Sales And Marketing Tips For Your Small Business – Sell The Sizzle!

Did you ever buy a drill because you felt a strong desire to own a drill? Somehow, I doubt it. Chances are what you really needed was a hole. Or, more precisely, what you really needed was something to help you make lots of holes in lots of different surfaces. What you didn’t want to do is buy a drill just for the sake of owning the drill. Your customers feel exactly the same way about your products and services. They buy them for the result that they can provide them with.

Prospects and customers buy products and services to get an advantage; an advantage for themselves or maybe the company they are working for. The advantage may come in many different ways. Perhaps they want it to make them feel more attractive; perhaps some areas of their work or life will be made easier or more convenient; maybe the purchase will bring beauty or pleasure into their lives or give them greater personal status or prestige.

These days your prospects and customers are inundated with marketing and sales messages about all sorts of products and services wherever they go and the choices open to them are greater than ever before. But, whatever they are looking for, there’s something they all have in common – what they want to know is what benefit they will gain – that age old query that’s never far from most people’s lips: “What’s In it For Me?”?’ question. And your sales and marketing hits maximum effectiveness when it answers that question.

Now before you start saying “Tell me something I don’t know” take a look around you at the number of companies out there that don’t give the answer. All they do is list feature after feature in their sales messages. Then take a look at the professionals who know how to hit the spot.

How does Apple sell its technology products? Not by focusing on microchips, batteries or CPUs. They provide stylish, electrifying, inspiring, up to the minute technology that you know you’ve just got to own and be seen to own.

Slumberland doesn’t sell you a boring mattress but 8 hours of refreshing sleep and the sweetest of dreams in blissful comfort, which leaves you revived and full of energy to be your best the next day.

Successful sales and marketing cuts straight to the WIFM (What’s In It For Me?) factor by clearly illustrating and emphasising the benefits of the product or service. It was in 1936 when US salesman Elmer Wheeler said “It’s the sizzle that sells the steak, not the cow, although the cow is mighty important!”

Since that time “Sell the sizzle not the steak” has become one of the world’s favourite marketing mantras. Make it a favorite for you and your business too!

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