Imagine for a moment that you could show your prospect a schedule with just the right number of commercials that could achieve the optimum reach and frequency for your Radio station. Any more commercials would be past the point of diminishing return; any fewer commercials would still leave available reach and frequency on the table. Instead of trying to estimate how many listeners would hear the commercial an average of a three times, you could accurately predict just how many of your listeners would hear the advertiser’s commercial at least three or more times, a key component in effective advertising. You could tell your prospect they would be using an Optimum Effective Schedule.
You have completed your initial diagnostic call on your new prospect. You did a great job of describing your radio station and how you might be able to help. The prospect is showing some interest. They ask you “How much does it cost?” WOW! They are interested! They want to know how much it costs! You are so excited by the prospect’s interest in your station. They want to know how much it is going to cost. But you haven’t discussed any schedules or objectives yet. You don’t know if they want thirties or sixties. You don’t know if they want specified times or broad rotators. There are literally hundreds of different options you could propose.
You arrive for the presentation. You set up your materials. You stand and deliver one of your best presentations ever. The prospect nods in agreement throughout. You get positive feedback to all of your trial closes. You feel like the sale is a sure thing. You ask for the order and the prospect says "It's a great presentation. I need to send it to the Director of Procurement for their approval." You instantly realize you've just wasted one of your very best presentations on someone who can't say "Yes" to your proposal.
Prospecting is the life blood of sales. For a sales person or a small business to survive, they need new qualified prospects to call on. And the only way you're going to find some is to prospect. You have to dig up information on different businesses in order to decide which ones are best for you to call on.
Social media may be all what everyone is talking about, but IBM still has a place in today’s business culture. IBM or to put it another way, It’s Better Manually can be the marketing technique that differentiates you in the crowded sales field of emails, PDFs, newsletters and Tweets. One of the easiest ways to set yourself apart from the rest of your competitors is the personalized thank you note.