Day 23: Most sales are made at this time
Published: Tue, 06/14/16
If you suddenly knew the exact time when most sales were made during prospect interactions, how would you adjust your marketing to match this discovery?
I ask you this question because of a lesson I’ve now heard several times from Ben Gay III.
A sales legend, Ben has been in professional selling for 40+ years. In fact, at just 27 he was already the president of what was then the world’s largest direct sales/network marketing company, having been personally trained by fellow sales legends J. Douglas Edwards, Dr. Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale and William Penn Patrick.
(Side note: Ben wrote the foreword for my book, Escape the Expected: The Secret Psychology of Selling to Today’s Skeptical Consumers.)
The first time I heard Ben share the following tip, it struck my mind like an unexpected slap:
Most sales are made or lost within the first 10-15 seconds (or “while you’re feet on still on the doormat”).
Think about this for a minute …
If you follow traditional sales philosophy, you might argue most sales close at the end of your “presentation” or after several contacts. But, as Ben often stresses, many prospects make buying decisions almost instantly.
Unfortunately, these findings present a problem when marketing -- at least for those entrepreneurs and executives who make the same pitches and promises as their competitors.
Problems escalate even further if your marketing doesn’t demonstrate a desire to help in a way that benefits someone other than you.
As we’ve discussed in previous emails, your marketing materials should instantly prove to prospects that you share a common goal. I believe this alignment is the most overlooked trust factor when marketing today.
So what immediate impression does your marketing make with prospects?
Talk soon,
Tom
NOTE: This is Day 23 of a 30-day marketing challenge for all my subscribers. These emails are designed to help you fix underperforming campaigns, cut marketing expenses and uncover overlooked profits in your business. Simply pick and choose a few strategies and apply them to your business. (Of course, keep me updated on your progress too.)
And if you’d like to discuss having me create a Guaranteed Marketing Profits Program for your business, please click here to get on the waitlist. You’ll be notified when an available spot opens.