I just wanted to make sure you got my email" or "The reason for my follow up was to see if you had come to a decision" or "I'm just touching base...keeping in touch". Always make sure your approach is focused on how you can serve the client, how you can make their life easier.
In summary, you can easily differentiate yourself from your competitors by making the effort to follow up with your prospects and customers. Don't take it for granted that they will call you. Be proactive and contact them.
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