What Marketers Can Learn From Politicians

Politics has never been a relevant topic for Compositions. Until now. I bring it up because selling products and services is similar to running for office. Politicians lose when they appease one group but ignore other important constituencies. They win when they appeal to more than one group.

Just the same, winning business often requires getting sign-off from three different departments.

Marketing wants to know how you'll help get more product off the shelves. Finance has to get something back from the investment. IT needs everything to integrate. On top of that, the decision-makers have to consider the opinions of the people judging their decisions.

When everyone doesn't agree you might not close the deal, so be sure that your written materials account for each constituency. Writing in itself won't sign the contract, but it can convince the prospect to call for your free 30-minute consultation.

Try these strategies when selling involves convincing more than one department.

A Site With Individual Pathways

While you never know who will visit your web site, you can anticipate the types of information people will seek. Develop a web content strategy that addresses each audience's concerns. Some ideas:

• Visually segment your target audiences on the home page. This intuitively directs each person to information relevant to them.
• Also on home page, create a list of scenarios/situations that call for your product or service. Each scenario links to a description of how you solve that particular problem.
• On your services and/or products pages, create a sub-navigation with "Benefit" links for each audience.

Create Multi-Purpose Brochures

Despite popular belief, paper is not dead. Far from it. Brochures, when done right, can influence decisions because they convey the credibility, attention-to-detail, and professionalism that go into the prospect's buying equation. And doing so doesn't necessarily require a glossy 16-pager with original photography.

Save money by developing a one-size-fits-all brochure. As with your site, create separate pages or sections for each audience, with clear headlines and subheads that spell out specific benefits. Save even more by designing it as a tri-fold self-mailer. But please, don't design it yourself. Hire a professional.

The Direct Mail Alternative

Direct mail doesn't always necessitate fancy four-color packages. They're expensive, take time to produce, and might actually scare away prospects (an expensive looking package can be translated as too pricey of a service). Instead, try writing one-page sales letters. Strategic, well-crafted letters are not only cost-effective, but they tend to get a higher response rate.

Produce multiple versions of the letter with a mix of general and audience-specific messaging. This way, you avoid large print runs and can print when needed on your company letterhead.

P.S. The best letter doesn't assure success. Prepare a good list and a compelling offer. Repeat the mailing and be sure to follow up.

Do E-Newsletters Right

I'll admit it - the jury is still deliberating the overall effectiveness of e-marketing. But when executed correctly, e-newsletters will definitely generate qualified leads over time. Some guidelines:

• Be consistent. Remember the goal - you're trying to develop a relationship with your readers. When you're not consistent, people forget they ever subscribed. Not a good way to begin and maintain a friendship. Whether it's weekly, monthly, or quarterly, stick to your schedule.
• Offer something of value. People sign up to receive beneficial information, not solicitations. There's nothing wrong with including product or service offers. Just make sure they're perceived as secondary, oh-by-the-way messages.
• Give opinions, not lists. Subscribers can get raw information from a book. They signed up to get your opinion. Show some conviction. Entertainment makes the education part more appealing.
• Be human. Authenticity develops trust. And with trust, we're more open to consider your opinions. That's the point, isn't it?
• Give life to the familiar. Even professional writers can't develop original theses every time. But you can give a stale topic fresh wings. Like your favorite magazine, leave the reader anticipating your next issue.