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Ann Barr's Weekly Sales Tips - Issue 280 |
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According to a recent survey by Sales & Marketing Strategies & News: 40% of all sales veterans experience bouts of call reluctance
severe enough to threaten their continuation in sales. Phone Fear Cold-calling is probably the most dreaded activity in a sales person’s day. The reason? Nobody likes to be rejected. Fear of cold-calling has ended thousands of sales careers. How can you make cold calling more successful and reduce the fear of rejection? By advance planning.
To make your letter more
attractive and effective, include a colorful flyer or brochure.
Better: If
you include a colorful SAVINGS COUPON (with an expiration date)
your
letter will have a 78% better chance of being read and remembered. AND - most important: The prospect will be more receptive to your cold call.
Benefits, Benefits, Benefits In your letter, introduce yourself, your company and the products you sell – and especially the benefits the prospect will get when s/he buys from your company. Written benefits will answer the prospect’s mental questions as s/he reads your letter, and the most important question your prospect asks is: "What’s in it for me?" (See Top Six Tips below.)
1. Start your letter with a
pertinent question to get people into it. " Do You Recognize the 7 Early Warning Signs of a Copier Breakdown?"Throughout the letter, work in
questions that stimulate interest. 2. Begin with your
strongest benefit. 3. Avoid vague
generalities. Be specific. Make an Impression without Being There Most people buy on emotion and justify it with logic. Sales result not only from a salesperson’s marketing, proposals, advice and price, but something else is critical: The buyer must feel an emotional connection with the salesperson and product or service. The easiest way to create a connection with prospects and customers is with the written word. When a prospect reads your sales letters, they become instantly involved. They start THINKING about you and your company, product or service. Because the written word carries with it
believability, trust and understanding, writing is the single most
effective way to communicate believability. The most successful salespeople combine effective
personal salesmanship with writing. They use proven successful tools:
direct mail, fax and e-mail (with permission) - using persuasive words and phrases. In a good sales letter, one person talks to another. Effective sales letters and e-mails ensure that even though you are not there in person, you are remembered, because written words are just as powerful as spoken words.
If you can answer
"yes" to the following questions, your introductory
letter will be
a success. 2.) Is every letter completely personalized? 3.) Does it include benefits and make a real connection with readers? 4.) Have you used testimonials? 5.) Have you put "you" into the mailing? (As opposed to "I" and "me.") 6.) Is it easy for the reader to respond?
Just think: If your letter is interesting enough, the prospect may call YOU - and you won't need to make a cold call. If you pave the way for your cold call with a well-written introductory letter, your calls will be much more successful - and you will get less rejection.
Thanks for subscribing to Weekly Sales Tips I'll see you next week!! Ann Barr |
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