While most of us need a second chance now and then in life, there are rarely second chances in business development. You can’t call a busy vice president or CEO a second time and say, “Hey, our first conversation really didn’t go the way that I wanted it to. Can we try that again?” The prospect has moved on, and you have no choice but to do the same.
Many sales messages suck because they weren’t developed for sales at all. They were prepared as a marketing message. But a marketing message is created to appeal to the masses, while a sales message must excite genuine interest during a one-on-one (or one-on-group) interaction.
The sales message should not be delivered like a monologue. Asking prospects “high gain” questions during the interaction will help elicit information about prospect needs, wants, and priorities. When you’re responding to what your prospect told you was important, you can present what you’re selling as a perfect match.
What can be done to make a sales message effective?
Know the Lifetime Value of Your Prospect
The better you understand the potential benefit that an A-list client can offer your company, the more likely you are to take all the steps necessary to make that one shot count.
Understand the Emotional Side of Sales Messaging
Most of us tend to buy on emotion and rationalize the purchase afterward, so the degree to which sales language takes this into account will separate those who do okay in closing sales from those who do exceptionally well.
Avoid the Disconnect
If your prospect doesn’t understand beyond a shadow of a doubt what you do and why it’s so important to take the next step with you—whether that’s a meeting, reviewing a proposal, or closing the sale—your sales process is pretty much dead in the water.
The Slam Dunk Message
The right message is all about the right words for the right target in the right situation. When crafting your sales message, delve deeply into who your ideal clients are and what they need to hear in order to take the action you are suggesting.
The Right Message Repels the Wrong People
A prospect who ends up being a bad fit for your company can waste a lot of your resources and energy. But when you’re doing business development right, you’ll find that the right words for your ideal client will actually repel some of the wrong people.
Give a Clear Call to Action
Every interaction with your prospects is about guiding them to the next step of the sales process. This means you need them to be very clear about what they should do next to move forward with you.