Archive For: Marketing

Who Wins a Price War?

Aussie 100 Dollar
Who Wins a Price War?
I was running an MC Mastery workshop on

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Saturday and there were questions about pricing. In the industry some are charging 10 to 30% of what others charge.

I learnt early in the game “No One Wins a Price War”.

Look at recent price fights with the supermarkets. Milk prices are down, bread prices down and beer prices were almost down. Supermarkets have long had “loss leaders” – products at or below cost to get customers in the store. They then make up the margin on other products. Customers get the illusion of a bargain but suppliers get taken advantage of! Dairy farmers make less profit per litre on milk than supermarkets do yet the farmers do all the hard work (I grew up on a dairy farm and know the large amount of work for the small amount of money).


CUB chose not to participate in a beer war but not selling product to the two major supermarkets. They also sent team members to buy back valuable brands of wine that were being sold below wholesale. Don’t mess with CUB!


What about your prices? Once you have to start defending your prices, you are lost. Put your efforts into showing your value and how much it is worth and you stay out of a price war. Show your prospect what they get for their money. What intangibles as well as tangible products and services.

This is the same for employees. Don’t ask for a pay rise because you haven’t had one for over 12 months. Justify your pay increase or bonus request by showing how much value you have brought the business. Money you have saved, sales you have contributed to, and value you have brought to the business.


No one wins a price war, so don’t even think about it. Focus solely on the value you are providing and make it a logical win-win decision.

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What is the Value?

Whether you are selling, motivating, leading, parenting, exercising, marketing or just making things happen, you HAVE to know, what is the value.  What is the value of what you are trying to achieve for you, your team, your family, your friends, whoever is on your side.


Why would someone want to buy your product or service? What problem will it solve for them or what benefit will it give them?
Why would your team member want to exhibit the behaviour you want? What do they get for it or what do they avoid?


Sales and motivation is all about value.  Show them the value and you can’t help but be a success.


So what is the Value?

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Selling is Not Smart

Conversation



Selling is Not Smart

I have done many sales courses over the years.  I have read many sales books, blogs and newsletters.  I have listened to many sales CD’s and tapes.  I have come to the conclusion that Selling is Not Smart.

What I mean by that is that there is no super smart magic special formula, sentence, statement, or approach that is guaranteed to work every time.  There is no secret that you are missing and the super stars know.

The foundation of sales is this.  

How can you solve your customer’s problem?  



To get to ask this question you need to build rapport in a way that is comfortable to you and that doesn’t alienate your prospect.  Basically, be you and have a conversation. The best way to find out how is to practice having an engaging conversation and listen for the issue or problem they have.

Practice on your partner, your kids, your friends, your work colleagues, your clients, your prospects and all of a sudden you will find that you are a legendary sales person – simply by finding out how to solve your customer’s problems.

Like I said, selling is not smart, it’s an effortless conversation.

Image: Clairity 

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Where is the Best Place to Exhibit?

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Have You Got Gifts?

It is only 12 days until Christmas. For those of us who celebrate it, now is the time

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for us to run around like headless chooks searching for the perfect gifts – or not!! In fact, Jill Chivers (a friend, shopping guru and woman who has just survived a year without buying clothes) has some excellent tips on How to Survive Holiday Shopping.


As it is only 12 days until Christmas, Wifey and I got to chatting about the 12 Days of Christmas. Personally, I don’t need that many birds. With all the swans, partridges and even maids a milking, I don’t have room in the house for all of those presents. So we came up with the 12 Days of Christmas challenge.

Technically, the 12 Days of Christmas start on December 26. I am happy for you to start this challenge any time you want. Maybe you don’t even celebrate Christmas. You may prefer Ramadan, Hanukah, Festivus, Holy Give Warwick a Present Day – whatever you choose. But I strongly recommend you choose the 12 Days of Christmas Challenge. This challenge is not about what you get, but about what you give.

So check out the 12 Days of Christmas Challenge and let me know how you go!

Enjoy


Warwick

PS Speaking of Christmas, I have been able to get some more bonus items from other authors of Agents of Action. It is now up to over $1,600 worth of value for the price of the book. Thanks to those of you who have already pre-ordered it – you will get all of the bonuses (and any more I may be able to get!)

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Want to Get More Sales?


Last week I was interviewed by Annemarie Cross on her Career Success Radio program.  We talked about many things for just under an hour.  In particular, we were talking about sales and how to increase them.

I thought that it is the kind of thing many people would be interested in.  If you are interested visit Annemarie’s Blog and have a listen.

If you like what you hear and are interested in finding out how to Double Your Return when exhibiting at your next Trade Show or Expo, then visit www.DoubleYourReturn.com to get your free copy of  the Double Your Return CD and special report on how you can Double Your Return when you next exhibit.


Enjoy!!

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Who Are You Talking To?

I have just finished three days on the floor of an expo for a client.  I continue to be amazed at behaviour of exhibitors. 
Let me back track.  It’s easy to be an ORDINARY exhibitor.  All you need is cash and a product or service to sell and you can exhibit.  To be aGOOD exhibitor, you just have to do the basics right.  With a little extra effort and focus, you can be an EXCELLENT exhibitor.

At this stage, I just want to focus on being a GOOD exhibitor.  It is just about the basics.  The important thing is, who are you talking to?  So many exhibitors at the recent show were not talking to anyone.  Some were standing there with their arms crossed, some were sitting (I still can’t believe people do that) and some were just waiting for others to talk to them.  Some even seem shy and unable to approach the visitors.

My theory is that if you are not talking to anyone, you talk to everyone.  

Nothing attracts attention like attention.  If you are not talking to anyone it makes you less approachable.  By speaking to someone, it is less intimidating for others to come and join in the conversation or look at your wares.  Talking to people also allows you to qualify them.  If they are not interested, politely move them on and if they are interested take them to the next level.

It you are not talking to anyone, talk to everyone.

Who are you talking to?

PS If you want to see how I exhibit, drop into see me at booth 48 at Meetings Mart.  It’s free, on tomorrow at Crown Promenade in Melbourne and I promise I will talk to you!

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Do You Feel Special?


More importantly than do you feel special, do you make your customers, your prospects or your team feel special?
The research has shown what many of us knew instinctively. Customer loyalty and purchase decisions are more based on how your customer/prospects feel than a logical decision. So do you make them feel special?  Look at any exhibitor, leader, company or sales person who you think is “Extraordinary”.  The reality is that they are not extraordinary, they are simply ordinary people doing extraordinary things.  They do a little bit more than your average person or company does and this makes them stand out.

For example, wifey and I went to dinner last night with friends to Borsh, Vodka and Tears.  Knowing it is popular I made sure that I had booked for 4 at 7:30pm.  So far all was proceeding as usual.  I got the phone call from them earlier in the day to confirm my booking (as has become standard with many restaurants now) and wifey and I headed in at the designated time.  Most places will just have “reserved” on the table, typically with a credit card logo as they will sponsor the sign and pay for them, but not here.  I was quite excited to find that their reservation system was…..My Name!!  Check it out. 
Reservation Card

Now they didn’t spell it correctly, but I didn’t care because it was close enough.  To help them manage all of their bookings, it was also systemised.  Noticed the table number, the number of people and time of the booking is also on the card.  While I know it is only a little thing, it made me feel special.  Not just “another booking” but “Warwick’s” booking.

In what you do, do you make your customers and colleagues feel special?  Do you just do that little bit extra to make it extraordinary?  You could be an exhibitor, a sales person or simply part of a larger organisation.  What will you do TODAY to make those around you feel special?

Enjoy!!
Warwick
PS I got plenty of feedback from last week’s Get More Goer.  For those of you who really wanted to know, yes Mum did lick the spoon.
Also, demand for the Frangelico and Brownies recipe was high.  For those of you who missed it, you can download it here.

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Sales Tips from a 10 Year Old Sri Lankan

It is amazing what you can learn in the strangest of places.
On the road from Colombo to Yala I learnt a valuable sales tip that is applicable to any sales situation but particularly to exhibitors. All across Sri Lanka there are huts on the side of the road where the locals sell their produce. Here is one we stopped at that had a

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lot of different beans, peas, grains and chillies.

Some of the more humble huts are staffed by children. (Hut is a bit generous. It is more a simple table!) As you got closer they were smiling, holding high what they had to sell and inviting you to stop and look at their produce. Originally I just dismissed them as kids selling vegetables but then I noticed something. After we went past, they were still smiling and simply tried to engage the next passer by. It got me thinking and comparing this young boy to many of the exhibitors I have seen and worked with.
Here is what that 10 year old Sri Lankan taught me:
  • Smile! It helps to engage with the passers by.
  • Make sure the prospect knows exactly what you are offering – even if this means waving around your product.
  • Use some kind of pick up line to engage the passer by.
  • If they don’t stop, don’t take it personally. Keep smiling and look for the next person.
Such simple things that so many in sales, and particularly those exhibiting at Trade Shows or Expos, forget to do.
Enjoy!

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People are Lovely!

Hi All


I find Marketing to be a delicate balance between telling people how damn good you are and humbly sharing the results you have been able to achieve.


In this vein, I wanted to share with you some lovely comments I received after MCing and speaking at a conference.  Here is what the lovely people said:


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How Good is Your Signage?

A speaking colleague of mine and Marketing Guru Winston Marsh, told me years ago that you have to be a better Marketer of what you do than a Doer of what you do.  Without some effective marketing, people wont know what product, service or value you offer.


At a Trade Show or Expo, you need to put this principle on steroids!


You have such a short time to get the visitor’s attention, let alone their interest.  It astounds me how people still put up posters with sooooo much text on it that it makes your head spin. Or has a fabulous picture but nothing that actually tells you what they do.  You have to make your signage work for you.


Here is a great example of signage which misses the mark.

It may have worked in 1919 for the Temperance Movement (I have my doubts), but it wouldn’t work today.  People would just keep on drinking!

How is your signage?  
Is it easy to grasp? 
Does it encourage your target market to find out more?
Does it lead to more sales or qualified prospects?

If it doesn’t do these things, then change it.  You don’t want your target market to just go on drinking!





PICTURE: Not sure of the original source, but lovely Bronwyn sent it to me. It sure is funny!

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Avoid the Empty Aisle Syndrome

I was looking at my Twitter stream recently and saw some disturbing pictures from @TimboReid as he was visiting an Expo in Melbourne.  The scariest of which was this one:


Scary expo, huh?


Unfortunately exhibitors get into the habit of expecting the organiser to bring in the crowds.  That is not how it always works.  They are flat out organising the exhibitors, the set up, charging the visitors and doing some broad marketing for the entire show.  What you want is people and companies who are specifically focussed on your product and services.  No one knows them better that you.  Typically the Expo organiser will give you some free tickets as part of your exhibitor package, if they don’t then ask for some – they can only say no!


Once you have some of these free tickets, use them wisely.  Invite some people from the group below and even book some appointment times with them so you can focus on them.  So here is who to invite:


Your existing customers   
It is commonly accepted that it is five times easier to sell to an existing customer yet most organisations focus solely on marketing to new clients.  Build on your existing relationships and re-engage with your customers by having them refresh what they think they know about you.  You can show them what is new for you and what else you can do for them


Industry Leaders
If you have been wanting to get the attention of Industry Leaders or key players, invite them along to visit your stand.  You know they will probably want to come to the show anyway, so why not make a time for them to be at your stand.  At the very least it will be a good photo opportunity for your marketing or internal newsletter.


Hot Prospects
If you have some hot prospects or organisations then get them to your stand.  Yes they will probably visit your competitor or see what else is around but they will know who invited them.  You will have enough confidence in your own solutions that you can deal with the fact that they will be visiting your competitor.  Take the opportunity to shine in front of your prospect.


Your Niche
No doubt you have some kind of regular marketing process, be it your blog, newsletter, twitter stream, advertising or networking.  Make sure that your niche know that you will be at the Expo and you would love for them to visit.  Give them a reason to visit – maybe a “Mention this newsletter/blog/card and get a free…..”  If you are giving away gifts you may as well give it to someone in your niche versus someone who just walks past.


So now it’s your turn.  Who are you going to invite to your next show?  Get it started well before the show and you will definitely avoid the Empty Aisle Syndrome.


Enjoy!


Warwick 
The Get More Guy
www.warwickmerry.com









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Marketing via Humour

A friend just sent me this joke email
Instructions for a fun time on the interstate … 

Step 1. Tie 3 balloons to your pickup truck…
Step 2. Drive like a bat out of a hell!
Step 3. Watch people freak out!!!


This is very funny.  Almost like a Warner Brothers cartoon funny.
But then I noticed the truck. NonStop Action.  I did a search but couldn’t find further info about them, so lets play “What if”
What if “Nonstop Action” was a:

  • TV Channel
  • Paint Ball park
  • Video game arcade
  • Extreme sport agency
  • Balloon manufacturer
  • Event organiser

This simple idea of driving on the freeway/motorway/interstate with some unique balloons and some appropriate contact detail on the side of the car would definitely get you some attention.
A more detailed search has shown this to be the 2004 Cannes Lion Grand Prix Winner for Outdoor Advertising.  The company was indeed a TV Channel.
So what about you?  What can you tie to your car to attract attention?  Or maybe just stick to the side of the car, colour in the window, attach to your brief case, hang from your hand bag?
Use this award winning idea to come up with a funky idea to market yourself.
Let me know what you do!


Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy
www.warwickmerry.com



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BioGuard Connect

BioGuard Connect 
 
A big HELLO POSSUMS to all of my BioGuard friends.
 
I trust that after the conference you are all feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and are now fired up to make 2010/2011 your best year ever.  I suspect that there may be some of you who are thinking “Did I actually go to the conference?  I have been busy, hasn’t time flown!!”
Knowing that it is challenging to absorb everything, build an action plan and put it all into place, I thought I would give you a little bit of help.  A couple of people have contacted me asking for a little more information after the conference.  It seems to me that nothing could be better than sitting through my Get More from Local Area Marketing session all over again!!  Let’s make it a little easier though.  I was able to record the session I ran at the conference and as my gift to you, I would like you to download a copy here.
 
Get More from Local Area Marketing – 45MB file  (about 5 mins on broadband)
  • Simply right click on the link above
  • Select “Save Link As” 
  • specify a location on your hard drive to save it. 
Once it is on your hard drive, you can upload it into iTunes or your media player and play it on your iPhone, iPod, phone or portable music player.  You could even burn it onto a CD and play it in the car (if your car CD player plays MP3 files).
 
If you are having trouble with this, call me on 0408 592 158 and I will walk you through it or you could always get a teenager to help!!
Now you can listen to it again(and again and again…) to get further information out of it that you may have missed the first time as well as revisiting the key points you got first time around.
ALSO……
While you are here, please use the box to the left to sign up to the Get More Goer.  It is a small weekly email that keeps you fired up for the week and shares a quirky observation on life and work.  It comes out every Monday (except when I forget, so then it’s a Tuesday!)
  • In the Name box type your full name
  • In the email box type your email address
  • Click the Subscribe button 
I had a stack of fun at the Darwin Conference.  It was great to Connect with you all.  If I can help in any way, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Warm regards
Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy 
 
Dame Edna

 

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Are You Insane?



Of late I have seen more insanity in the workplace that usual. Here are some samples of insanity I have been a witness to:

  • A friend of mine told me how one of her peers had her office door removed (without consulting her) so he could “better communicate with his team”.
  • I was chatting to someone on a flight to Alice Springs who worked for a major bank. An external consultant recommended that as part of an OH&S audit one of the branches to be sampled was Tennant Creek. An external OH&S lawyer and senior HR person had to travel for a day and a half to perform a 90 minute interview that was not permitted to be done by phone.
  • I have personally sat in a meeting called to discuss why we were having so many meetings

Personally, I cannot understand why any of these and many other things happen. I see insanity on the Trade Show and Expo floor also.

At a recent three day trade show, one of the exhibitors was so embarrassed about how her stand was doing, she would not call her manager and tell them their figures at the end of each day. They were 75% down on previous shows. I asked if she had done anything different from a previous show and she said yes. Their new products needed some explaining so they kept the stock out of the customers reach. For almost two days they had this format. Even though in the old format they had made major sales! I told her to instantly change the booth back to have the stock at the front with the new stock to one side. They had not finished the change and it started to make an impact. Visitors saw the stock and came up to ask questions and buy.

Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result.

If what you are doing on a show floor is not working, change it. If your greetings and attempts to engage don’t work, change them. If you booth doesn’t look good, change it. If your staff are

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not working out, change them. Most shows are at least two days long, don’t get to the end and say “It didn’t work”. That would be insane. If something is not working, change it.

What insanity do you need to change at your next show or in your work place?


Warwick

PS Many people have asked where can they see me speak. I am speaking at an upcoming seminar (that is remarkably affordable – some would say insane!) in Melbourne on How to Get More Face to Face Sales. Get the details here.

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