The old school sales trainers have always told us that we need to build ‘rapport’ with our prospects. Have you ever heard the sayings…
“They need to like you!”
…or…
“People buy from people they like.”
But, this is focusing on exactly the wrong aspect of a relationship. It’s not about them liking you. Instead we need to focus on building a connection with prospects. This means creating a relationship built on trust and respect. Not ‘like.’
Once you have both of those you are now in the category of trusted advisor.
In this video I’m going to show you 4 Easy Steps to Immediately Connect with ANY Prospect in Sales. Check it out.
So there you have it. Now you know 4 easy steps to connect to with ANY prospect in sales. I want to hear from you. Have you ever used this approach before? If so, what was the result? Be sure to share below in the comments section. Ill respond to every comment I possibly can.
Four Ways to Immediately Connect with Your Prospects
I like throwing a provocative question to connect with prospects. It makes them get actively involved in the selling-buying process.
Making it all about them is what we do as copywriters/marketers. I remember when I was doing my first copywriting course; my coach stressed the need to use ‘YOU’ in my sales copy.
‘Don’t tell me how good you make it. Tell me how good it makes me feel when I use it.’ (Leo Burnett)
Why should we talk about prospects’ challenges?
As copywriters/marketers, we dig into prospects’ challenges. We could use these challenges to agitate them to take quick action. We could use them to create hot buttons to arouse emotions necessary for making buying decision.
What about enthusiasm?
Enthusiasm could be played down. We should not indicate to the prospect that we want to desperately make money out of them. People want to buy but they don’t want to be sold to.
‘Approach each customer with the idea of helping him or her solve a problem — not of selling a product or service.’( Brian Tracy)
Unless we are trying to re-invent the wheel, the four principles referred to are very much in use.
Liking and buying
There was a comment about Gurus being wrong in saying that people can buy from you if they like you.
Every grain of truth is embedded in that saying. But gurus don’t stop there. What they say is that ‘people buy from those they know, like and trust.’
There is no short cut for the sun to rise and set immediately. It has to go the full 24 hours day — every day. Connecting and getting the intended action can hardly be done immediately.
Here is proof from some studies.
‘All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business, to those people they know, like and trust.’(Borg Burg)
‘In 2007, it took an average of 3.68 cold call attempts to reach a prospect. Today it takes 8 attempts.’ (TeleNet and Ovation, Sales Group)
‘Trust is gained 7-8 times of contact with a prospect.’(The Internet Marketing Centre.)
‘First time visitors convert at 2% most of the time.’ (Internet Marketing Center.)
Now let us look at the four principles vs content marketing. Which one connects faster and why?
Mere asking provocative questions and the other principles can’t connect faster.
Why?
There is no sound reason to do so. You might force them to say something. But that might not make them take your most wanted response. Remember people buy on emotion not logic. Provocative questions connect to the world of reasoning. But in the first place people don’t require reasoning to buy.
Content marketing still remains the best method of connecting with the prospects. The reason is that people go on line to look for information to solve their problems. Content marketing provides that information — free of charge.
The law of reciprocity compels consumers of that content to take the marketer’s wanted positive action.
If they find FREE information that helps to melt down their challenges, what can stop them from downloading it? If they do, they have first to opt-in for a newsletter subscription. This enables a marketer to get repeat customers and customers to enjoy free business tips.
Thank you for sharing. Great content.
Spectacular sales tips.