Last week marketer John Jantsch joined a live audience with HerBusiness to discuss his latest book, Duct Tape Selling – Think Like a Marketer, Sell Like a Superstar. During the interview with HerBusiness’s Suzi Dafnis, he explained that:
- the nature of sales and marketing has changed because the nature of buying has changed
- the role of the salesperson needs to move more closely into the realm of marketing
- a salesperson doesn’t just close deals anymore! The sales process isn’t over when the client says ‘yes’ and
- a sale is not a sale until the customer gets a result
According to Jantsch, the salesperson (and that means most of us who are in business) needs to interact with the customer much earlier on; the salesperson needs to act as guide, helping the client through their journey. In Duct Tape Selling, Jantsch gives readers step-by-step information on the entire selling process; teaching them how to expand their traditional definition of sales and, as a result, attract the ideal kind of client. Listening is essential, he explains. Companies large and small need to listen to not only what the client is saying but also what they are not saying. Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook are all online listening tools that are essential to helping small businesses pick up signals and gain a better understanding of their clients. An additional piece of advice offered during the interview was: Narrow the market! In a bid to attract a larger audience base, businesses use ambiguous terms to describe their target market. But to achieve better results, a business needs to find the right kind of audience – quality not quantity! Defining a more precise demographic can also help to craft marketing and services and really promote the point of difference between a company from others out there.
“One of my favourite quotes from the sessions was when John talked about blogging in a way I hadn’t heard before. Often when we talk bout bloging people thing they need to be a blogger. John talked about blogging in terms of blogging to create artefacts, an online trail that leads people back to you, rather than thinking we need to take on the role of a blogger.” – explained Suzi Dafnis
Duct Tape Selling reconsiders the role of the salesperson rather as a teacher. It is the their job to educate the client on what they need to know, how to get the results they are after and how to choose the right approach for them. You are the guide; you need to educate the client on why they need you! What attendees said they enjoyed:
“The useful and practical information.” “The speaker. I have been a follower of his for many years and have a number of his books and podcasts.” “The reminder that the clients that are the most profitable are worth replicating. Be clear who they are.” “The conversation sparked ideas for followup in our business.” “So much clear info that can be put into practice immediately.” “John gave some great hints in regards to communicating effectively with potential customers.”
Watch the webinar now. Access the recording from the Online Learning Centre. Premium Members watch for free. Learn about Premium Membership, here. This post was co-authored by Ella McDougall, an intern with HerBusiness. Ella is studying Journalism at the University of Technology, Sydney.
