To Make The Sale Know Your Audience

To Make The Sale Know Your Audience  

Smart Business Thinking by Jim Whelan

When I left the corporate corner office and hung out the Business Advisor shingle I joined a networking group.

Northern Virginia Business Referrals meets in Arlington every Tuesday for breakfast. A cross section of skills and professions are represented in the group.

After three months frustration was building. Not only did I not have any referrals (being new to the game I had few to give), I wasn’t sure they knew my mane or what my service entailed.

A group member who exhibits a lot of marketing smarts is Linda Zenker, Associate Real Estate Broker in northern Virginia.  I asked her to spend a few minutes over coffee helping me out.

“Linda, what’s going on? I’m not making any headway with the group. Have not had one referral – not even a bite.”

“Jim, I know your experienced is in the corporate world and you have a fine concept about the value you bring to a client. Yet there’s one thing getting in your way.”

Aha I thought, Linda is going to share the inside scoop on marketing for success. Sitting on the edge of the chair ready to absorb the pearls of wisdom. Things are going to be OK from now on. 

“Jim, you’re at every breakfast. I know you are making a tremendous effort … BUT you show up at each meeting in your corporate togs – suit, shirt, and tie.

When people look and listen to you all they see is big dollar signs.

First, I suggest you dress down to a more casual style, second, why not come up with a special offering with a non-Wall-Street price tag the members can relate to.”

So the whole marketing secret is I hadn’t gauged the audience. I was in my world, not theirs.

Following Linda’s advice, I shed the suit & tie and announced a 60-day special offering. It worked. Had two takers in the next two weeks.

The Bottom Line:

Pay close attention to the audience. Focus on their concerns not yours and the value you bring to their table.

Jim is an expert business coach and a respected advisor management and financial executives. He draws on his long-term business leadership background to help CEOs grow revenue, increase profits, improve performance.