Turn on the TV or radio, surf the Internet, open your mail (or email)—what do you notice?
You probably have a high volume of advertisements and marketing campaigns targeting you, begging for your attention. But do you open every sales envelope or listen to every commercial? No. So why would your customers be any different?
While mass marketing is an excellent tool to create awareness about your product or service, it cannot compare to face-to-face communication when it comes to making the sale or closing the deal.
Consumers make buying decisions based upon emotion rather than rationalization. A product or service needs to make consumers “feel” better or rid them of “pain.” Yet sometimes, consumers aren’t even aware of the “need” your product can fulfill. This is when face-to-face selling comes into play.
Regardless of who is doing the selling or what the product or service is, closing the deal is important to small-business owners and big-box stores alike. But spam email, blogging, instant messaging, television, and other electronic mass marketing methods have desensitized the American buyer. This is where small business owners have an edge: face-to-face selling is simply more effective than the mass marketing.
Still a nonbeliever? Consider the following benefits that only face-to-face communication can boast:
Overcome “Marketing Noise”
Selling face-to-face is much more powerful than another envelope in a sea of letters. When you are in front of a prospect or client, you have the enviable position of having his or her complete attention. However, just like TV commercials, you still must get the buyer’s attention immediately. Enthusiasm and energy are just as important as the merits of your product and its advantages over the competition.
Meet the Consumer’s Needs
When you meet the consumer face-to-face, it allows you to tailor your presentation based upon his or her specific and individual needs. While ads can be customized to meet specific perceived “needs,” there’s no way to ensure it reaches your target audience. But speaking with the consumers allows you to emphasize how your product or service can meet their specific needs.
Speak the Same Language
Effective salespeople can tailor their presentations to meet their clients’ specific personalities and gain their trust and acceptance. While it’s true that everyone is different and unique, it’s also true that people tend to fall into four basic behavioral types when it comes to buying a service or product. Closing the deal depends on distinguishing how to best communicate with the client, depending on his or her behavior type. While your product or service may not change, your approach and message should be different for each new potential customer.
Observe Non-Verbal Messages
It’s been said that 75 percent of communication is non-verbal. Selling face-to-face allows you to better gauge how your client is accepting your presentation and if additional probing is necessary. Facial expressions, body posture, and vocal tone and pitch, as well as other non-verbal cues, can serve as instant feedback about the effectiveness and relevancy of your presentation. This essential ability is non-existent in mass marketing techniques; it’s like playing a basketball game with the scoreboard covered.
Provide Instant Anwers
While buyers can always call an 800-number or log on to an F.A.Q. website, the time to answer questions is never more opportune than during the presentation. Salespeople cannot only overcome objections, but determine if their assumptions about the buyer’s needs are correct. The consumer will be more confident writing a check if all the questions about the product or service have been answered and explained.
Close the Deal in Real-Time
The best time to make the sale is when the buyer is ready and sitting in front of you—not after the buying impulse has passed. It’s known that the more time that passes after the presentation, the less likely the sale will be made. Face-to-face selling allows you to control the buying process, instead of allowing the consumer to control the process. This gives you the ability to adjust the speed and direction of your product pitch. ♦
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I have just started a small seo consultancy business and the steady income thing is not a major concern for me, as I have a lot of clients who pay in monthly installments. The one thing that I find hard is knowing when to stop work and when I can actually start it. I have a young family so time is a major issue for me.
Excellent post. As always I enjoy reading your posts…