In this day and age we have an amazing ability to connect with pretty much anyone in the world we want to.
A few clicks and bam! We’re connected.
Online marketing definitely paves the way to reach your target audience, but how do you successfully use social media as a vehicle that leads to a sale?
The answer is so simple, which is why I think it’s completely missed.
In fact, even seasoned Entrepreneurs fall victim to these 4 deadly mistakes when it comes to online selling …
Mistake #1: A Conversation?
One of the biggest mistakes I see people making online is the absolute avoidance of a real conversation with another person.
Yes, I do realize we live in a “text” and “chat” society these days, but does that mean conversation is dead?
What happened to an old fashioned phone call?
Back in the day when I was first using Facebook to connect with potential clients, I would
message someone and I’d say, “It looks like we run in the same circles. We have 75 mutual (friends or acquaintances). I’d love to connect with you.”
The next thing you know we’ve connected. I’d then say “I’d love to schedule a call and learn a little bit more about you and your business.” If I didn’t end up having a conversation with them right off the bat, I’d message them once in a while with something I thought would add value for them or their business.
Or I’d ask them what they thought about XYZ if it fell in their wheelhouse.
Next, I wanted to test out LinkedIn as a way to target other CEOs who were also Florida Gators. After I identified them, I’d send this intro:
“I noticed you’re a fellow Florida Gator Entrepreneur. I’d love to be able to connect with you and see what your journey has been like and what you’ve going on now.”
Many people would reply back saying, “I get hit up day and night, but because you’re a fellow Gator, I’m happy to connect with you and have a conversation.”
Conversations many times start with the commonalities between us. What are the interest points?
Here is the secret… Allow the person to tell you about them and their journey. How they got to where they are now.
The ONLY purpose of the conversation was to start to build a relationship. No pretense. No selling.
Just an old fashioned real-world conversation.
When I wouldn’t pitch them at the end, they’re like, “You’re not pitching me?” I’d say, “No, it’s great to meet you. What’s the biggest pain challenge or problem that you’re having in your business?” They’ll tell me and then I’d say, “Would you like some insight on that?”
I don’t go for a one-call close. I always want to leave it hanging and want them to come back for more.
In that first conversation, the only goal is to add value and understand the pain, problem, or challenge they’re having.
If I feel they are someone I know we can help, I start the “frame”. If there looks like there’s interest, I’ll set another call with them (inviting all the key players). That’s where I lay it all out for them and discuss our proposal. If I feel in my gut, that it will take two, three or even five calls to build the relationship, I’ll take the time.
Why does this work?
Alas, here’s the simple answer you’ve been waiting for me to reveal …
It’s still ALL about relationships.
And it begins at the very first connection point.
BTW: Here’s a tip if you want to lose people right from the get-go …
Once someone says they’d like to talk, send them this reply:
“Here’s my calendar link, go book an appointment.”
Guess what? 9 out of 10 people will not click your calendar link and set an appointment. You’ve lost them.
Instead, here’s your opportunity to reply with:
“Great. I’m available. Do any of these three times work for you this week?”
Keep the conversation going. It’s predicated on building value.
Mistake #2: One click, and DELETE
Too many people targeting on social (especially now LinkedIn and Facebook) are taking the approach of: “Where’s the quick win? Who can I solicit right away?”
It drives me nuts when people hit me up on LinkedIn with a templated script. They don’t know how much their first touch point just kills their credibility as I know they are just trying to sell me something.
Guess what happens next?
One click, and DELETE.
Do you think your prospects are any different?
The question these folks should be really be asking themselves is: “How can I add value to someone’s life before money ever exchanges hands?”
Think personalized, relevant value assets.
Value assets build trust and rapport. They are the stepping stones to building strong relationships with your ideal prospects.
When you build assets, you lead with value.
Leading with value results in a more consistent and predictable lead flow of the right ideal prospects …
They also serve to disqualify those who are NOT your ideal client.
It takes as much effort to sell something for $100 as much as $500 or even $5000. Think of how much an easier “sell” it will be if you’ve already created value for them, and trust and rapport has already been established ...
Mistake #3: Who Are You Really?
There is no doubt about it. People are going to check you out to answer this big question in their mind:
“Is this person legitimate?”
They’re going to check out your website. They’re going to search for you on Google. They are going to try and find out all the information that they can on you.
When they do find you, they will start looking for anything inconsistent (it’s just human nature).
What we’re ALL looking for is TRUST when we are looking to buy something.
Like it or not, people are constantly making decisions every time they’re watching a video or they go to a page on your website. They are looking for answers to these questions:
“Is this person for real?”
“Can they really help me?”
“Can this product or service really solve my problem?”
“Is this the company for me?”
“Are we aligned?”
It’s incumbent upon each of us as Entrepreneurs to make that decision very easy for them.
Mistake #4: A video is worth a thousand words
I remember reading a statistic that was put out by YouTube a number of years ago. From a study, it was shown that over 70% of CEOs would rather watch a ten-minute video on YouTube then read a long email.
Even if CEOs aren’t your ideal client, how many others do you think this statistic also applies to?
A couple times when I was speaking on stage, I’d ask, “How many of you would rather watch a 5 to 10-minute video then sit there and read a long email?”
Almost everyone in the crowd raised their hand.
Most of the clients who end up moving forward with us, have watched at least five or more videos on our website or on YouTube that I’ve put out over the years.
By the way, did you know that YouTube is the number two search engine? When I want information, I go to YouTube before I go to Amazon or Google or Facebook because I want to hear what real people have to say. So does your target audience.
Videos can also elicit a more emotional reaction from people. Even if no one remembers the entirety of your “story”, they will certainly not forget how they felt about it.
In fact, video is so powerful, that Facebook and Instagram changed their entire algorithm to support video over posts. Why? One of the things they found was that the average person scrolls over 300 feet a day.
Wow.
The next thing they discovered was that the more videos that are shown to people, the more it slows down their scrolling behavior, as people click on videos (therefore they stop scrolling).
A recent HubSpot study (including 3,000 respondents) reported than more than half of the people surveyed indicated they wanted to see more video content from the brands they support.
Bottom Line: Videos get more attention, so why not start using them?
Online selling is no different than offline selling. The exact same principles hold true, and it all begins with the first touch point.
If you always keep these in mind, you’ll do just fine …
- Don’t be afraid to have a real conversation with someone to start building a relationship. It’s still ALL about relationship building
- Always serve others from the standpoint of adding value. Everything else will take care of itself
- If you’ve done a solid job on your end establishing congruent messaging and positioning, you’re 90% there before you even get on a first call with them. If you haven’t, you’ve now created doubt in their mind. And doubt leads to lack of trust
- Start using video! If you don’t have any videos to support your messaging and positioning, there’s no better time than the present.
If you struggle with online sales and are looking for a Done-For-You solution to attracting a constant stream of the right prospects into your funnel, our Leads on Demand program might be right up your alley. Simply message and we’ll get you more info.
To your success,
David
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