But first… let me ask you something.
When is the last time a computer bought your product or paid for your service?
The answer is never. No one sells to machines. And yet, because of the net… because of the technology… because of the automation… experienced entrepreneurs who take their business online, forgot that they're doing business with PEOPLE.
The fact that your "store" is a website or that your marketing message is delivered via email rather than snail mail doesn't change who your target is: real, live human beings with thoughts, emotions… and hopefully deep pockets!
Even though you're using a webpage, an autoresponder, or an email, it's really YOU -- a person -- who's reaching out to a customer or prospect. Success in selling happens when a one-to-one personal connection occurs.
Relationship is the key.
You can't sell benefits to a computer. You can't get a computer excited about how good it will feel after using your product or service. It's so obvious; it's ridiculous.
You're selling to a person. And if you want that person to buy from you, you need to put yourself out there.
So why do a lot of people act like they're criminals and disappear when they're selling online? Are you guilty?
- Do you use the Internet itself to create walls that hide "human side" behind technology.
- Do you hide behind emails instead of making phone calls?
- Do you peak out from behind your website without offering a "hard copy" way to reach you?
- And do you play a weird game of hide-and-seek with customers using frequently asked questions and customer service "tools" so that you never really have to connect?
I know, I know! You're saying that automation and technology are the biggest advantages of the Internet. All these streamlined communications processes help you do good business.
That's fine, if what you want is good business. But personal communication can make your business great.
Sometimes just by adding that personal touch… that human factor… to your site can boost your sales by 100%, 200% to as much as 330%!!!
What am I talking about? I am talking about a tangible demonstration that your business is trustworthy because trust is at the foundation of every sale.
So it turns out that this secret strategy is actually a simple one, too.
I'm talking about adding a phone number to your site… and a mailing address… and a fax number. I'm talking about giving your customer an option contact you one-to-one.
I'm talking about talking! Just talk to your customers and find out what they want.
Now you might say, "Dan, this won't work for me. I'm a one-person operation and I'd get so buried by phone calls that I wouldn't be able to do anything else."
You know how important testing is in business, don't you?
Well, why not test my theory before you reject it. Do it my way. And see if you will actually get a lot of calls.
I think you'll be surprised. I have a lot of clients who add phone numbers to their sites, and they don't really get that many phone calls.
If you're really stretched to the limits time-wise, you could hire someone to handle it for you in-house or outsource it… although I think outsourcing almost defeats the purpose by putting you one step further away from your customers.
Personally, I urge you to talk to your customers once a while. It's time well spent… even if time is money. You'll learn a lot from the conversation -- what people want and how they want it.
And that, I assure you, can be worth millions (literally) to your business.
Do you know that a lot of people actually have a fear of picking the phone and calling a stranger?
So it's unlikely that you're going to get flooded with a lot of Chatty Cathies and Talky Teddies you've never met before who just want to shoot the breeze for ten minutes.
So why will people pick up the phone and call you? Probably for one of four important reasons that make these valuable calls that you'll want to take.
1. They have an urgent problem, and they need a solution now! If your product/service will solve their problems, they'll buy from you - NOW.
2. They want to buy from you, but they might just have a few questions and you answer them well, they'll buy from you - NOW.
3. They might have a comment regarding of your product or service. This could be helpful to your business and make them more likely to buy from you in the future.
4. They might have a problem, and they're mad. But even if they are, you can fix it for them. Then they'll love you, and they'll buy from you again and again.
You may not have realized it before, but every telephone inquiry from a customer or prospect is a money call. And when money calls, you want to be sure to answer. Because each one of these money calls mean sales in one way or the other.
Personally, I love it when my phone rings. Because it's either one of my deep-pocketed mentoring clients who wants to run something by me OR a prospect who wants to give me money.
Ching-Ching! How can you NOT love those calls?
And here's a special message for you if you're selling a luxury service or a high-end product. It's tough to sell big-ticket items offline, and even tougher online. It's not impossible… but it's tough.
Think about it. Someone who's looking for a marketing consultant and sees your site is probably NOT going to plunk down $5000.00 in an electronic payment just based on nothing more than your online sales copy.
And don't be fooled that an autoresponder series will do the trick any better. It's tough to close a sale for thousands or tens of thousands of dollars just through emails. Not impossible… but tough.
But, you can easily close a $5000.00 sale via the telephone. (If you know how to "give good phone," that is).
A lot of copywriters don't do it the "easy way." They avoid the telephone. They only communicate via emails. Or they charge exorbitant "consulting fees" for phone calls as a way to telegraph that they don't want to speak to people.
Now, that's their personal preference.
But perhaps they should put themselves in the shoes of their clients who say, "This means I'm going to hire a copywriter and pay thousands of dollars to a service provider -- an employee -- that I won't even be able to speak to by phone? That stinks!"
Worse than annoying a prospect, lack of accessibility makes people suspicious. They might feel like you're hiding something… that you're not being totally upfront.
Take the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg.
The mayor's office has a website, but his home phone number is listed in the telephone directory. And, while it sounds unbelievable, he actually does pick up the phone when he's home and talk to his constituents.
They love him for it.
Take me for example. I am actually one of the very, very, very few experts who can be reached by phone. If I'm not on a call already or working one-on-one with a client in my office, I always pick up the phone.
And when I can't pick up before the machine does, I try to return all my calls promptly. (Unless, they're trying to sell me insurance or some crap.)
Accessibility is, in a way, my unique selling proposition. People are actually very surprised when I call them back. They know how busy I am. And my prospects respect and appreciate that I prioritize them.
Is every call a walk in the park that ends with a trip to the bank?
Well no. Sometimes I do get calls from some jerk who just wants to "bust my balls" or waste my time.
But really… the whackos are few and far between. Most of my callers are good people. They're calling me because they want me to help them with their conversions, not because they want to BS the weather.
I'd say 95% of the people who call are very serious and I'm happy to have the opportunity to speak with them. As for the other 5%… once they "reveal" themselves, I get off the phone very quickly.
So how can you use this sneak technique to beef up conversions on your site? To borrow the old phone company slogan: "Reach out and touch."
Add a telephone option to your site and take orders via telephone. If you think this could be overwhelming, you could test just taking calls within business hours.
If you're doing huge volume, add a toll-free number.
If you're doing big business in the international market, outsource so that you can accept phone orders 24/7.
The Internet is the Land of Opportunity, although some online entrepreneurs think they're in Lazy Land… and don't understand why they're not succeeding.
They want to live the ultimate Internet marketing lifestyle dream. They want everything to be automated. They want their ads to find the prospects, they want their site to sell the prospect, take the money, and forward a deposit directly into their online bank account.
That dream can be real, but too many business people are relying too much on the technology to do ALL the work for them. Sometimes, it's good to go back to old-fashion communication. Silence may be golden, but in business… talking is pure platinum.
We'll "talk" more soon.
"Get That Skrilla By Any Means"
Michael "Skrilla" Dunbar - Internet Traffic Controller
Author of "From A U.S. Marine To Internet Marketing Millionaire"
"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!"
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