To wrap up this series on the New ABCs of Selling it’s time for your special bonus offer – D for Deals.
OK – as a quick reminder, this series has shown how the ABC’s of selling have moved from the high pressure of always be closing, to the more considered adding value, being visible, and always being consistent.
Changing your approach to deals
Organisations use deals or offers in different ways. A seasonal business will use deals to quit end of line products. Clothing retailers are a great example. By contrast, a business with reasonable certainty of demand might use deals differently – think of hotels or airlines, with deals to attract early-bird customers, or last-minute deals to offset the sunk cost of unsold rooms or seats.
Here’s another way to think of it – at the highest level, you help your customer or client solve a problem or pain. You help them get from where they are today to a better future state.
And that is where deals can help your business. It may involve you changing the way you think of deals, losing the traditional hard sell of the Old ABCs and instead applying the lens we’ve been discussing the last few weeks. Think back to the New ABCs – always adding value, being visible, and consistency. A clever use of deals can be an additional call to action, and an additional way for you to keep adding value.
The importance of a clear call to action
What do I mean by this? One of the first things I do with new clients is a deep dive on their website. Time and again I see the same thing… most of my clients struggle to provide clear and compelling calls to action online. Beyond the brochure-ware component of their site there’s often nothing but contact details. There’s no offer to the customer, no deal to pull a prospect closer, and no way for my client to continue offering value.
Here’s where a new approach to deals comes in. Forget about the hardsell – if you’ve been paying attention you know the New ABCs leave the hardsell behind. Think about what you are offering your customer. Many times it’s access to your knowledge and experience. And in this context, a deal can be as simple as more information.
It might be a download, an eBook, an invitation to a webinar, the offer of a free strategy session… any of these things can be your call to action, the offer of information, and your chance to keep adding value.
Keep your consistency
Let’s go back to the new ABCs for a second… if deals means adding more value, it’s just as vital you remember consistency. Once you have your call to action, include it in every communication. Once you have a prospect at this stage do not confuse them with multiple offers. Be very clear… if you like and value this information, simply follow my call to action to get more.
This is such a simple and elegant way to address the lack of a call to action on your site. Anyone who spends any time on my site will know I practice what I preach. I usually offer either a free download or eBook, or a free call to discuss a prospect’s business. These calls to action are my most effective business driver, and the entry point for most clients to my business.
A continual cycle
But it doesn’t stop there. If a prospect takes up your offer of information and downloads a guide, you should follow it up with even more value. It doesn’t matter if it’s emails, the offer of a free call, an invite to an exclusive webinar… the important thing is staying in front of your prospect and continuing to add value. You see, the New ABCs aren’t set and forget. To be really effective you need to think of them as a continual cycle, with you continuing to prove your value to a prospect, right until they’re ready to commit.
Over to you…
So there we go. The New ABCs of Selling – adding value, being visible, consistency, and of course, deals (entry points to your business). Giving uncomplicated and consistent entries to your business (deals) will make all the difference. Good luck – and remember, it’s not hard, it’s just about commitment and consistency.
KS
