We’ve all done it, and were all guilty of it. Chances are…you think have a great product that prospects can actually benefit from that really is the best choice available for whatever you are selling. (In this case, most of you are selling the dream kitchen).
So the next logical question is – how do I tell the world about this so they can benefit from my great product or service? Most people’s first reaction is to just go ahead and send out a little direct mailer or put your ad in a local newsletter with an offer.
The problem with this approach is it doesn’t work. Why?
For starters, you are pushing unsolicited information down your prospects throats. No one likes that. If that isn’t reason enough for you – how about the fact that you are now no different than every single one of your competitors that are doing the exact same thing. Not exactly what you had in mind to distinguish yourself as different, eh?
The problem with all of this can be summarized in one word, “Push.” Anytime you are pushing something out to your prospects, it just isn’t that effective. Sure you’ll get a lead or two, but what I’m about to share with you will eventually net you hundreds of leads.
And it’s right under your nose – no advertising or marketing dollars needed. It’s called “Pull.” By pulling prospects toward you (rather than pushing to them) you are creating a funnel of prospects that are actually requesting to be associated with you.
Of course, I’m talking about social media. No it’s not just your 12 year olds that are out there – it’s people like you and I who want to buy a kitchen that are out there NOW. And you can take advantage of the largest pool of untapped leads before your competition does.
Here are some tips on how to get up and running quickly.
- If you have not signed on to social media, read our social media getting started guides.
- Once you have joined the rest of the world on social media, adding your name to an account (whether it be LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc) and getting a few followers simply won’t cut it. You have to be monitoring what people in your industry are saying and positioning yourself as a valuable resource and the obvious place to turn when someone has a question.
- Engage in conversations, contribute to your network, all with one goal in mind – building relationships. (You will occasionally have to talk to some things that don’t revolve around the weather or the big sale you just closed!…Seriously, most people don’t care that it’s 59 and sunny in your hometown today).
The key with the “Pull” strategy is that the emphasis is on your customer. Not your product. Not your great deal. Just talk about things that will be helpful to your prospects. What should they know about their upcoming project? What pitfalls can you alert them to now? You want to create “remarkable content.” This is content that can be published on your blog or in literature you hand out to your customers. The point is you want to write about what you know, and considering you spend 8 hours or more a day doing your job and living the industry – you are probably a wealth of information.
“Push” is the old way- and so are your marketing techniques if you’re still using this method. I always heard that if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Maybe your sales pipeline will look different in a month from now?
