...as we go along. It is something that some people have a natural ability for. In short if you understand people then you will probably understand the basic principles of effective marketing. I learned the hard way first.
I used to go to the farmers market on a weekly basis for 7 years. I learned from dealing with people what made them purchase. I learned how to sell my products. I learned that getting to know the customer is often the first step to selling to them. When I was at the market I used to love to get the opportunity to sell stuff for other people. If someone went for lunch and they asked me to look after their quilt stall or their pottery stall I would always try to sell at least one item by the time they got back, no matter how quiet it was. Selling food, which was what I did seemed too easy, you just made people feel hungry and you were away. However selling a hand turned earthenware pot to someone who hadn't come to the market to buy such a thing was a real challenge. It went sort of like this.
Here's me at the stand...buzzing with the excitement and anticipation of the sale I was just about to make. I watch the people passing. Some people brush past quickly on an obvious mission and in a rush. Other people walk by with hands in their pockets, bored and disinterested. Interspersed with these two groups are what I liked to call "the active browser", the person with their neck craned slightly, slightly animated and with their eyes wide and alert.
I would always be moving while selling at a stall in the market. Never standing still.
The way I figure is this: People out looking for something to buy (even those who are unaware that they need anything) are in a way like the hunter...they see things that are moving, things that catch the eye.
So there I am jumping up and down, or swaying from side to side, or more likely rearranging the stuff on the stall, and I am always looking around me, watching to catch someones eyes. (Like a deer in the headlights! no! only joking) they stop and I mirror them. If they smile I smile back. If they don't I don't. That's really important.
I say "Hi" .
I like to get to the point of what I am selling quickly. Get it out of the way straight away. Tell them "I am selling these amazing hand turned pottery cups and plates, aren't they beautiful?" ...(I go on, telling them the story behind the product), "The guy who makes them is a genius and he makes them all by hand."
I hold up a piece of work for the person at the stall to admire...then pause.
They will often ask a question or make a remark about the piece. Some of the people passing start to slow down and watch or listen. Some people stop and come over, feeling relaxed because there is another person talking to me. It's important to keep your focus at this point because there is a tendency to pull back a little so that you can address the greater audience. This is not a good idea for it can mean the breaking of rapport with the person you were initially speaking to and often they will walk away. It can also have the effect of making the other people feel ill at ease and they will quickly follow.
Hold your focus and your rapport with the person you are talking to, (at the same time keep an eye out for sticky fingers, if you know what I mean).
By holding your rapport with the first person you are talking to while there are other people gathering has a few good effects. The first is that the people who are gathering to eaves drop and have a peek like to do just that, it makes them stay relaxed when you just carry on talking as if they weren't there. It gives the person you are talking to the feeling of importance because they have your undivided attention. You look so busy, look at all the customers around the stall and you are taking the time to talk to just them.
This raises their self esteem. It often happens that while you are talking to the first person about the amazing man who makes the pottery, an observer has picked up on the jist of what you are saying and they pick up a piece of pottery to purchase it.
Note: It's really important to have the price clearly visible on the item for people like this. They will often pick up the piece and buy it right then and there.
After this happens, because rapport with the first person has been naturally broken it will be easier to begin to include the customer who just made a purchase into your conversation.
I believe: The way to sell in the market is
actively, don't waste time. Have confidence.
Anyway, the main thing is confidence. An inner knowing that you are going to make a sale. But there is something more, something that comes naturally.
That is:
Striking rapport with the person.People like to buy when they feel things are real. It doesn't matter if the REAL is "tangibly real" or "perceived real". So instilling a feeling of realness is very important and it needs to come across loud and clear in what you do.
I did a course in Business and Marketing and a course in Neuro Linguisting Programming and Hypnosis. I loved the B and M course, excelled in every area of the course accept income tax.
...These are my thoughts.
Labels: business marketing, effective marketing, marketing, webdesign
