Marie Johnstone
Most of you will be familiar
with the works of Dale Carnegie and, in particular, his
best-selling publication "How to Win Friends and Influence People." It may
be over half a century old, but this powerful book is still largely relevant
today. Some of his basic ideas need just a little modification for running
a successful online business. Here's how to win - and keep! - prospects on
the web:
1) GET PERSONAL.
Dale says: "Remember that a man's name is to
him the sweetest and most important sound." Political correctness aside, he's
spot on. We're less likely to trash personalized emails, are more likely
to open these first, and (providing the email is also well-written) we'll
be better disposed to actually reading them. Limited use of names within the
body of the email can also draw attention to important points, but if this
is overdone it will loose effectiveness.
2) PRAISE WHERE IT'S DUE.
Dale
says: "Begin with praise and appreciation." This is a great technique
when promoting products or services. A small amount of praise can go a
long way - as long as it's sincere and you've done your homework. Take a look
at the following two notes:
a) Hi there friend! Great site! I've got a
great new product to share with you at a very special price ...
b) Hi
Marie. Your articles in Write to Sell are top-notch. Your promotional ideas
have helped to turn my ezine into a little gold mine. By way of thanks,
I'd now like to share some exciting new ideas of mine with you
....
No points for guessing which letter will get results. The first
smacks of insincerity and contains no personalization or indication that the
writer has even visited your website. The second letter uses a
small amount of targeted praise as a great introduction to the sales
patter. This helps to establish an element of trust - necessary if you hope
to make any sales.
3) INFLATE YOUR INTEREST.
Dale says: "Talk in
terms of the other man's interests." Of course, this isn't so manageable
with an online business. It's easy to apply with a reciprocal face-to-face
conversation, but it's another matter entirely via email
correspondence.
You have to learn to be an email "scavenger."
It usually takes several emails before a deal is struck. In this time
(providing that you have followed the personalization and praise techniques),
your reader will probably have opened up a little. You should read all
their emails carefully (keep them together in a separate file if necessary)
and search for anything that they let slip about themselves - personal
details, country of residence, even their preferred style of writing
(formal or informal). These details are your marketing weapons. Comment upon
or casually drop in a few of these choice details in your replies for
added personalization. When used discretely, they can establish and build
a bond between you and your potential client.
4) LET THEM HAVE THEIR
SAY.
Dale says: "Let the other man do a great deal of the talking." Encourage
feedback from your reader. Give them a reason to reply and to pass on more
of their personal details. This can be done by making a few relevant
enquiries. Ensure that you don't ask questions which simply require a "yes"
or "no" answer. Ask something specific and get them talking. Not only does
this help you extract your marketing weapons but it also means that your
potential client won't feel as though they've been talked into anything -
even if they have.
I think you'll find that these four steps will give
you a really unfair advantage over your competition. If you want to learn
more, pick up a copy of "How to Win Friends and Influence People." It's not
too old to teach you a thing or two.
Related Articles:
Developing a Web Site Marketing Plan
Your marketing plan is the compass by which
you navigate. As opportunities arise or your business
environment changes, the objective and strategies in your
marketing plan will point you toward the best action.
Without a marketing plan, you risk becoming unfocused in
your marketing and are only guessing what might be best for
your business.
Strategies for Your Web Site Marketing Plan
How strong are your Web site strategies? Do they move your
business toward achieving your objectives or overall goals?
Think of your strategies as a framework that clarifies the
approaches you will take in meeting your Web site's
objectives. They are more specific than the objective, but
do not include exact details. After developing the strategic
framework, you will fill in the details with tactics.
Choosing Tactics for Your Web Site Marketing Plan
Objectives, strategies, and tactics - these are the parts of
a solid strategic marketing plan. Your site objective
defines the big picture, strategies provide the framework,
and tactics fill in the details. Tactics are where the
action takes place - these are the things you will do to
bring your plans to life.
