The Alternative Board - East Valley

Cost Effective Marketing in a Downturning Market

One of the worst thing a company can do in a downturn is decrease their marketing efforts.  In fact, if anything they should be increasing their efforts, because more than likely the competition has taken that tact.  By effective inexpensive marketing during the downturn, you can increase the awarness and brand.  At our last TAB Board meetings I invited Jane Larsen Business Reporter for Scottsdale Airpark and the Arizona Republic.  Any newspaper that runs 365 days a year has to have a constant infusion of new material.  Jane told us that she would prefer NOT to have an expensive PR firm in her face.  Jane's general information sheet "WHAT MAKES BUSINESS NEWS?" gave the following guidelines.  Many milestones in your business's growth are newsworthy and of interest on a local basis to your customers, neighbors and other Arizona Business people.

1.  Opening, selling, merging or closing a business.

2.  Moving a business to a new location

3.  Hirings, promotions, firings, or buyouts of management personnel.

$.  Expansion or downsizing plans (adding sites or staff, cutting sites or staff.)

6.  Adding or developing new products or product lines.

7.  Landing or losing a major contract.

8.  Being "the first" to do or get something significant. 

They also look for trend, issue and profile story ideas that have an Arizona connection and would interest a general audience. 

Sales and the Introvert

One of my private coaching clients is a very shy, intelligent introvert.  George is second in command of a multimillion dollar family owned company.  Customer contact to this point has been strictly through Customer Service and a Distributor network.  There is no sales force.  We had very intensive conversations about the necessity of having direct contact with the customers through sales people and/or business developers.  Sales have been flat for several years, and overtime there will be decreases if there is no active sales and marketing.   Jim was reluctantly determined to do this himself.  At first, I discouraged this idea.  He had no idea what to say or do.  However, after much discussion, we agreed that Jim would call 10 customers in 2 weeks.  The purpose of the call was to just go over their YTD sales, ask them what the driving forces are, and have a few prepared questions to ask.  We wrote down a script and discussed the different scenarios.  I left and came back in 2 weeks and Jim had only made 2 calls.  Then came the excuses.  We went over all the scenarios again, and I said I will be coming back in 2 weeks and expect 10 calls.  As I approached his office I was ready to fire my client.  I was pleased to discover that Jim made 8 calls, and all I can say is WOW.  By formulating the right questions, Jim got valuble market information like pricing and products.  He now has at least 1 new project for his lab, which could generate substantial sales.  He has been invited by 2 distributors to travel with them to their customers.  It is a start.  I may have been more pleased then him.  There is a true thrill when you see someone achieve success. 

Selling and Marketing to Save Time, Trouble, and Money

I just had a call from Marty, who reported to me as a Regional Sales Manager back in 1998.  Marty was always witty, but when he called me his "The Prodigal Sales Daddy", I did not know what to think.  Marty just wanted to thank me for my personal mantra "If you want to sell consistently, you must ask yourself "How can I save my customer time, trouble, or money".  I have asked 100's of sales people why their customers buy from them.  The classic answers are relationship, and value added.  However, Marty and I have learned over the years that the basis for all selling is somehow related to saving time, trouble, or money.  Ask yourself, if there is an established supplier in place or there is no pain, how can you find a basis for doing business?  Statements like "We are the largest" or "We give great service" or lowering prices are not motivating.  Before you go on that next sales call, trying to build the relationship, and trying to replace that supplier that has been there for 1000 years, think about the TTM (time, trouble, and money.   Then ask the appropriate questions that can unveil these issues.