Claim Your Merchandise

Do you remember watching the movie, Miracle on 34th Street? I get totally into a “child within” thing every time I see it. It is a 1947 Christmas classic. The film won Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Edmund Gwenn), It was also nominated for Best Picture. Edmund Gwen was the actor that played Santa Claus.

One of the themes in the movie has Santa Claus telling children’s parents where to get holiday presents, even if it was not at the store where he was working (Macy’s). The store was noticeably upset until they realized that it was bringing them tons of business. Directing customers to what they actually wanted left customers with the impression that this store cared about them, and it quickly developed into a high trust selling atmosphere for Macys. Customers knew that if Macy’s could not help them, they would send them to someone who could. This was 1947.

In dealing with our prospects in 2010, we have finally turned toward that type of high trust selling that touches on the concepts presented in the movie. Many times in talking with our prospect base, issues come up that are not related to the product or service we are offering.

Why not create a little network marketing group among your client base, and would be clients, to offer as solutions to your prospect issues? This will make you the “go to” person when issues come up, in both your client and prospect base. This will translate to more sales, and you will be highly thought of in the business community.

For more business, and loyal customers moving forward, you should:

• Be interested in the “best fit” solution for our prospect. With the advent of Internet usage (not that long ago) we saw the first iteration of the Internet — Web 1.0, constructed like the very thing most of us do not like in relationships — A one way conversation. Now we are gaining ground with Web 2.0 and thus, sales 2.0. Web 2.0 is interactive. make sure your presentations are not only helpful, but actively develop a two way communication.

• Focus on your prospect’s wants and needs, thus cultivating a value-added relationship.

• Share products and services that come directly from your client and prospect bases as solutions for any prospect. This could even be formalized into a group that could meet in-person or electronically to share wants and needs with the group.

Networking like this would create a Mind share, which is defined as the development of consumer awareness or popularity. This term Mind share is also known as Top of Mind. If you sell copiers, business services, business supplies or whatever, your client base and prospects will always have you Top of Mind if you helped them solve a problem elsewhere.

This also has the effect of getting many more referrals. Directing customers to what they actually want will leave your customers with the impression that you care about them, and it will developed into a high trust selling atmosphere for you.

By: Salvatore Piccerelli

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