You have to learn how to adapt with today’s technology. The best way to do that is to become familiar with the internet and all the options that are provided for you. This is a great way to sell things and also get great feedback.
The advent of the Internet has put a lot of power into the hands of consumers. Prospective clients no longer have to rely on salespeople for their information about a product or service. Finding information is as easy as a quick Google search, where buyers can find a wealth of information – good and bad – about your product, as well as your competitors’ products, industry statistics, and consumer-generated rating systems.
Today’s consumer is more likely than ever to blow off a traditional cold call. Even if you do manage to connect with a buyer, they’ll probably wind up asking you to send them the information in an email, which they may or may not read, rather than listening to your pitch on the phone.
But just as technology has taken some power out of the salesperson’s hands, it has also brought new ways to engage with the marketplace. Today’s sales relationship is still about making connections and building trust – it’s just done in a different way.
Social media sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook are a great place to start. Because so much of the content on these sites is generated by consumers, a salesperson with insider information can often add an important level of authority to the conversation by answering questions and addressing concerns and misconceptions.
Another effective way to use these sites is as a venue for asking questions. Find out what consumers are looking for, what they don’t consider important, and what their past experiences with similar products have been. Each conversation builds an important rapport with consumers who, more often than not, simply want to feel heard and understood in a frequently overwhelming marketplace.
It’s important in the online environment not to come on too strong. You need to direct prospective buyers to your website as a source of information and as a way to guide the discussion, not to simply make a sale. The key here is to build a relationship of trust, to earn a reputation as someone who has specialized, industry-based knowledge, along with the integrity of someone who genuinely cares about consumer experience.
For more information about marketing your services contact Pine Press Printing at (803) 359-9162.