How effective are the marketing materials you receive?
If you’re like the typical salesperson, you get more marketing information than you could ever begin to use. In fact, little of it is actually worth using.
It’s time marketing departments wake up and quit shoveling garbage out to salespeople, all under the premise of helping them be more effective.
Customers don’t want marketing materials. They want solutions. The last thing a customer wants to do is sit through another boring presentation.
I still remember a boss I had who believed every word that was written in a marketing brochure should be read to the customer. I’m not kidding. Working for this guy was painful, and I’m glad I only had to do it for a year.
What your customers want is a discussion about their business and their needs, not your marketing materials. You’re going to get quality discussions when you ask them questions, not show them pictures.
Most customers have seen every type of marketing material, whether it be in hard-copy, PowerPoint or from a website. They’ve seen it all.
Instead of using your time preparing marketing materials that won’t make a difference, spend your time developing the questions you want to ask. Spend your time doing research on what the customer is most likely looking for. It’s about the customer, not you.
Not using materials is not excuse to not prepare. In fact, it’s just the opposite! Without the use of materials, you must take more time to prepare, because now you’re being very focused on the individual customer you’re about to meet.
Over the years, I’ve found the top performing salespeople in every industry are those who are just as effective in developing and closing customers without sales materials as they are with them. When the salesperson can make things happen without using marketing aids, it tells me they’re on top of their game and they know their business.
Trust me on this. It’s time to throw away the marketing materials.
Copyright 2013, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
Praises on this one! When I was in the field years ago, I rarely used marketing pieces. In fact, we barely had any and the ones I had were not the greatest… So I adapted and learned to work without them… It forced me to initiate conversation, rather than depend on material. Best thing that could ever have happened to me.