Marketing & Selling to Solo Professionals, Entrepreneurs & Practitioners: the Why and How to, Part 1
Services are harder to market and sell because they are invisible, intangible, and perishable. Unlike physical products, how do you market and sell something that you can’t see, touch, feel, smell, hear or hold in your hands?
Services have to be experienced. How do you experience financial planning? ‘Or insurance coverage? ‘Marketing consulting? You might call this “experiential marketing.” You can only experience the results of such things. With insurance, you experience the feelings of security and/or protection that come from knowing if anything goes wrong, you and your family will be covered for expenses or loss or equipment, home, income or life.
In the case of financial or investment planning, what you are buying is several intangible things up front: the confidence you have in the individual who is doing the planning; the team of folks who back up that specific individual; the expertise inherent in that person and their company; the company’s track record and reputation in this field; the length of time this company has been successfully doing this; and the known amount of available time and attention that financial consultant will be spending on your affairs. It comes down to experience and expertise, standing shoulder to shoulder…on your behalf.
In order to attract new clients/customers, you have to reach them, inform them and then motivate them to work with you. There are two major parts to doing this: first, marketing, followed by selling. Marketing is the name for all the things you do to create the environment in which the client can buy from you and not from someone else, your competitor. You do this by reaching your prospective clients with relevant, valuable information that they can use immediately.
This information, in the initial stages, must be free of charge. Even if you are a management consultant, you have to be prepared to give away something for free. You can write articles to be placed in prominent on or offline publications. You can give presentations and speeches to groups of potential customers, you can send out a free e-zine that is chock full of good ideas for them to use in their own businesses. The list is endless.
Essentially you must constantly build up your own credibility in the mind of your target group, while at the same time, building a bridge between them and you, so when the time arrives – and it will arrive sooner than later -- they “know” to reach out to you for the help they need. You have demonstrated that you have the experience and expertise they need. Or if you don’t have it personally, you are with a firm who can back you up with dozens of others who possess such knowledge and/or experience. Moreover, you must convince that potential client that you are prepared to work very hard to solve his or her problem, provide them with the coverage or security they need, or to show them how to earn the kinds of return on investment they seek. Once you market to them, you have to “sell” them on the idea that you and your firm are the ones who can do this for them.
By now, when that prospective client is reaching out to you (he is initiating the contact with you, you don't necessarily have to contact him or her), there will be few objections raised as to why you should be the one to perform the necessary services for that client. By now, s/he has a problem or an opportunity that they can’t handle by themselves. They respect you and your “know-how” or expertise, or field of experts standing behind you. They expect that you will be able to help them with that situation. It is up to you now to step in and take charge of the situation.
This is when the “selling” side of things has to take over. In the beginning, you did all the things required (essentially, this is “marketing”) that you needed to reach, inform and motivate the potential customer. Then, when that customer indicates that s/he needs help and wonders if you can help her/him with this…you are ready, willing and able to do so. Now you have to close the deal…this is the selling part. We’ll look more into selling in part 2 of this series.
©Copyright, Roy MacNaughton, 2006
Related Tags: market, service, sell, entrepreneurs, solo, professionals, practitioners, macnaughton, intangibles
Roy MacNaughton is a niche marketing coach and business writer. He's a seasoned marketer, with more than 30 years of international marketing experience, including nine years online. His new e-book, (Marketing Yours), teaches solo practitioners, entrepreneurs and professionals how to market their most important product. Learn more at his blog: www.UmarketingU.com
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- The No. 1 Rule For Projecting Confidence - Speak With Authority
One of the most important characteristics a person can project in a business setting - or any situat - After the Autumn Checkout European Debt Crisis and U.S. Brewing Rebound
In the commotion caused by the Fed on interest rates come to an end, the "disastrous" for the euro a - Advantages Of Arcade Game Rentals
There are many different advantages to arcade game rentals. Most people need something to release th - A General Primer on Truck Cargo Nets
In modern highways it is quite rare to see truck cargo nets in action, this is because they are usua - The United States Will Burst More Severe Financial Crisis
Not long ago, suddenly announced that the central bank to raise interest rates, the interest rate hi - Niche Marketing Profits - 3 Easy Steps to Finding a Profitable Niche Market Income in 10 Minutes
Like most beginners I was having a very difficult time trying to find a niche market to earn extra m - The Importance of Hospitality Management Consulting Firms Toronto
Businesses and the managers that help guide any business are in a constant state of improvement and - New Keynesian Theory Label
2010 winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics three theories have been labeled as "New Keynesian" labe - Federal Reserve Pouring Money QE2 Unpredictable Fortune
U.S. economist Milton Friedman proposed a "throw the cash from a helicopter" view, while the practic - Fiscal Consolidation Should no Longer Delay
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne today announced fiscal consolidation policy, shoc
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Common Financial Problems to Avoid
One must first change their habits and not procrastinate. American Consultants Inc at offers key fi - How a Bad Hire Can Hurt Your Business
What's worse - hiring the wrong person or not hiring anyone at all? Companies can become almost des - Joel Comm Is Dr. Adsense
What is Adsense? If you are new to making money online and net marketing, you may not know what Ads - 5 Steps For A Dynamic Wealth System Online
Recipe: Opportunity + knowledge + Dynamic Wealth System + Your Action = Massive Success!!! Step 1 - How To Stop Foreclosure
Losing your house to a foreclosure can be very scary. There are times when circumstances are ou - How to Always Pitch A Strike
As business owners, we are always working on new ways to convince people to become customers, client - Membrane Diffuser Solutions for Wastewater Treatment Systems
In the aeration basin of a typical wastewater treatment plant there are both organic and inorganic m - Another Year Hating Your Job or Loving Life?
Copyright © 2007 Mary Foley I've come to the conclusion that to be successful - really successf - Dyestuff Industry In India And China
World demand for dyes and organic pigments to touch $10.6 billion in 2008According to a study on dye - Cma-cgm Case : the Series of Lawsuits Continues in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, France, England and the United States
Damietta company case : The series of lawsuits continues in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, France, England a