By Tom Trush
Last Friday morning I gave a short seminar to a local business group about how to "sell" to today's skeptical consumers.
After my presentation, several people came up to me with marketing questions specific to their situations. One attendee's question, in particular, is especially worth sharing because it ties into a common mistake when marketing to prospects.
The guy provides consulting services to companies wanting to "improve overall business performance." He recently hung out his entrepreneurial shingle after retiring from a well-known global corporation.
Now he's on the hunt for clients.
His current marketing strategy involves targeting companies he wants to work with and then sending e-mails to contacts he finds online. The company he asked me about is one of the largest retail chains in the United States. And, unfortunately, he's frustrated because he can't get his message in front of the right decision-maker.
His disappointment is understandable ... and avoidable.
You can't market effectively if you rely on interrupting as many people as possible with a message they never asked for.
The guy is essentially hoping to generate business by convincing people that they need his services. Worse yet, he going about the process by pitching his services as an unknown source.
Sure, sometimes you should share your marketing message with people who haven't asked for it (especially if they already demonstrated desire for a product/service similar to yours). But asking for business as a way to introduce yourself is not an effective approach.
I encouraged the business owner to begin developing marketing materials that educate prospects about problems that hinder performance. That way he proves his position as an industry authority, instead of looking like just another person pitching services.
Furthermore, since he just started his business, I suggested first testing his message with smaller companies.
If the people you target don't realize they have the problem your product/service solves, trying to convince them to take action on your offer will almost always lead to frustration.
The convincing game is expensive and wastes your efforts. You're better off attracting prospects by sharing educational messages that develop relationships over time.
After all, your marketing must develop relationships before it can drive profits.
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© Trey Ryder
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