Know-How Exchange : Strategy

A report published recently on MarketingProfs noted 5 ways to get in the door (or something like that) -- my favorite was to buy a cheap cell phone, record your message on the mail box, and send your prospects the phone, asking them to "check their messages."

I love this and intend to steal it with vigor, but I am not sure I'd rely on someone to check the voicemail for a new phone. I can just see it now..."Please enter your password to access your voicemail." D'OH!

How about just sending the phone with a note that says, "This phone will ring on Tuesday at 9am. Please answer it."

(Or something like that...have to make sure no one thinks a kid's been kidnapped.)

BTW, I just read part of Frank's post I'd like to expand on. His comment on saying "We found these security leaks" and want to share them with you. can be a good opener-- but do it this way.

Say "in working with businesses as yours we find security breaks commonly in these areas, a, b, c, Are any of these possible in your company?

The assumptive close whether it be for appointment, end of sale or assuming they do have these problems is very powerful.

Great responses, thank you. Just a few follow up questions if I may:

Regarding the "We found these security leaks" message: In my experience, Carol is right in that most people don't want non-familiar people checking out their private information.

However, I do like the "in working with businesses as yours..." approach. I really like the "lunch & learn" idea, but have a few questions:

1) I assume you mean by a non commercial presentation, just thought leadership stuff, (i.e., disaster recovery, security, business trends, etc.) correct?

2) Do you recommend 1-on-1 lunch & learns or to a larger group? We have a tough time as is getting folks to agree to a meeting.

I agree that we don't need to buy someone's time, but as mentioned - C-level folks are tough to get a hold of as is.

Steve, liked your ideas as well. How do you recommend I approach offering a non-disclosure agreement and exchange some data?

I understand IT folks can be a great advocate, but in my experience most have tried to sabotage us from within since we're an all-encompassing solution.

By the way, LOVE the cell phone idea. (I'm going to look up that article now) Though I'm sure it'd have to be a pretty targeted list. At least with lunches I know they've already agreed to meet.

Would love to hear your thoughts and thanks again. This is why you guys are the "Experts!"

Does the group you target have to have continuing education credits as those in architecture, insurance, real estate etc? If you offer CEC's, they'll be at your door. If they don't -- create a variation-- they take your one hour class and get a certificate in yadda dadda.

Does the target have a staff that would benefit from an educational seminar? You buy lunch, and they learn. They don't have to leave the building.

You can do it for one, or multiples. I have greater response when its at the host company and only the host company. They are also more candid with their questions.

The CEC "rules" (or of a noncommercial statement) are it has to be educational and not an infomercial. However everyone knows you have bias. And I have never done one strictly by the rules-- they want to know about you and your service.

In giving this kind of info, you establish yourself as the expert- and you are a resource. That is the best place to be.

Of course they are hard to get. If you think one or two calls will get them, you are not being realistic. Don't be fooled-- even with a gimmick, it will still take time. you are in a relationship sell-- and relationships take time.

Sell Well and Prosper tm

Carol,

A few in our target audience you target have continuing education credits - financial, legal, etc.

We don't offer CEU's (Is there a way to do this?). Will C-level officers sit through a one hour class for a bogus certificate?

Some would have a staff that would benefit from a seminar. I imagine some my be interested in mobile security, remote access, etc. This is a very interesting approach. Will C-level execs agree to this? And how often would you recommend we give these seminars?

再次感谢你的洞察力

They're not sitting for a bogus certificate. If you don't believe you can put together a program with true real value, don't do it. They are sitting for real education. I do lunch & learns all the time without CEC's. My lunch & learns have great feedback. I could be doing one a day if I wanted.

Many certifications are not recognized by any educational accreditation. I am researching a new service for my rep biz, where my partner will provide independent moisture testing and product failure inspections. There is an investment of thousands to train to do this-- many of the certifications are not registered with any education accreditation. I am researching how competing firms market this-- listing a gazillion certifications-- many offered absolutely free online-- and probably by your definition bogus. Some even give them right to add some little letters after their name.

As far as how to get CEC's-- you go to the trade assoc that your targets are part of and submit your program. As in the example above-- I am putting together an accredited program with plans to submit it to the AIA, the target audience for the moisture testing. This is also a problem with building owners and commercial realtors need CEC's to keep current their licenses-- that'll be another target. I got an email from someone doing CEC's in insurance-- as he gets ready for a seminar -- held on a cruise ship. They will charge to give you accreditation.

In my rep biz I had a manufacturer who had CEC's and trained me to deliver-- I naively did a blast fax outlining the program-- of the 50 faxes I "tested", I got 40 back requesting the seminar. It was 40 firms I never been in the door before-- and now they're calling me. It really helped me pioneer the territory.

Wow, very interesting results. What methods have you used to alert folks of your seminars? Straight cold-calling?

So you basically call up an owner/CEO and tell them you provide complimentary educational seminars and a free lunch to their employees?

已经导致a lot of upfront costs for you?

Thanks again

That’s not what we do. We research the company and discover the names of key staff. That’s not just the CEO because you have to sell both above the level of your main contact or below their level. We also try to collect email addresses for these people and send them pdf papers as collateral.

Lower ranking execs ate more available than a CEO, so having a discussion about your products and services will allow you to go into sales mode. Ask them whether they like the concept and then phone the CEO, stating: We have been talking to X about our new software and from our conversation it would appear that ot could be very beneficial to your company’s operations. Could you give me twenty minutes (or whatever) of your time so that I can find out whether or npt this is the case.

Shut up and listen!

Best wishes

Steve Alker
Xspirt.

In the AIA community they are so popular that some firms set aside one day a week for them. For that, its only a matter of calling the person in charge of the lunch & learns and telling them you want to get on their calendar. If I am having trouble getting an initial appointment, I'll just call and get in the door that way. Then I send over my class synopsis for circulation.

Usually I set a meeting first to go over my products-- a sales meeting that is anything but non commercial. I get them enthused about my products, describe the program and we set it up.

I don't go to the CEO, they aren't my target. I go to who is responsible for the specification of my product. I can get their entire team in one presentation -- and I get everyone's cards for future follow up.

Your upfront costs are the catered lunch you bring. One of my faves that everyone likes is a mixed nosh box from Einstein Bagels. They're everywhere here, a plus when going into some unfamiliar town. Its a good value and great quality.

If you go the CEC route, the AIA (I just researched it) costs about $2500 for each area. I'll do the non CEC route first, because I think on its own we can create enough interest-- its a multi billion dollar headache.

Steve, I like your idea of researching with the lower/mid managers and referencing that person. Takes longer, but probably nets better results.

Carol, do you think these educational seminars could work with industries in which these seminars are NOT the norm?
I like the idea, I'm just thinking about the how to gain the interest of people, and whether this can work in sectors other than AIA.

I know of cec programs in real estate, insurance, legal, architecture and design-- even personal trainers have to have cec's to keep certifications current. If you are giving info that is current and valuable what is an employers option? Send the staff to a class ($$) or bring in a lunch & learn (at no cost).

Who loses when there is a security break-- who writes the cheque? Insurance? If so, fusion market with them helping to reduce claims paid. Will things end up in court? Fusion market with corporate lawyers to educate owners on reducing law suits.

Even if you don't do lunch & learns giving a non commercial presenation (at chambers, trade orgs, etc) will establish you as a resource and expert. One of my coaching clients was a group of nursing homes-- we created several programs (how to plan ahead, inurance options, etc) we took to VA's, VFW's, chambers, etc. They went from 70% to 90 plus occupancy in less than a year. But I will also tell you they combined it with old fashioned hitting the pavement.

Its a marketing tool- and part of an overall plan. Just having one doesn't guarantee success. Its all what you make of it. And your follow up after the event.

Interesting. So perhaps I can combine to of my initial thoughts with some slight variations - lunch and tech analysis.

Rather than providing lunch as a sales "gimmick" as you say, I could provide lunch together with an innocuous seminar instead of a tech analysis (would it be inappropriate to offer the analysis upon conclusion of the seminar?)

Your thoughts?

Thanks again. Very poignant thoughts!

Why don't you play it by ear? Your last slide can be "where do we go from here" and offer several options. One might be a free survey. The other is you've created so much interest they want to pay for you to survey, or go straight to contract.

Thanks. Do you anticipate it costing a lot for these free lunch seminars before I start seeing ROI? Can you ballpark a timeframe?

一切都取决于你,时间和你跟随你p. That is why I suggest not offering an automatic free survey-- it could delay your sales cycle. Your lunch cost will be 8-11 per person-- and mine have 4 -20 at each.

Makes good sense.

I just thought of a familiar scenario in which the business owner/mgmt already has an IT confidant.

Do you think any company with either onsite IT help or outsourced consultant would agree to an educational seminar? It might make them rethink why their current IT help hasn't offered...your thoughts?

Many thanks again in advance.

I just read "5 Ways To Get In the Door of Prospects" and one of the suggestions was to sponsor lunch.

Could this be a viable option?

Thanks!

如果在你的头脑中预约值得午餐,n surveying our ideas about it must be worth a few hundred points!

Go-on, don’t be mingy - make it 200 points worth!

Seriously, if you want exposure for a new angle, a closed question is not the place to do it

Best wishes


Steve