A Better Way To Sell Using The Model of Coaching

As a property professional for over 20 years I was very pro Direct Marketing until I discovered how to go from 30 - 80 sales. Find out a better way to sell using the model provided by coaching.

What is one of the least trusted professions?

Well, that would be a used car salesperson. 

What is the most used purpose for answering machines and caller id? 

Most people use them to dodge telemarketing calls.

Where do all the marketing emails go? 

If the email provider does not screen them out as spam, the recipient usually does not even open them and either deletes them or files them in the junk mail folder.

What is one of the most popular add-ons? 

Ad block, which prevents advertisements from appearing when a person is surfing the web, is one of the most favorite tools for those who frequently use the Internet.

This is one of the reasons that direct marketing fails… no one likes to be sold to.

The Pitfalls of Direct Marketing

As one of the most expensive ways to reach consumers and potential clients, direct marketing is one of the least effective means to make a sale. 

Since people have no relationship with a sales representative, customers have little reason to trust the representative. Many direct sales models seek to make and close the sale on the same day. What the sales representative might perceive as gentle persuasion and information sharing, the customer will likely consider pushy and overbearing.

Most consumers will ideally like to research an item and check consumer reviews online, and then check with family and friends before going to make a purchase. 

"Why would a person trust a perfect stranger that he or she has never meet online instead of a knowledgeable salesperson on the store?"  In most cases, the stranger online has nothing to gain if someone buys the product or not; whereas, most consumers know that a salesperson is trying to make a commission on a sale.

Given that the sales representative has something to gain, it is likely the person will not view the information as trustworthy. Most people only want to see a salesperson when they need the representative to get them a product or to pay for the merchandise or service.

A single sale does not mean repeat business

You might be thinking to yourself,

"Well, since there are people who make a living in direct marketing, there has to be some secret to success?" 

Those who succeed in directing marketing are adept at making multiple single sales; however, to have long-term success in the current economic climate, a business or brand needs to build and retain a customer bases.

Direct marketing tactics tend to have a great deal of fall off because a relationship is not formed with the consumer or client, thus there is no brand loyalty.

Even if a customer is pleased with the product, he or she will remember the high-pressure tactics, or "bully sales" techniques used by the sales representative.

While the customer might purchase the product again or recommend the brand to family and friends, the sale will not likely occur at the same store or with the same representative. 

This is part of the reason it is so difficult to find the right people to work in retail, real estate, and other sales positions.

The other factor is that people have to have the perfect balance of product knowledge, the patience to build a trusting relationship, and the honest desire to want to help others.

Coaching as a Model for an Alternative to Direct Marketing

Both business and personal services coaches work diligently with their clients to build a relationship on a foundation of mutual understanding and trust.

The coach accomplishes this by being authentic, demonstrating empathy, and being straightforward with their clients.

It is not until this relationship is solid that the coach starts offering a plan for change and guiding their client through making the choices.

The coach identifies the needs and goals of their clients and then uses the client's strengths to overcome the barriers obstructing their pathway to success. The coach is accessible to encourage, affirm, and provide constructive feedback while the client is trying new ways of thinking and patterns of interaction.

While this is the process used between a coach and a client, this exercise in relationship and trust building to elicit a desired behavior can also be used as a sales model.

Given that it takes a bit more time and energy to take this approach, it is well worth it since the coaching provides a significant return on your investment of effort.  Not only will you be able to make the sale, but you will also have built a solid relationship with a customer or client.

This relationship is the foundation of client and customer retention, the basis of a referral network, and the bedrock of the development of goodwill within a community.

The Principles of Marketing

The Priciples of Marketing are known as the Seven P's. Basically these are seven essential steps for marketing success, three of these steps are directly related to coaching: Promotion, People, and Process.

People

* People: Just as a business or marketing coach spends time getting to know their clients as people, a sales representative needs to focus on the people they want to buy their service or product.

What is the person's lifestyle?

What kind of challenges does this person face on a daily basis?

How do these challenges affect them?

Only by finding out the answers to these questions can you find out how your product or service can enhance your customers or client's lives

Promotion

* Promotion: In terms of promotion, you need to consider how you are presenting yourself to your clients.

Do you come across as empathetic and authentic, or do you seemed more focused on the product you are trying to sell?

When you are more focused on the product than the person, you are likely to come across as the salesperson who everyone wants to avoid or who is perceived as a bully.

Process

* Process: The time a coach spends with a client is totally focused on their client and his or her needs.

When a sales person is with a client or customer, he or she must concentrate on the interaction with a customer.

The interaction should not seem pressured or rushed. This will allow the customer to feel relaxed and start to consider trusting the sales person.

The Best Way to Learn These New Skills Is Working With A Marketing & Sales focused Business Coach

Working with a business and sales coach will not only teach you how to use these techniques to refine your sales and marketing skills, but you will also have the experience of how these strategies can positively motivate and influence the person who is being coached.

Get your Free Introductory 60 min Online Coaching Session Here