June 21, 2010
Business Slowing Down? Do the Unthinkable…Pick up the Phone!
BY John Paul Narowski IN Sales and Marketing 0 Comment
You’re doing all the right things…you have a beautiful website, an SEO team and a well optimized Adwords campaign complemented by a social media presence…but you still aren’t getting the sales you want. So what’s the next step?
Balance Innovation with Tradition
Technology is great; we’re huge fans of it here at KarmaCRM. That doesn’t mean that we can abandon proven business activities that fatten up our bottom lines in favor of the latest new marketing methods. You have to look at all of the tools available to you and balance their implementation. Like making a cake, you combine different ingredients into one marvelous thing of beauty. On the other hand, using online marketing is like trying to eat pure flour; yeah it might fill you up but it sure won’t taste good.
Conversations Go a Long Way
The problem with new Internet marketing methods is the lack of communication involved. Driving sales through the internet rarely involves picking up a telephone. Most people find this process easier, but as a business owner, you must ask if it is working. You must remember that internet marketing is just one tool in your arsenal. Combine the passive arts of internet marketing with the strategic aggression of phone sales.
If you’re finding your efforts are at a standstill then here are a couple of things you can do to breathe new life into your sales program:
- Mine Your Current Accounts: Have you gone through all of your current accounts and made sure everyone is all set? Who’s on deck for a reorder? Are you currently running any specials that may entice a customer to up their order or reorder early? Do you have new products you can cross sell or up sell?
- Remind Your Past Accounts: Just because they haven’t done business with you in awhile doesn’t mean they don’t need you now. Maybe they just need a friendly call to remind them you exist and you sell the best widgets on the market. This is where a good CRM platform is invaluable. It can remind you who has lapsed and needs to be reminded how awesome you are.
The Dreaded Cold Call: Pick up that phone and start making some new friends out in the wide world of business. Even if you’re not a sales professional who loves the smell of a good cold call in the morning starting new lines of communication is never bad. If they don’t want what you’re selling thank them for their time and ask them to keep your info. Every month or so drop them a friendly hello and let them know you’re still out there and see if their needs have changed.
Try out these simple steps in conjunction with your online advertising programs and you’ll be good to go.
