No matter what your background, sales and marketing will be the MOST important skills you can learn in your career.
And, it doesn’t matter what personality type you are. You might be a creative person, a technical person, an introvert, extrovert and everything in-between.
It doesn’t matter.
The EXCITING truth: we are all born into this world naked and pure. And, with our bodies and minds ready to capture and assimilate all the information around us – from the good to the bad.
But, it’s also true that the words “sales”, “no” and “marketing” get a bad rap. Ask anybody when thinking about SALES – and the ‘used car salesman’ image enters the mind. (See, I just did it too!)
I spent most of my career developing software and working on application development, from user-experience (front-end) to middle-tier functionality, and large database systems (back-end). From small start-ups to large corporations like Microsoft, I found that the “biggest impact on company success”-departments were in sales, business development and marketing. (Especially early on, and in start-up of a new company, product or service.)
I also saw many companies and entrepreneurs spending lots of time on the “cool gadgets” and buried deep in technological discussions, when the REAL work should have been done in preparation for addressing a MARKET NEED.
I’ve had friends and friends-of-friends lose millions on wasted technology – and companies that were mostly focused on making money (ONLY) and not asking this simple question: Does the audience we serve (if they even knew that) actually have THIS problem?
Clearly, it became a question of “do you have more time, or do you have more money?” The person or company who had little time, but lots of money wasted THE MOST. Therefore, always consider yourself (even if you have the $$$) in a lean, start-up culture instead. Never assume anything. Research, survey…and… always test.
Then, you’ll be ready to apply the things to consider for a highly optimized landing pages and sales position.
Here are the 9 reasons why people will never buy from your online sales/landing page:
- Don’t understand the value
- Don’t understand what it is
- Don’t believe you (trust)
- Don’t believe they can do what you do (service) , or can use it successfully (if product)
- Don’t want it now (but maybe later)
- Don’t have the money (timing, audience, positioning)
- Don’t think they have the time now (or later)
- Don’t want to be “HARD-SOLD”
- Don’t understand the page itself – too confusing — too many offers/links
AND…Here is the worst mistake you can make (even if you have everything else ‘correct’):
Marketing to the wrong audience! You can have the best product, best service and most amazing transforming event in the world, but if it is positioned towards the wrong minds, you’ll lose time, energy and money… EVERY time. I think we’ve all done this at one time or another, right? (guilty as charged, especially on Facebook)
Here are additional things you can do now:
- Understand your own value proposition in YOUR marketplace – define your USP (unique selling proposition) – why are you different? (No “platitudes“, ok?)
- Offer something for free or via trials
- If selling direct (and you should) – Offer a strong guarantee with strong risk reversals
- Showcase successes and testimonials
- Don’t be afraid to sell and be direct about how you can help (but no fear-based, pushy and sleazy sales tactics)
- Use known, ethical persuasion techniques (Read Cialdini on Amazon)
- Test pages (A/B) and messages – and match them to keyword driven advertising and organic (SEO) search
- Drive the “right” kind of traffic. And, remember – Social Media Marketing is “interruption driven”, Search Marketing is “intent driven”
- Solve problems, provide solutions and results, and talk about benefits, not features
REMINDER: Often you’ll find that it costs just as much (effort and investment) to sell a $50.00 dollar product as it does a $5,000 dollar product. You must spend the same time, effort and quality on your work on either side of the coin.
Want to learn how to optimize your web page for sales and search?
Visit my Web Profits Formula Video now.
People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it – Simon Sinek
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Entrepreneur Magazine says Jon Rognerud is one of the most sought-after Digital Marketing Experts. His clients extend from high-end brands and middle-tier businesses in both B2B and B2C. His SEO website optimization book, "The Ultimate Guide to Optimizing Your Website" from Entrepreneur Press is in bookstores now.