Would you show up on a first date by bringing an engagement ring and your parents along? While this may be a custom in some countries, it could be interpreted as intrusive or presumptuous in our culture. Courtship takes some finesse, and often requires a number of steps. Often the best approach is the product of each of these steps. So why should it be any different with inbound and outbound marketing, or sales?
Recently, my son-in-law proudly informed me of his number one page ranking for his new furniture outlet business. I was impressed and ran a quick Google search to confirm it. Sure enough, he was number one. However, I was more impressed with the number two search rank which had a value statement in the search response promising me I’d get the best design at an affordable price. My son-in-law’s statement said he had 10,000 square feet of warehouse space. I didn’t much care, because I wasn’t looking for a warehouse. When I dutifully went back to my son-in-law’s number one ranking and clicked it, I was taken to his home page. I’d been searching “sofas.” This confused me a little. When I did find what I was looking for, it took me four or five extra clicks. Then there was no action I could take except to look at a picture of a sofa. His competitor took me immediately to what I’d searched for and then offered me design help.
In the Prairie Sky Group business development model, there are three vertices to a strong prospect triangle. One is inbound marketing, one is outbound marketing, and the other is sales. All three are required for success. But each individually is a product of a number of steps. As you recall your grade school math, when you multiple a number or fraction between zero and one by another between zero and one, the product is smaller. It’s our job to get each of these steps as close to one as possible so the product is as high as possible. This is very difficult. It’s also why we need to test and retest in any campaign or sales approach. Decrease the resistance. Make each step an advance. Incremental improvement in each of these steps leads to more qualified leads and greater close rates.
Did I mention that my son-in-law and daughter eloped? That’s another story.
Do Great Things!
Lee Stocking
Prairie Sky Group
Making Sales Cry With Qualified Leads
lee.stocking@gmail.com
651-357-0110 (Cell 24×7)