Grow Sales Using Image Tactics

In my dreams, I envision being the marketing consultant equivalent of Oprah or Tiger Woods. Oprah, for her premise, "You're a woman and only you are responsible for yourself." Tiger Woods, for his ultimate dedication to the game. Respectively, this is what they're known for or what their personal value can be identified as; put another way, this is what their brand identities are.

Once you're known for something and people perceive value in "this something [your brand]," it's at this moment that you start to make money. Once you have perceived value, other entrepreneurs and businesses will pay money to be associated with the perception for which you're known.

To be an entrepreneur, the first decision you must make is, "Who do you want to be?" Or, put another way, "How do you want to be perceived by others?" The answers to these two questions are equivalent to the foundation that'll drive all of your future marketing decisions, from what advertising vehicles you'll use, to the type of customers and clients you'll target.

For example, would you like to be known as the world's most prestigious dietician? People all over the world seek you out and pay money for your advice on how to integrate more color into their diets. To build a foundation and reach such prestige, your image marketing plan might involve the following actions.

• Complete appropriate credentials such as certifications and higher education.

• Obtain and make visible reputable references including popular media personalities quoting you as an expert, current and past clients quoting specific things you did to help them, and a variety of print articles and electronic news bulletins in which you're quoted.

• Build credibility by hosting, writing or producing a weekly healthy-eating column called, "Got Colors, Get Healthy."

• Socialize and be seen with other health-related well-known experts or people who exhibit healthy behavior such as: other dietitians, diet book authors, athletes, personal trainers, physiology professors and food scientists. Why? Because a person can create an implied credibility about themselves simply by hanging out with other experts. Generally speaking, people assume that because the other experts let you hang with them, then you must be worthy of your "expert" status.

• Pick a unique clothing and makeup style and stick with it. A simple example, perhaps every time you leave your house, you always wear something purple, a scarf, pin, shirt, tie or nail polish. The repetitive purple creates a subliminal image, that, after awhile, causes people, when they see you in the news, at an event or in a magazine, to say, "I've seen her somewhere." And from this statement they extract that you're sought after, and therefore, you must know what you're talking about.

• Always evolve your image based on current trends. However, remember to make small changes, so as not to walk away from the image you've been working hard to build.

Every entrepreneur's image-building plan will be unique. In fact, it must be. It's the subtle differences about you as an entrepreneur that distinguish you from your competition. More importantly, it's also these differences that help your customers find you, since you'll be more able to effectively and affordably reach customers by selecting an image niche.

About The Author

Sharron Senter is a New England-based marketing consultant, speaker, writer and founder of Senter & Associates. She helps small and home-based businesses deploy affordable marketing strategies. She's well known for her free weekly emailed marketing tips and her "14 Image-building Dos & Don'ts," small biz survival report. Receive Senter's free marketing tips at http://www.sharronsenter.com.

marketing@sharronsenter.com

---

Successful Sales People Know Which Differentiators Matter

Know where to focus. Not everyone evaluates product solutions with... Read More

7 Quick and Easy Ways To Multiply Your Sales

There are always some great, fast and easy ways to... Read More

Customers Do Not Know How To Ask Good Questions ? That Is Your Job

Customers will ask you a question and you'll proceed to... Read More

The Art And Science of Closing - How To Close More Sales Right Now

One of the questions I often get asked as a... Read More

Why ALL Sales Decisions Are Based On Emotion - Heres The Proof!

Have you ever gone into a newsagent, picked up a... Read More

4 Easy Ways to Boost Your Sales

Here are 4 easy ways you can boost your sales... Read More

How to Sound Just Like a Salesperson

Prospect - "So now that I've told you what we... Read More

Get Tough

You deal with rejections, frustrations, disappointment, and possibly disrespect on... Read More

Humanize the Sales Process

Q & AQ. Sometimes when I'm presenting to clients, I... Read More

7 Steps to Selling Artwork

Selling arwork is easy when you follow a road map.... Read More

Peak Performance

One of the best books I have ever read is... Read More

Eliminating Objections to Increase Sales

You want to increase the flow of sales revenue, but... Read More

Are You Missing Out On Sales Through Fear of Pain? Improve the Persuasive Power of Your Words!

Education plus Motivation is a powerful formula. But how do... Read More

Really WINNING Over Customers

Three qualities are needed to sell anything in life. They... Read More

Pressure Washer Business; Cleaning Composite Decks

There is a new trend in the way wood decks... Read More

Its All in the Questions

Contrary to many of the books on how to be... Read More

A Stupid Question

This is a stupid question but it has to be... Read More

Get More Clients Now!

Although David has been a graphic designer for a decade,... Read More

11 Powerful Methods of Sales Lead Generation

Are you searching for new and innovative ways of sales... Read More

Three Fast, Short, Simple Ways to Escalate Your Sales

1. Sell an inexpensive product to sell an expensive product.... Read More

In Sales, Words Just Don?t Compute

In studies conducted by Motivational Systems of West Orange, New... Read More

The Truth About Sale Success!

Bill Brooks of The Brooks Group wrote an article several... Read More

How to Build a Repeat Client Base in Automobile Sales

Here is a question I recently received from a young... Read More

Date Your Customer!

Yes, you heard me right; I said "Date your clients!"... Read More

How To Master The Art And Science Of Super Salesmanship In 3½ Minutes Flat!

Dear Friend,You #1 weapon in advertising will always be...Superior Salesmanship.I... Read More

In Sales You Get What You Expect

If your mind is set, you will be unable to... Read More

Unleash Your Inner Sales Superstar & Win More Business Right Now!

It's a rainy afternoon on a typical mid week afternoon... Read More

Sales Tips from Sales Masters

Dogs are great teachers of how to sell easier and... Read More

The Pipeline: Curious, Desperate, Inspired?

You do have a "Pipeline" don't you? You know, the... Read More

The Business of Closing the Sale Without Killing It

You must be able to coordinate your sales talk to... Read More

Why Sales People Are Creating Their Own Objections

I'm about to reveal the biggest secret to growing any... Read More

How To Become A Sales Superstar And Have Fun Winning More Business - Start Here!

One of the interesting things about being a coach and... Read More

Do You Want Fries With That? - Using Suggestive Selling to Increase Your Sales

Suggestive selling is a powerful tool that can increase your... Read More