amp,#39,Time,For,Show,And,Sell marketing It's Time For Show And Sell!

Automation technologies represent a fundamental aspect of any modern industry. The major types of industrial automation solutions, such as DCS, PLC, SCADA, and MES, are used on a large-scale in process and discrete industries.DCS technologie Awhile ago, I got an email from one of the "gurus" I follow and it shocked me. The gist of it was this person wanted to trade services for a household item.To say it floored me would be an understatement.What was worse was a few days later t

By Tatiana Velitchkov © 2002Imagine picking up 2 competing product catalogs with 2different messages on the cover.The first one says: "Let us tell you how much our productscost."The other one says: "Let us TEACH you the most effectiveways to be attractive to the opposite sex."If you automatically decide you'll read the second one andthrow the other into the trash, then you would've provenone of the best business strategies to be true: In orderto become a successful seller, you have to be a teacher,too.Good Morning, Clients!----------------------Whether you sell a product or provide a service, it pays toview yourself in the role of "teacher" rather than "haggler"when dealing with existing & potential clients."Teachers" maintain an attitude of sincerely wanting to helppeople achieve the best results possible, and clientsinvariably pick up on this attitude.And although "teaching clients" may take a little more timethan cutting to the chase and directly talking about specs& prices, it actually brings in 3 MAJOR BENEFITS thataffect your business in the longer term:* Benefit 1: More Clients Will Trust YouTeaching clients about the ins and outs of your product andindustry gives them the impression that you're an authorityin your field -- and this could be the most advantageousposition you could ever have.Being an authority means (in your clients' minds) thatyou'll provide them with the best service, that you'll beworth every penny of your price, and that you'll make anexcellent recommendation to their associates & friends.In the business world this is called "trust," and once youearn that, a satisfying relationship ALWAYS follows.* Benefit 2: More Clients Will Approach YouIn the process of educating clients, you might encounterpeople who ask questions that aren't directly related toyour products, but still have a lot to do with your industryin general.Although this signals that the client is still "shoppingfor services," don't ignore this important opportunity.The fact that your prospect chose to ask YOU instead ofsomeone else already puts you in a unique position todemonstrate how you (and your products) can become evenmore worthy of their trust -- and ultimately of theirpurchases & investments.* Benefit 3: Potential Clients Become COMMITTED ClientsBecause by the time they are ready to use your services,all your teaching would have prepared them enough that theynow know EXACTLY what they want and need.These are no longer the kind of prospects who would ask youto "fax them a quote and set an appointment to discuss it."Instead, these are the ones who say "this is what we need,tell us how much, so we can write you the check."There's less talking and more buying -- all because youchose to be "the teacher that sells."Teaching Styles = Selling Strategies------------------------------------So how do you become an effective "teacher" to your clients,while running your business successfully on the web? Hereare 4 of the MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES that you can usetoday:1) Articles On your WebsiteYou've seen them before, and you'll see them over and overagain. Mainly because they actually WORK!Time and time again, business owners who regularly post"free articles" on their sites report getting clients fromas far as Timbuktu, and encounter opportunities that leadto Japanese businessmen sending them checks without meetingthem face to face.This is because those regular articles on their websiteshave taught their prospects all they needed to know aboutthe person (AND the business), so by the time they wrotetheir emails they were more than ready to commit.So whether you decide to cover "Tips & Advice," "News &Updates," or "Lessons & Inspiration" in your own freearticles, just make sure that you DO post them on your siteon a regular basis... because they're the surest way towardspre-selling success. 2) Booklets & EbooksOnce you have a good enough number of articles (both on yoursite and off it), you can decide to compile them all into aprint book or an ebook -- both of which you can use for evengreater profits!Use these books as value add-ons when clients make apurchase, or as prizes for contests you hold on your site.Better yet, if you feel that the information contained inyour books are valuable enough for your target market --AND if you have ceased to archive the same articles on yourwebsite for free -- then you can even sell them as standalone products by themselves.This not only increases your sources of revenue; it enhancesyour reputation as an industry leader, too.3) Mini CoursesAnother possible offshoot from your web articles would be"mini courses" -- short lessons & seminar sessions that youcan give both for a fee and for free.You can administer these courses via autoresponder, througha mailing list, via teleconferencing, or even through a liveseminar audience.When prepared adequately and delivered successfully, thesecourses can become another source for additional profit --and another way to pre-sell potential clients into trustingand hiring YOU.4) Guest Appearances (On Print, Radio & TV)Now that you have all these books, articles, and seminarsunder your belt -- or even if you don't have them yet --another way to get free publicity is to make yourselfavailable for interviews and guest appearances, particularlyin publications & programs that effectively reach yourtarget market.Announce your willingness & availability to talk about yourexpertise through your letter heads, calling cards, mailinglists, and press releases.Even if you get only one high profile media exposure out ofall this it would still be enough -- and it wouldn't havecost you an additional cent!A Final Word------------One word of advice though, from one entrepreneur-teacher toanother: Remember to keep on learning!Knowing the things that you know NOW should never make youfeel complacent and think that it's enough. Good teachersknow this; good businessmen and salespeople should know it,too.So keep yourself updated with the latest trends in yourindustry, attend seminars & classes given by other industryleaders, and keep on reading & keep on asking.Not only will these help you keep your client relationshipsstronger.They will also improve EVERYTHING about the way you do yourbusiness, and strengthen your position as a brand &industry leader. © Tatiana Velitchkov