The Death of Personal Marketing ?

Paul's non-scientific stats reflect reality with a capital REALITY. I meet these people every day. I've used: radio, print, cold calling, leads lists, classified ads, hand outs and these stats prove true for me too.

Knowing from the beginning that I'd have to make lots of contacts to be successful gave me hope that I could do it if that's all I had to do - having worked ten - fourteen hours a day in other professions, in labor - what's work?

Today I work in that cliche "smarter not harder" meaning for one thing ending prospecting activities very quickly when ther's a NO. Nor do I work all those hours.

MitchM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikey

The skill level that works today might not work as well in the future. One personal marketing strategy is cold calling. The days of cold calling anyone and everyone are mostly behind us. The bar has been raised. This raising of the bar doesn't affect salespeople who have been operating at a high skill level nearly as much as the amateurs who were doing it wrong from the start.

Agreed. The skill level of many salespeople will need to increase if they want to be competitive.

What would be 7 Characteristics - to pick a number - of people operating at a high skill level?

MitchM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

What would be 7 Characteristics - to pick a number - of people operating at a high skill level?

To stay ahead of the curve many salespeople will need to increase their proficiency in each of the following areas:

Targeting (Who)
Timing (When)
Message (What)
Medium (How)

Targeting (Who)
Timing (When)
Message (What)
Medium (How)

How does one increase profisiciency in these? For example, for 1. would that be knowing who has already used or needs what you have to offer or something else?

For 2. would that be knowing when someone needed and wanted what you offered and was willing to buy or something else?

For 3. would that be having a clear generic message or something tailored to a specific target you know fits perfectly with what the target wants?

For 4. is that a reference to making a telephone call or sending a brochure or something that brings calls to you?

In your business AZBroker how do you accomplish these 4 Characteristics?

MitchM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

How does one increase profisiciency in these?

Skill training and education. Just like anything else you might want to learn how to become good at.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

1. would that be knowing who has already used or needs what you have to offer or something else?

It's about working with highly targeted prospects.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

For 2. would that be knowing when someone needed and wanted what you offered and was willing to buy or something else?

It's about being in the right place at the right time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

For 3. would that be having a clear generic message or something tailored to a specific target you know fits perfectly with what the target wants?

It's about a targeted message that converts well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

For 4. is that a reference to making a telephone call or sending a brochure or something that brings calls to you?

It's about choosing the right medium for the message.

Great cliches - generalities, AZBroker - don't take that pejoratively speaking rather as a definition of a commonplace statements good for the grounds of which one might speak with more substantually.

I learn best with specific, concrete examples. If you would speak from your sales perspective:

1. Where does your training and education come from?

2. How have you found highly targeted markets?

3. What do you do to position yourself in the right place at the right time?

4. What converts best for you -can you give one example?

5. What mediums work best for you and do you know why?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

1. Where does your training and education come from?

My training and education comes from the classroom, on-the-job, seminars, workshops, in-services, coaching, personal study and good old fashion trial-and-error.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

2. How have you found highly targeted markets?

By looking. In real estate "Expired Listings" are a highly visible and targeted market which can be found with a minimum of effort.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

3. What do you do to position yourself in the right place at the right time?

Constructive and continuous contact with the homeowner. This contact could be in the form of a telephone call, direct mail, in-person visit, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

4. What converts best for you -can you give one example?

One of my best converting scripts centers on the fact that I specialize in selling homes that were previously listed and did not sell.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

5. What mediums work best for you and do you know why?

Face to face works best for me. Why? Among other things Confidence and Professionalism.

That gives me a clear picture of how you see yourself working to your best capability - when people post clearly it can help everyone.

MitchM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmccord

A recent non-scientific survey by my company showed some of the inefficiencies of the way salespeople market. This survey was a small sampling of random consumers—150 individual consumers and 75 businesses across the US. By no means am I claiming this to be a scientific study.

On average, they receive 11 cold call solicitations a week. Less than 8% will accept a cold call of any kind. Only 2% have acted on a cold call in the last year (business is, by the way, more likely than individuals to respond to cold calling).
On average, they receive over 87 pieces of direct mail a week (direct mail was from both individual salespeople and companies--and companies receive far more than individuals). Less than 12% read any direct mail solicitation. Less than 6% have acted on any direct mail piece in the last year.
Only one of those surveyed has ever called a number off of a sign on a street corner
About 30% of the business respondents have been approached at an event of some kind by a salesperson trying to establish contact. Less than 5% have purchased based on any contact met at an event (does not include requested information at a booth at a show or convention)
Of the 75 business consumers, only 4% have read any of the fliers faxed to their office in the last year with none purchasing a product or service from an unknown vendor or salesperson

Even if you assume that the respondents to this unscientific study are only half as responsive as the average consumer (highly unlikely they are that far off the norm), then only 4% of consumers will respond to any cold calling; only 12% will respond to any direct mail; and only 10% of business contacts through networking will ever buy a product or service from anyone. Even by doubling the numbers from the survey, it’s pretty slim pickins.

Is it any wonder the average salesperson’s hourly income is only $23.30 or about $48,100 annually? This average income does not include retail store salespeople. There are other studies that show the average sales income in the low to high 30’s, but these studies include retail store salespeople, bringing the average down by 10 to 15,000 a year. This average income has been inching up annually for the last several years. The average should begin heading down again. Partly because we’re heading into a recession which will make selling tougher, but also as time goes on, more and more salespeople will find themselves selling a commodity.

Paul,

I can't imagine how much time you and your staff spent on configuring all this and what it's exact purpose is.

	#81
MitchM	Stats Paul's non-scientific stats reflect reality with a capital REALITY. I meet these people every day. I've used: radio, print, cold calling, leads lists, classified ads, hand outs and these stats prove true for me too. Knowing from the beginning that I'd have to make lots of contacts to be successful gave me hope that I could do it if that's all I had to do - having worked ten - fourteen hours a day in other professions, in labor - what's work? Today I work in that cliche "smarter not harder" meaning for one thing ending prospecting activities very quickly when ther's a NO. Nor do I work all those hours. MitchM

	#83
MitchM	7 Characteristics What would be 7 Characteristics - to pick a number - of people operating at a high skill level? MitchM

	#85
MitchM	4 Characteristics Targeting (Who) Timing (When) Message (What) Medium (How) How does one increase profisiciency in these? For example, for 1. would that be knowing who has already used or needs what you have to offer or something else? For 2. would that be knowing when someone needed and wanted what you offered and was willing to buy or something else? For 3. would that be having a clear generic message or something tailored to a specific target you know fits perfectly with what the target wants? For 4. is that a reference to making a telephone call or sending a brochure or something that brings calls to you? In your business AZBroker how do you accomplish these 4 Characteristics? MitchM

	#87
MitchM	Cliches Great cliches - generalities, AZBroker - don't take that pejoratively speaking rather as a definition of a commonplace statements good for the grounds of which one might speak with more substantually. I learn best with specific, concrete examples. If you would speak from your sales perspective: 1. Where does your training and education come from? 2. How have you found highly targeted markets? 3. What do you do to position yourself in the right place at the right time? 4. What converts best for you -can you give one example? 5. What mediums work best for you and do you know why?

	#89
MitchM	Clear Picture That gives me a clear picture of how you see yourself working to your best capability - when people post clearly it can help everyone. MitchM

The Death of Personal Marketing ?

General Marketing Discussion