Be Successful When You Sell ...

A friend asked me how to approach retailers for an online advertising opportunity. I do not think of myself as a salesperson; rather, the items I market are the items I use or in which I am interested. After much thought, I put these following tips together.

Know Your Product, Be Yourself and Build Relationships

Connect Through Friends and Family

• Tell everyone you know about what you are doing.
• Give everyone at least 3 cards so they can pass the on if opportunity arises.
• Ask them if they can think of anyone who might be interested in buying advertising.
• If they give you a lead, make note of the name and who referred you.

Connect With Community

• Take your business cards everywhere you go.
• Leave business card on the counter whenever you patronize a business.
• Post business cards on bulletin boards and drop in bowl for free lunch prizes.
• Post flyers wherever allowed.

Collect Cold Leads

• Check the newspaper for businesses openings and send a welcome to the community card and enclose your STA business card or flyer.
• Use Search It! tool to locate local businesses.
• Discover directories, either online or in library
• Get list of major employers in the area from chamber of commerce.
• Ask if they will give/sell labels for their members to you.

Make Initial Contact

• I would suggest you telephone the company and ask for the title and the name (correct spelling) of the advertising manager.
• If you cannot connect to him/her, ask the person you did reach how to best share this information with the ad mgr.
• When they help you, and they will if you ask nicely, thank them and get their information.
• Send a little card or email saying thank you to that person.
• Follow up with ad mgr.

MISC.

• Get a telephone headset.
• Use any opportunity to introduce yourself and the business.
• Try to build relationships and not sell advertising and you will do well.
• Organize your list in database, Outlook, Word document or on index cards.
• Set reasonable goals like I will contact three new leads each day.
• Practice what you will say to a rude NO, answer questions, and counter objections.
• Write these notes down on index cards or in your calendar for easy access.
• Setup a reminder system for follow-up (tickler file).
• Join chamber of commerce, hold the open house, go to meet and greets, volunteer.

You notice I did not go into lead capture pages, buying leads or building a downline. While these are all worthwhile in marketing, they are not my style. Find a method of marketing with which you are comfortable and you will succeed.

Eileen