Transforming Problems into Sales

My silent fish tank was no more. Enough water had evaporated to make the filter gurgle. It was highly annoying and I knew I wouldn't be at ease until it was silent again, so I filled the tank.

Did I fill it to satisfy a want or a need? Does it really matter? Probably not.

The gurgling tank was an unacceptable problem that required a solution: more water. I was able to solve the problem on my own. If it had turned out that my fish tank gurgled because my filter was broken I would have needed a new filter.

Filters Don't Flow from My Tap
Where would I get a filter? How would I decide where to shop first?

There is a pet store chain in New York City that has been advertising its business for decades. When I first moved to my current neighborhood I noticed one of their stores a couple of blocks from my home. I would go there for my new filter without hesitation. I know that they have fish tank filters, exactly what I'd need to solve my problem.

Do your prospects know you have exactly what they need to solve their problems?

To sell more you must demonstrate to more prospects that you have just what they want. There are two ways you can work toward this goal:

· Market to a larger audience

· Improve your marketing material to attract more attention

It makes sense to do both. You can sell more by using the same marketing material to market to a larger, targeted audience. You can also increase sales by enhancing your marketing material to be noticed by more of the prospects you currently target.

Marketing to a larger audience is simple but can be quite expensive and improving your marketing material may seem like a daunting task. You can make this second task easier by knowing how to approach it.

Help Your Prospects Focus on You
When your prospects encounter your marketing material they should experience the familiar feeling of looking in a mirror.

Creating a sense of familiarity for your prospects when they absorb your marketing material helps eliminate a barrier to making a sale. People are more likely to buy from someone with whom they feel familiar. When we see ourselves in a mirror we see a clear and familiar image.

You can create a sense of familiarity for your prospects by focusing your marketing material around their problems.

Problems tend to strike an emotional chord within each of us. When we have emotional reactions we tend to become more alert to our surroundings. You can take advantage of this reaction by including client problems in your marketing material. You will increase your chance of being noticed, remembered and making a sale by presenting your marketing material to someone who has recently become more alert.

· What problems do your clients have?

· What problems do you solve?

Being noticed more often is good. You will sell more. However, you will sell even more if a greater percentage of the people who notice and read your marketing material take the next step and contact you.

To be contacted by more prospects your marketing material must attract attention and also clearly demonstrate believable value.

· What value do you provide?

· Are your offers believable or too good to be true?

· How can you integrate client problems and the value you provide into your marketing material?

The answer is to use a marketing message. A marketing message is a highly specific set of words you can use to attract and demonstrate value to your prospects.

With a marketing message focused around client problems you will sell more with less effort.

What's your marketing message?

The author, Jeremy Cohen, helps small business owners and professional service providers attract more clients, grow their business and be more successful with his marketing guides and coaching service. Get his free marketing guide: Jumpstart Marketing: More Profits, Clients and Success at: http://www.bettermarketingresults.com/marketing-service s

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


How To Get Clients To Take Immediate Action

Are you tired of excuses? Looking for a persuasion technique... Read More

Being Politically Correct When Selling Can Cost You Sales

In our culture it is basically un-American for a prospective... Read More

The Key to Driving Sales is Understanding What Not How

What does it take to make a sale lately?In Sales,... Read More

5 Ways to Increase Business Sales by Contacting Your Existing Customers

One of the best ways to increase your sales and... Read More

How To Attract Buyers Using The Right Sales Terminology

It is always important that you use the right terms... Read More

How To Achieve Excellence In Sales

Most people are always striving to better themselves. It's the... Read More

Three Ways To Get A Prospect To Say Yes To Your Offer

Here are three proven ways that will increase your sales:1.... Read More

The First Step to Stress-Free Selling (TM)

Step 1: Get Ready - Create a foundation you can... Read More

Do You Know the Emotion Behind the Objection?

Prospects have many reasons (you might think excuses) for not... Read More

Essential Training Skills for Managers

Today's manager lives in a world where change has attained... Read More

What Does It Take To WIN A Sale?

What to do when you win or lose.You have given... Read More

Are You Deaf? Dumb? Blind at Trade Shows?

I'm constantly amazed how otherwise smart marketeers become deaf, dumb... Read More

Sales Skills for the Non Sales Professional

Have you ever wondered how in the heck you're going... Read More

Sales Marketing: 10 Explosive Strategies To Amplify Your Sales

Marketing is a skill. Once you master it, you can... Read More

Getting People to Buy Without Selling

In my youth I landed a job selling encyclopedias door... Read More

Change Takes Time

I am writing this at the Philadelphia Airport on my... Read More

Quit Talking and Listen! Give Clients and Prospects Your Undivided Attention

I have found that the best sales people are the... Read More

10 Amazing Ways To Jump Start Your Sales

1. Find a strategic business partner. Look for ones that... Read More

How to Use Humor to Increase Sales

Using cartoons can help brand your marketing and drive home... Read More

Cutting Through Stalls and Objections

It's the prospect. If stalls and objections frequently come up... Read More

Finding the Need is Only Part of the Sale

Many of us in sales are taught to believe that... Read More

Six Simple Steps to Increase Sales and Decrease Stress

Have you ever found a lead on a scrap of... Read More

Direct Sales and the Use of Clipboards

Do you ever feel that when you are doing direct... Read More

Like It or Not... You?re in SALES!

Mention the word sales or salesman and two out of... Read More

Three Essential Questions You Must Ask To Make More Sales ? Ignore Them At Your Peril

There's loads of material about making money available on the... Read More

Curiosity and How It Effects Your Business Proposition

The first 15 seconds of your approach are the most... Read More

3 Steps to Immediately Improve Sales

Want to increase sales within your company? It's not as... Read More

Leverage Avoidance Values for Irresistible Selling

What are values? Values are filters that everyone uses to... Read More

Need A Sales Boost ? Try These!

The telephone is still the best and most effective way... Read More

Elearning Is Dead - Long Live Blended Learning!

There is little doubt that eLearning has not achieved the... Read More

Boost Your Selling Power With Your Call-To-Action Phrases

Look at your marketing material. Now, is there something missing?... Read More

Objections Are Buying Signals? Usually!

How well do you handle objections?The fact is, most people... Read More

10 Killer Ways To Multiply Your Sales

Would you like to multiply your web site sales? Or... Read More