Question for the B-to-B veterans
 

Over the past several years I've offered various marketing products to businesses in my community-everything from web site packages to travel promotions. Naturally I've had varying degrees of success with each product. Recently I've began to consider the idea of bundling all of my marketing products together and approaching businesses, first, with the opportunity for me to give them a free Marketing Consultation. Then, based on the answers they give me during their evaluation, present them with one or several of the products I've marketed in the past. My concern with this approach is that "carrying" more than one product at a time might confuse them and provide them with too many choices. Is it better to work with and offer one product at a time or would it be more to my advantage to offer several products simultaneously, to accomodate the varying needs of a wider group of small to medium business owners? Thank you in advance for your opinions and ideas. -Scott

You're Not an Expert if You Serve a la carte...
 

Or at least that is my belief.

Scott ~

Based upon your initial posting and response to Ross I'm going to skip much of the initial marketing techniques and jump right to my point...

Even though I have and can provide solutions at the initial meeting with a prospect or client. More often than not, I elect NOT to.

The reason being???

"Perception"

The perception of the prospect, as it relates to the type of work I perform.

If I were to produce solutions out of my "stack" like so many cheeseburgers from McDonalds... I am not an "expert", but I am a fast food/fast solution provider.

Now if I were to gather the needed information FROM my prospect, and THEN use one of my phrases such as...

"Scott... I believe I have everything I need from you to develop a personalized solution to your needs. What I am going to do is head back to my office and sift through all of the material we have covered and devise a specific solution to fulfill your needs, fair enough???"

"Then I'll return in a few days and together we can both put the final touches on your program. That'll be okay with you, won't it Scott???"

Using this approach Scott, you're not only getting a number of assumed closes agreed to as you follow through with the statement, you are also setting the stage for your "Expertise". Making sense to you???

Unless you are receiving strong buying signals from the prospect, I would say stay away from a first time closing attempt. Develop the relationship first. Create some flair and drama to the solution and the ability on your part to provide it. Set yourself apart from the other "Consultants".

Anyone can do a parlor trick. But it is the stage setup... drama... flair... and the ability to "lead" an audience down a predetermined path that lands the performer a gig in Vegas!

There are many nuances instilled in the above closing statements. A number of techniques are brought into play too. Bottom line??? It's a deadly close!

Success and Regards... Mike

www.CrashCourseMarketing.com
...the fastest growing eZine for Sales
Professionals and Internet Marketers...

Thanks Mike...
 

I fully agree with the approach of developing a customized solution for each prospect's situation. Indeed, trying to close them with a solution during the qualifying phase would be highly counter-productive and greatly compromise one's credibility and commitment to solving the prospect's problem(s).
I'd even go so far to say that even if you are receiving heavy buying signals during the initial consultation, it's important to resist that temptation to close - at least if using a consultative approach. Not closing during this first meeting, regardless of whether you could or not, will make the prospect much more willing to provide you with referrals of others who would also want to take advantage of your free consultation services.
Thank you for your productive input, Mike Rodman. Can I call you Mike? :o)