by IMC | Dec 6, 2012 | Blog, Tactics
Experienced successful salespeople frequently reassure those just starting out in selling of this: “No” frequently leads to “yes.” This may seem to make no sense.
After all, a no is a no. That no means that the couple didn’t buy the car, the man injured in a car accident didn’t sign up with that particular lawyer, and the 12-year-old decided not to spend summer at Camp X.
However, for those open to analysis of what they might have done differently and willing and able to change, the no provides important information. Many whose living depends on selling or promoting know this. That’s why they ask the prospects who didn’t buy from them the reason why. Usually the prospects are touched by the seller’s humility and eagerness to learn and they will candidly explain why they made the decision they did.
Even without the prospects’ input, ambitious salespeople have plenty to reflect on. They might ask themselves:
- Are we in the right market segment?
- Was there a powerful enough incentive?
- Did we not spend enough time assessing the buyer’s needs?
- Is our service/product no longer perceived as top-of-the-line?
- What about our price point? Should we be willing to match competitive pricing?
- Should we have found ways to keep the prospect on the phone longer?
Salespeople and promoters who are aggressive about mining a no for all the information they can are on their way to receiving the yes on a regular basis.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to a complimentary consultation about your marketing, partnerships, public relations, special events, and social media kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Dec 4, 2012 | Blog, Branding, Credibility, Tactics
The curtain will be going up on 2013.
There’s optimism in the air. Retail sales, especially online, are strong. The housing sector is picking up. And the aftermath of Sandy will be generating plenty of work. Therefore, you are asking Image Marketing Consultants how you can capture this momentum for 2013?
We have been warning you about not rushing to introduce too much “new and improved” too quickly. WordPress learned from Facebook’s stumbles to move slowly and carefully in providing users with change. Too much change can overwhelm customers.
But, of course, too little change can send the wrong signals. Among them are:
- The organization doesn’t care and isn’t digging around for what customers want.
- The organization is set in its ways, feeling entitled to the business it has.
- The organization is out of touch with shifting realities.
A useful exercise is monitoring the competition. How much change have they put in play and how does that seem to be working out? If it’s retail, you can observe the traffic. If it’s professional services, you can follow the trade media about new accounts and analyze the tone of its communications. Does the organization sound desperate?
That context provides you insight about what you might change and what to put on hold, for now. Change always represents risk. But not changing, of course, is equally risky.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to a complimentary consultation for marketing, partnerships, public relations, special events, and social media kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Nov 29, 2012 | Blog, Digital Communications, Tactics
A new year, at least the calender one, is coming. Also, your business may be planning to shift from a recessionary strategy to a growth one. So, the team is brainstorming about what your priorities should be and how to accomplish them. At the top of the list could be your digital communications.
Many businesses ask us at Image Marketing Consultants if they should go with a standard template for their website or custom-make their own. For example, WordPress now provides those kinds of templates for the wedding and, more recently, the restaurant verticals. Here Toni Schneider, Chief Executive Officer of Automattic, parent of WordPress, talks to TechCrunch about the entrance into the restaurant niche.
The advantages of going with a template include that businesses don’t have to start from scratch in setting up or re-doing their website. They can devote their resources to focusing on the specifics for each category, such as capturing what’s unique about the ambiance or the menu. The disadvantage is the the competition might pull away current customers and prospects by having a very non-standard website. The media might cover it. Overnight that restaurant could become hot.
We at Image Marketing Consultants have found that there are no easy or absolute right or wrong answers about digital communications. That’s why we invite you to a complimentary consultation to discuss your unique situation with Kate Sirignano, Managing Partner of Image Marketing Consultants. You can reach Kate at kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868 for your questions about social media, marketing, public relations, special events, and partnerships.
by IMC | Nov 25, 2012 | Blog, Credibility, Marketing Mix
The beauty of posing those connecting questions to prospects is that we marketers send the clear message: We are here to listen to you. Those questions which trigger that immediate connection can be asked in person, on the home page of your website, in the subject head of an email blast or blog post, or as part of a tweet.
Here are some examples of connecting questions which have converted browsers to buyers:
Do you want your family to be happier?
Can your child be doing better in school?
Would owning a house make you feel secure, finally?
How long has it been since you had a sit-down meal in a restaurant?
Why are you afraid to ask a decorating question?
Do you need to stop overspending on the holidays?
After the connecting question, there are many ways of listening. One is simply to provide the “white space” of a pause. After that, you can offer brief snippets of information, a complimentary consultation, a no-pressure demonstration, or a free sample.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, asks you: Could you be selling more? Could you be raising more funds for your cause? Could you be spending less on marketing? Please contact her for a free consultation kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Nov 19, 2012 | Blog, Marketing Mix, Tactics
Even Shakespeare’s tragedies had humor or what has been called “comic relief.” Being able to laugh, including during crisis, seems to be a basic human need. However, in contemporary marketing the jury is out on whether humor is appropriate for a brand, especially when times are hard.
Most recently, that issue has come up in regard to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s appearance on the late night comedy show “SNL.” He made fun of himself, including his blue fleece top. That sure did get headlines in the media. But not all were positive. For instance, in FrontPageMag.com, Daniel Greenfield argued that Christie showed poor judgment taking on such a light-hearted role when thousands in his state are still without power and many had lost their homes to Sandy.
When deciding whether to incorporate humor in your marketing campaign, it is necessary to weigh the risks and rewards.
Risks:
Humor is a subjective entity. Not everyone agrees that something is funny.
Timing is everything. A humorous television commercial which was made about insurance before Sandy might seem in bad taste after the storm.
America’s Puritan background still prevails. Those settling the New World believed in all work and no play. That attitude has not gone away.
Rewards:
Humor provides entertainment. Some contend that entertainment is a must in all messaging. (However, that entertainment does not have to take the form of humor).
What people laugh at becomes memorable.
People tend to bond with what distracts them from their cares. GEICO’s funny creatures helped turn an unknown insurance company into a brandname.
When it comes to most tactics used in marketing, there are no absolute right or wrong answers. Each decision must take into account what segments are being pitched to, their values including their collective memory bank, and the most recent events which are shaping or reshaping their consciousness.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to a complimentary consultation on marketing, partnerships, public relations, special events, and social media kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
Experienced successful salespeople frequently reassure those just starting out in selling of this: “No” frequently leads to “yes.” This may seem to make no sense.
