Art of Marketing
Chapter 19. Using Other Ways to Sell
Don’t bother just to be,
better than your,
contemporaries or predecessors.
Try to be better than yourself. ― William Faulkner
There can be 3 different ways to sell a product or service.
Unfortunately,
the average company loves one or maybe two different ways
to sell their products
and then focuses solely on those methods and strategies.
In doing so,
companies miss out on some potentially huge sales opportunities.
Today, there are a few different ways of selling
over the Internet that you can apply.
In addition,
there is telephone sales,
sales through large and small retailers,
direct sales,
wholesale,
catalog sales,
press coverage,
franchising,
distribution channels,
multi-channel selling supply,
sell internally,
via television,
radio and other media,
including mobile phones,
enter joint ventures,
strategic alliances or even at trade shows.
Thousands of companies sell millions
or even billions of dollars’ worth of products
and services with just one or more
of these sales methods each year.
If you’re only using one or two of these methods,
adding just one more sales method can double your revenue
and make you the market leader.
The only reason men fail is because of broken focus. ― Mike Murdock
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Finding opportunities through distribution channels
Distribution channels are the way to get goods
from your business to the end user.
In many cases,
the ways a product is brought
to market are more important than the product itself.
Distribution channels exist long after products
and services become obsolete and abandoned by the market.
What new products can you sell
through your existing distribution channels?
Let’s say your distribution channel is
through your website.
What new selling methods can you use
to complement your existing online approach
to differentiate or further complete what you are offering today?
But which new distribution channels are right
for your existing products and services?
Observe the actions of your opponents.
Are they using any other distribution channels than you?
Sometimes,
changing distribution channels
can make a significant difference in the sales
of your products and services in the market.
What new products or services can you create
for your existing distribution channels?
Can you create and develop new products
and services that align
with your existing product lines?
What products can you create
that are radically different from
the ones you already offer for existing
or new distribution channels?
The more grateful I am the more beauty I see. — Mary Davis
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A success story
For example, for many years,
Avon was one of the most successful cosmetic retailers
in the world by having distributors knocking on doors
and selling products directly to customers.
Female employees go door-to-door to introduce products,
leave catalogs,
take orders,
and have sold hundreds of millions of dollars
in product value that way.
Even so,
the market has changed.
More and more female customers go to work.
So Avon started calling the offices more than they did home,
and the female employees
who used to go door-to-door selling products
were now moving into the offices.
They have changed from home sales operations
to offices and commercial businesses.
At the same time,
Avon upgraded and changed its cosmetics,
making them more attractive and appealing,
and then added new items such as jewelry
and accessories that office women wanted
and were willing to spend money to buy.
As a result,
Avon has become the most successful direct marketing company
in the world.
Both IBM and Dell have revolutionized their computer businesses,
increasing sales by billions of dollars
by offering their proprietary products
through the company’s resellers.
Both of these businesses keep their distribution
and sales processes secret.
When they started offering products through resellers,
they let millions of additional potential customers see the product.
They could double or triple their penetration
into the personal computer and other devices market.
For years,
Apple has sold all of its products online,
in person, and through resellers.
The company then began opening Apple retail stores,
using the best of market research,
lighting,
installation,
and technology to create the best selling
and buying experience in the industry,
retail in the world.
Until Apple’s retail stores were opened,
with its superb sensitivity
and ability to focus on customer satisfaction
and indirect sales,
New York jeweler Tiffany kept position
as the highest-grossing retail company
with sales of $2,600 per square meter.
Today, however,
Apple’s stores reach $4,600 in sales per square meter thanks
to a “sell without selling” strategy.
For the best return on your money,
pour your purse into your head. — Benjamin Franklin
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Professionalize the sales process
How are you selling your product or service?
What is the specific sales process
from contacting the first customer with e-mail,
phone or face-to-face and what exactly did they ask
and say at each stage of the process?
In most small companies,
people “think what they say”
when dealing with customers.
There is no consistency and uniformity.
Sales are also unpredictable and inconsistent.
But as companies grow,
they realize they need a proven sales process
that every salesperson must follow,
from customer contact to sales and delivery.
The most successful companies emphasize the professionalism
of their sales activities.
In fact,
a company with a well-trained sales force
can sell larger volumes
at a higher price than a company
even though it may have a better product,
unprofessional sales team,
and confusion.
messy.
Small changes in the way you market (how to attract leads)
and sell (how to turn leads into customers)
can dramatically improve your sales and profits.
Better sales and marketing can make the difference
between a small company and a large company.
In every large domestic enterprise,
there are branches
that achieve 5
or 10 times the average revenue of other branches,
even if the number of sales staff,
market size,
and product cost are the same together.
In any case,
it is by well-trained sales staff
and professional management
that their business practices are consistent and clear.
If you want to lead an extraordinary life,
find out what the ordinary do and don’t do it. — Tommy Newberry
