Comments on: Marketing Is the New Selling

By: phildunn

phildunn — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Excellent post. Closing still needs to happen in an intentional way, but it’s so much easier when you focus on helping first.

By: Rusty

Rusty — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 03:51:00 +0000

You’ve hit the nail on the head in one article that encapsulates the shifts we must face in the changing dynamics of marketing. Love it. Thanx.

By: Chip

Chip — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:29:00 +0000

This is very true. I especially like and appreciate the storybuilding part of this post because I have found , in my case, that customers are done with being told a line and promised all these different things that people never come through on. They want the person working for them to care about them and it almost becomes a close friend relationship. The customer wants to know that I am here for them and whatever they went through in the past, will not be repeated when they hire me. It really is as though you are writing a new story for them.

By: Shon Messer

Shon Messer — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:16:00 +0000

In reply to Digital Marketing Dude. Does anyone introduce themselves as a sale rep to a prospect or customer? I would love to hear your feedback on why you do or don't.

By: simonswills

simonswills — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:45:00 +0000

I think it factors to a increasing pattern I have been considering a lot lately people don’t know what marketing is, so they use the phrase to very much anything they want.

By: Chris van Rooyen

Chris van Rooyen — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 05:13:00 +0000

When are we going to realise that sales is a function of marketing? Companies still treat them as two separate divisions which is absurd. Marketing in its simplest form is about preparation of product/brand, identification of the market most likely to purchase the product/brand, sales of product/brand, and maintenance of the market’s experience with the product/brand. Where in this mix do we see sales as separate to marketing, or even in a position to drive marketing? The marketing process is holistic to the business of sustainability incorporating everything to do with business dynamics.

By: Steve Kloyda

Steve Kloyda — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 22:23:00 +0000

Love this post John. So often the person in marketing has never sold a thing. The message to often is way off base. Yes, listening is the new prospecting. Our prospects and customers will tell us everything we need to know if we ask the right questions and listen intently. All marketing does is push information. Sales is truly an art. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Steve

By: nearbythis

nearbythis — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 22:20:00 +0000

This is a great article John. I’ll make sure to share this with the nearbythis.com team. Thanks!

By: Digital Marketing Dude

Digital Marketing Dude — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 16:47:00 +0000

In reply to ducttape.

Looking at some of these replies I think a commission only sales person over other has to see himself as his own company. He can cultivate a relationship and stand out form his competition as an individual very well if he will use some basic marketing practices.

How much more of an impact could he make if when he goes cold calling business to business he leave a 5 or 8 page report on the “true cost of xxxxx and for xxxxx position of person”. And it gives that prospect a chance to see his expertise.

It has a lot to do with positioning. If you are seen as just anther sales guy you will close much fewer sales and you will not get access to the bigger deals.

The sales guy who is positioned as the expert and authority will always win out.

When your prospect comes to you and says “hey I read your report and we need to talk” you are then a trusted adviser. You don’t have to “sell” you just have to do what you do. Which is solve their problem as good as or better than anyone else can.

And in a way as John is saying that makes them want to do business with you again and tell all their friends about it.

By: Bill Brelsford

Bill Brelsford — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:02:00 +0000

In reply to Dr. Letitia Wright.

Hi Letitia,

Personally, I would not send them a proposal in this case.

I would work hard to get them to tell me that they don’t really want the proposal. Sometimes people say “send me a proposal” because they don’t know how to say “no”.

By “work hard” I mean ask a lot of questions about what is going to happen after they receive the proposal – who is going to evaluate it, how do they make their decisions, when will they make a decision. If you send them a proposal, what are they willing to commit to do?

You may even have to say “Based on our conversation, even if I send over a great proposal, it doesn’t sound like this would be a good fit for you, do you agree? Yes, ok, then what would you do if you were me?”

If you come at this with an approach of “I want to try to help you, even if that means helping you discover I’m not the best fit for you need”, then you may have more luck having people tell you no when they mean no.

Hope that helps.