The Five Step Formula For Getting Prospects to Call You

Are you tired of prospecting for new business?

Are you sick of networking, begging for referrals, or spending a small fortune on advertisements that produce little results?

Wouldn't it be nice if you could just sit down at your desk and have the phone ring knowing that new business is on the other end of the line?

Who wouldn't, right...? _________________________________________

The Secret Formula for Getting People to Call You _________________________________________

No matter what product or service you sell, there is a formula for getting people to call you (instead of the other way around.)

Let me take a moment and explain each step in this formula and give you a few examples of how it works... _________________________________

Step 1. Interrupt Their Train of Thought _________________________________

People are busy, busy, busy. At any one moment you and I have a thousand things going on. So the first step to effectively market to someone is to interrupt them and grab their attention.

You can do this with...

a. Bold, compelling headlines

b. Unusual graphics or photos

c. Unique opening statements

I run an ad in a trade mag in the most competitive section of the publication. But my ad sticks out like a sore thumb because I place it UPSIDE DOWN!

That ad pulls as much as a quarter page ad does and it's only a tiny little 2' x 2' ad.

(By the way, if you want to see that ad and you have in interest in coaching you can find it in my ttp://www.CoachesMarketingBootcamp.com package.

________________________________________

Step 2. Engage Their Mind With Relevant Content ________________________________________

Once you have your prospects attention, the next step is to pull them into your message. The best way to do that is to use relevant content.

By that I mean, say something that they would be keenly interested in. For instance, I have no interest in cats so I would skip right over the headline, "How to Stop Your Cat from Ripping Your Couch and Carpet Apart."

It's not relevant to me.

But if I saw a headline that said, "The Deal Is Sealed...Shaq Gets Traded," that would stop me in my tracks (I'm a basketball nut).

Your message must be relevant to your prospect.

____________________________________________

Step 3. Educate Them On How to Solve Their Problem ____________________________________________

Now it's time to educate your prospect. Education-Based Marketing is one of the most powerful marketing strategies available today and does a number of positive things for you:

a. It gives your prospect the REASON WHY they should care about what you're saying.

b. It appeals to the prospect's emotional need to solve their problem. (People buy with their emotions)

c. It positions you as the expert and someone to be trusted.

For instance, why do you think you find all those long, long salesletters on the net? Because they work! The more you tell the more you sell.

_______________________________________

Step 4. Prove That Your Solution Actually Works _______________________________________

People today are so SKEPTICAL. No one believes anybody anymore. Every marketing message is taken with a grain of salt.

That's why you MUST PROVE what you're saying is true. Proof can come through customer success stories, study findings, quotes from experts, before and after photos etc.

You have to consider yourself as being on trial and your prospects are sitting in the jury box. You've got to prove to them what you're saying is true.

Are you proving your solution in your marketing efforts?

___________________________________________

Step 5. Offer Them Additional Help For their Problem ___________________________________________

The last step is to naturally offer your prospect additional help. Up to this point you've only teased them. Now you must lead them to the next step.

The next step should be some offer for help. This could be a free report, a video, an audio program (notice that I like low cost information products) or a free catalog, or even access to a free question and answer help line.

If you want to decrease your response and increase the quality of prospects that come to you, you can charge a small fee to make the next step.

_________________

A Live Case Study _________________

I used to do a lot of direct response advertising to generate leads for potential hot tub buyers.

I offered a free video to the respondents. We were getting a lot of leads, but many of them were from people who already owned a hot tub (if you can believe that).

So we simply asked for a shipping fee of $2.95 for the video and it cut down our leads but dramatically increased our closing rate.

___________________________________________

How to Use this Process for Your Own Purposes ___________________________________________

You might be thinking, thanks David, but "how" do I use this information for my own business.

It's simple...take each step and ask yourself these questions...

Step 1 - "What headline, photo, or gimmick can I use that would stop my unique prospect and make them pause for a moment?"

Step 2 - "What problem does my prospect have that is painful, ugly, dirty, and smelly?" When you have the answer to that question, use it in a headline, sub headline or opening statement to engage them in your message.

Step 3 - "How can I make the problem in Step 2 sound even worse and then how can I explain to them how my solution solves it."

Step 4 - "What proof can I come up with that my solution actually works and has worked for many companies (or people)?"

Step 5 - "What offer can I come up with that would be so irresistible that my prospects would have to pick up the phone and call me immediately?"

If you ask yourself these five questions and can come up with some good answers then you're well on your way to getting people to chase you down instead of you begging to steal a moment of their time. (Yuck!)

Copyright 2005 David Frey

David Frey is the Author of the Small Business Marketing Bible and the Senior Editor of the Small Business Marketing Best Practices Newsletter. To get your free lifetime subscription, visit http://www.MarketingBestPractices.com

---

Alcohol & Events

Many people associate alcohol with relaxation and fun, so it... Read More

10 Top Tips for Successful Networking

1. Recognise the importance of networkingAsk any successful business person... Read More

10 Steps to Successful Networking

"It's not what you know, it's who you know."This old... Read More

Sharpen Your Business Networking Skill To Grow Your Small Business

Most people become lax at maintaining their professional business network... Read More

Hows Your Net Working?

In recent weeks, I've had the opportunity to pass along... Read More

Where Does That Word Come From?

"Instead of a handshake, I gave Toby a high-five to... Read More

10 Effective Ways to Remember Names

Sigmund Freud says "a person's name is the single context... Read More

The Five Step Formula For Getting Prospects to Call You

Are you tired of prospecting for new business?Are you sick... Read More

Sell For Yourself Or Sell For Your Boss?

First of all I would like to start this article... Read More

What Has Networking Got To Do With Joint Ventures?

What has networking got to do with joint ventures? "PLENTY"... Read More

Examination of Discovery - Finding the Right Networking Group

Why would I pick this group over another group?How many... Read More

Value-Added Network

A value-added network can be achieved through explicit actions to... Read More

3 Reasons to Join a Group

Defining your purpose for joining a group.When you make the... Read More

Networking - Facts to Ponder

Right here in Europe, the very last continent to enter... Read More

How to Avoid Falling Asleep Behind the Conversational Wheel

Think about the last time you feel asleep behind the... Read More

Measuring Value for a Networking Group

How do you measure a group's worth to your organization?It... Read More

A New LinkedIn Discussion Forum for High Power Dealmakers

For those of you interested in international business transactions or... Read More

Social Networking: A Link To Like Minds

Not all dot-com dreams died when the Internet stock bubble... Read More

Make Money on the Internet - The Lifestyle Advantages of Professional Marketers

Some of the most successful businesses in existence today started... Read More

Politics, Religion, Race; Conversational No-No?s in Business

Do not destroy all your positive displacement and high energy... Read More

Networking: Is Your Approach Too Self-Centered?

It's a classic mistake by networkers: their approach is focused... Read More

Giving the Gift of Your Name (The Networking Factor)

Although, this is about giving the gift of your name... Read More

Five Steps for Expanding Your Customer Base with Guerilla Networking

As a single company, it is impossible to provide your... Read More

Volunteering for a Networking Group

When is it appropriate to volunteer to take a position... Read More

Are You Sitting With The Right Company?

When I walked into Dallas's famous Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse, all... Read More

You Can?t Spell Networking Without Serendipity

"Fear not to entertain strangers for by so doing some... Read More

A Vital Habit For Selling Big Ticket Items

I hope the title of this article aroused your curiosity!... Read More

The Secrets to Networking Success

Recently I was interviewed for a book on networking. My... Read More

Two-Step Your Communication

Ever use someone else to get your message out?For example,... Read More

Giving Referrals to Get Referrals

One of the best ways to get a referral is... Read More

Work that Room, Baby!

Networking, schmoozing, making connections. Call it what you want, it's... Read More

How to Create an Interest Story for the Press

What makes a good interest story?An interest story is just... Read More

How Well Do Your Customers Know You?

Know your customer, know your customer, know your customer. Three... Read More