Careful, it’s a trick question. Think about your answer carefully before you inadvertently blurt out the wrong answer.
Is the goal of marketing to make a sale or generate leads? Is it to build client loyalty or create one-on-one relationships with your clients? Is it to encourage prospects to visit your store, visit your website, or take some action? In a way, it’s all of these, and it’s none of these.
The way I see it, regardless of who you are, what you are selling, or where you are in the marketing process, your goal is to motivate your prospects into taking the next step!
For prospects, that next step could be requesting additional information. It could be calling for color swatches, completing a survey, or accepting an in-home or in-office demonstration.
For clients, the next step could be to purchase again, increase their ongoing order quantity, make an annual purchase commitment, recommend your product or service, or attend a training program.
This isn’t rocket science, just basic logic. Before you land on the moon, you do more than count backwards on the launch pad. You need to plan and consider every step, from building the rocket, programming the computer guidance system, and fueling the rocket. The focus is always on moving ahead one next step.
You want to move your prospects logically from the first step to the next in the same manner. When prospects respond to an initial solicitation, this qualifies them for the next step. They are encouraged to “buy in.” This makes the next step easier for them — and for you.
Sometimes you can lead prospects through all 99 steps in a single marketing message or sales encounter. In other cases, you may need a single activity or event to convince your prospects take a miniscule step.
In most selling scenarios, there are three or four logical steps that all prospects move through before they make their decision to buy from you. Take a close look at what your prospects have to do before they become clients.
Then, let your marketing and sales activities reflect these, taking prospects logically through each step. The first step may be requesting information. Next could be seeing a demonstration, receiving a personal sales call, or receiving a CD or video presentation.
Very likely, you’ll discover that there are one or two steps absolutely critical for your success. When you have maintained a logical progression through each of the earlier steps, the big steps are easier to accomplish. You are controlling the process strategically and absolutely single-mindedly. Your bank account is proof of the viability of your strategic plan.
Think about your prospects ascending a staircase, each step taking them closer to buying. You can’t ask them to take two steps at a time or run up the stairs. They could stumble and fall, and you would lose them for good. Instead, turn that stairway into an escalator, moving them smoothly and effortlessly to each next plateau.
