Selling Versus Telling

I recently read a paragraph in an L.L. Bean catalogue that said, “You’ll always get friendly, knowledgeable help whether you call us to order, visit us on-line or stop by one of our stores. You’ll find the products you want in stock… You’ll get personal attention…”

I thought, “They know the difference!!!”

What difference?” you ask.

The difference between “Selling” and “Telling.”

The difference between selling and telling is presenting benefits versus features when you are communicating marketing and sales messages to your prospects, customers, and other target audiences.

A feature is merely a fact about your center, your early care and education services, or your staff. It tells the prospect what you have. A benefit tells your prospect what the feature will do for them, or what they get.

The next time you start to make feature statements, “We offer a curriculum based on the latest research on brain development,” or “Miss Susie has been here for 8 years,” test the difference by asking yourself, “So what?” You must answer “So what does that mean to the prospect?” for it to be a benefit statement.

Instead, say something like, “Our preschool curriculum is based upon the latest brain research, so Timmy will experience learning activities that are not only fun, but are helping him maximize his own abilities.” Or say, “The learning activities Timmy will participate in here in this class are based upon the latest brain development research, and will help him develop to more of his potential.” These latter statements change the way the prospects hear what you say and the word picture in their mind is of their own child in your center getting the best possible education. They sell rather than tell. And therein lies the difference.

In a benefit statement, your prospect sees themselves taking the action (Timmy is learning…) versus you taking the action (We have a curriculum..). It’s a small adjustment in how you say it that makes a BIG difference to your prospects. People buy benefits, not features.

Whether you are talking to prospects on the phone or in person; the more you talk in benefits versus features, the more those prospects will picture themselves doing business with you and glad made the decision to act on your recommendation. That helps creates an loyal customer and cost-effective referral source.

When you speak in benefits, you will be selling, not just telling. Then, someday one of your new customers might say, “They know the difference!”

Best wishes and happy marketing!

P.S. For additional tips that make a difference, listen to my audio program, “Basic Techniques for Securing Enrollment.” A synopsis of this and other learning programs in The Enrollment Building Success Library are available by calling us at 1-800-876-0260 or by visiting www.juliewassom.com.

Julie Wassom
“The Speaker Whose Message Means Business”
Marketing and Sales Speaker/Consultant/Author
Call me: 303-693-2306
Fax me: 303-617-6422
E-me: julie@juliewassom.com
See me: www.juliewassom.com

Making Follow-Up Easy

You’ve had prospects that came to an event. At the event, you talked with these prospects about what you offer and the benefits they would receive. Maybe they even signed your guest book. After the event, you sent these prospects a letter and some additional information. However, you have not heard anything in reply. You are wondering what to do next without feeling intrusive like the dreaded sales calls you receive from telemarketers. Sound familiar?

Many people believe that if prospects were truly interested , they would call you after this initial follow-up action, and that contacting them again might be perceived as being pushy. Here are some thoughts to give you a different perspective on initiating follow-up, and tips to make it well received.

First, remember these prospects came to the event to learn, to make connections, to seek help in making a good buying decision. They NEED your help in doing so. One way to help them beyond this initial conversation is to include a personal note with the materials you send after the event. In the note, you indicate when you will be calling them to follow-up – sometime within seven to ten days later. Don’t even expect them to call you back.

For instance, you could say, “I will give you a call next Tuesday, to answer any questions you have and to offer my help as you consider this decision.” This sets up a prospect expectation, and gives you the chance to begin to build credibility and trust.

Then call them exactly on the day you said you would. On the call, you could say, “I’m calling you as I said I would to answer your questions on the information I sent you last week following the (event name). What questions came up since then as you read that material? (Answer the questions). What other help can I give you at this stage of your search?”

Do not say, “Do you have any questions?” This question elicits a singular response that may not give you any details about what your prospects needs most from you at this point. Also, when you talk, ask your prospect to schedule a personal visit – or another one if they have already been there.

If you get voice mail, use nearly the same dialogue, except say exact times when you are available for a call back. I often request that if people miss me when they call back, they leave times on my voice mail when it is best for me to return their call. I also refer them to my website for interim information.

Remember, prospects who have inquired or come to an event are interested, they need your expertise, your attention, and your guidance as they make this important decision. If you follow-up well, you will not be perceived as the pesky telemarketer, but the helpful, knowledgeable resource your prospect can trust. And that leads to sales.

Julie Wassom
“The Speaker Whose Message Means Business”
Marketing and Sales Speaker/Consultant/Author
Call me: 303-693-2306
Fax me: 303-617-6422
E-me: julie@juliewassom.com
See me: www.juliewassom.com

Selling Versus Telling

I recently read a paragraph in an L.L. Bean catalogue that said, “You’ll always get friendly, knowledgeable help whether you call us to order, visit us on-line or stop by one of our stores. You’ll find the products you want in stock… You’ll get personal attention…”

I thought, “They know the difference!!!”

What difference?” you ask.

The difference between “Selling” and “Telling.”

The difference between selling and telling is presenting benefits versus features when you are communicating marketing and sales messages to your prospects, customers, and other target audiences.

A feature is merely a fact about your center, your early care and education services, or your staff. It tells the prospect what you have. A benefit tells your prospect what the feature will do for them, or what they get.

The next time you start to make feature statements, “We offer a curriculum based on the latest research on brain development,” or “Miss Susie has been here for 8 years,” test the difference by asking yourself, “So what?” You must answer “So what does that mean to the prospect?” for it to be a benefit statement.

Instead, say something like, “Our preschool curriculum is based upon the latest brain research, so Timmy will experience learning activities that are not only fun, but are helping him maximize his own abilities.” Or say, “The learning activities Timmy will participate in here in this class are based upon the latest brain development research, and will help him develop to more of his potential.” These latter statements change the way the prospects hear what you say and the word picture in their mind is of their own child in your center getting the best possible education. They sell rather than tell. And therein lies the difference.

In a benefit statement, your prospect sees themselves taking the action (Timmy is learning…) versus you taking the action (We have a curriculum..). It’s a small adjustment in how you say it that makes a BIG difference to your prospects. People buy benefits, not features.

Whether you are talking to prospects on the phone or in person; the more you talk in benefits versus features, the more those prospects will picture themselves doing business with you and glad made the decision to act on your recommendation. That helps creates an loyal customer and cost-effective referral source.

When you speak in benefits, you will be selling, not just telling. Then, someday one of your new customers might say, “They know the difference!”

Best wishes and happy marketing!

P.S. For additional tips that make a difference, listen to my audio program, “Basic Techniques for Securing Enrollment.” A synopsis of this and other learning programs in The Enrollment Building Success Library are available by calling us at 1-800-876-0260 or by visiting www.juliewassom.com.

–Julie Wassom
Julie@JulieWassom.com
http://JulieWassom.com

Making Follow-Up Easy

You’ve had prospects that came to an event. At the event, you talked with these prospects about what you offer and the benefits they would receive. Maybe they even signed your guest book. After the event, you sent these prospects a letter and some additional information. However, you have not heard anything in reply. You are wondering what to do next without feeling intrusive like the dreaded sales calls you receive from telemarketers. Sound familiar?

Many people believe that if prospects were truly interested , they would call you after this initial follow-up action, and that contacting them again might be perceived as being pushy. Here are some thoughts to give you a different perspective on initiating follow-up, and tips to make it well received.

First, remember these prospects came to the event to learn, to make connections, to seek help in making a good buying decision. They NEED your help in doing so. One way to help them beyond this initial conversation is to include a personal note with the materials you send after the event. In the note, you indicate when you will be calling them to follow-up – sometime within seven to ten days later. Don’t even expect them to call you back.

For instance, you could say, “I will give you a call next Tuesday, to answer any questions you have and to offer my help as you consider this decision.” This sets up a prospect expectation, and gives you the chance to begin to build credibility and trust.

Then call them exactly on the day you said you would. On the call, you could say, “I’m calling you as I said I would to answer your questions on the information I sent you last week following the (event name). What questions came up since then as you read that material? (Answer the questions). What other help can I give you at this stage of your search?”

Do not say, “Do you have any questions?” This question elicits a singular response that may not give you any details about what your prospects needs most from you at this point. Also, when you talk, ask your prospect to schedule a personal visit – or another one if they have already been there.

If you get voice mail, use nearly the same dialogue, except say exact times when you are available for a call back. I often request that if people miss me when they call back, they leave times on my voice mail when it is best for me to return their call. I also refer them to my website for interim information.

Remember, prospects who have inquired or come to an event are interested, they need your expertise, your attention, and your guidance as they make this important decision. If you follow-up well, you will not be perceived as the pesky telemarketer, but the helpful, knowledgeable resource your prospect can trust. And that leads to sales.

Get Julie’s Special Report, “The Fortune is in the Follow-Up”

–Julie Wassom
Julie@JulieWassom.com
http://JulieWassom.com