stop selling suppliers and start selling you
DESCRIPTION
The supplier's job is not to generate sales for you, it’s to get the consumer to buy their product whether it be through the home based agent, the retailer, direct, online or via some other channel. When they “market with you”, they’re selling their product, so who’s convincing the consumer to buy your product? Do the marketing pieces you send your customer promote you and your skills equally with the attractiveness of the supplier’s product? In this session, we’ll look at the ways you can leverage your personal brand, your knowledge, your capabilities and your already deep relationship with your customer (you do have one, right?) to dramatically grow your profits by marketing and differentiating you and the compelling reasons why it’s so much better for the consumer to buy that product through you.TRANSCRIPT
Car Dealers• It’s all about them• Made assumption
you want to buy Ford• Offering compelling
reasons to buy from them
• Creating sense of urgency
Car Dealers & Travel• It’s all about them• Made assumption
you want to buy Ford• Offering compelling
reasons to buy from them
• Creating sense of urgency
• Mostly about supplier• Assumes buyer has
not decided on brand• No real reason to buy
from ABC Travel
• Limited sense of urgency
Beautiful Images
Question: Where Are You?
???
Answer (Usually): Nowhere!
Selling you, your capabilities =
your # 1 job!!
Why’s That Critical?• No longer need buy from traditional agent• Fewer (but) larger, more capable competitors• Numerous channels: online agencies, other
traditional, direct sales, etc.– Suppliers leveraging 3rd parties
• Consumer experience = comfort zone– Internet: Zipsetgo.com itineraries
• Product, destination knowledge useless IF they don’t buy from you
What Do You Sell?
Products
Destinations
FITs
Car Rentals
Insurance
Villas
Int’l AirDreamsGreat
Service
My Specialty
What Do You Sell?
Products
Destinations
FITs
Car Rentals
Insurance
Villas
Int’l AirDreamsGreat
Service
My Specialty
EVERYONE
CAN DO THIS
Here’s What You Need to be Selling!• Expertise: unconfuse them• Experience: been there, done that,
know the shortcuts, etc.• Time saving• Personal services/strong relationship• Advocate before, during, after • My unique values & benefits (differentiation)
What Else Do You Sell?
What’s unique about you?What do you do better than anyone?Will it pass “so what?” test?
Get Started Now!
• Find your unique position• Arm yourself to execute• Market effectively to the right customer• Build truly personal relationships• Sell like your life depended on it!
Find Your Unique Position
• Everyone has much to offer!• Position yourself consistently
Find Your Unique Position
• Everyone has much to offer!• Position yourself consistently• Focus: where customer needs you• Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro• www.theproductivitypro.com
• Believe in yourself• Know what it is you offer
Arm Yourself to Execute
• Know your stuff; your clients do• Train constantly to develop skills– Product, destination, etc.– Selling– Marketing– Communication– Interpersonal – Specialize: limit knowledge req’ts
Arm Yourself to Execute
• Free/low cost training– Travel Institute– ASTA SmartBrief– Trade media– Consortia provided training– Practice constantly
• Amanet.org• Selfgrowth.com• Worldwidelearn.com
Arm Yourself to Execute
• Even Eagles Need a Push, David McNally, www.davidmcnally.com
• Book Yourself Solid, Michael Port, www.michaelport.com
• Mr. Schmooze, Richard Abraham, www.mrshmooze.com
• The 7 Marketing Mistakes Every Business Makes, Terry Langhans, www.blahblahblah.us
• Double Digit Growth, Michael Treacy, www.michaeltreacy.com
Arm Yourself to Execute• Customer expectations = enabling technology• Invest in yourself/your business/your image– BlackBerry/iPhone/cell phone– Laptop/portability– CRM, back office (e.g. TRAMS.com)– Web site (professional, timely info, etc.)– Social networking, etc.– How you dress, look
• Validates you
Market to Right Customer• Right customer– Database profiled, overlaid– Financial, purchase behavior, psycho’s, demo’s– Sell what you offer to the right customer
• Ask for referrals from happy customers– Mine/update database constantly
• PR opportunities– Local media hungry– Prnewsonline.com
Get Out There
• Twitter• Facebook• Plaxo.com• LinkedIn.com
Get Out There
• Twitter• Facebook• Plaxo.com• LinkedIn.com• Direct marketing– Newsletters, etc.
• Personal notes, emails
Get Out There
• Twitter• Facebook• Plaxo.com• LinkedIn.com• Direct marketing– Newsletters, etc.
• Personal notes, emails• And the dreaded “call out”– 5 by 12?
Build Personal Relationships
• Make ‘em feel important (they are!)• Good service price of entry; exceptional service
= differentiator– Be “Mr./Mrs. Schmooze”!
• Get to know them at pheromones level• Be sincere– Love what ya do, mean what ya say
Become Selling Machine• Consultation, not dissertation– Ask lots of probing questions
• Listen; be a psychologist• Create need, solve problems• Focus on the emotional aspects• What’s right for customer – and you– Most lucrative; volume = strength– Support preferreds
Selling is Forever
• Pre-departure experience• When they’re back– Happy birthday/anniversary …– Saw this book, thought of you … – Grandkids, pets, yada, yada, yada
• Ask for referrals– Repeat factor??
• Go for share of wallet• Followupsuccess.com• NetWorkingNow.com
Make It Happen!!
• Focus on selling you • Change, improve constantly• Arm yourself for success• Create exceptional relationships• Sell (and sell yourself) like crazy• Remember: you are incredible, unique
