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The Most Important Word in Sales and Marketing |
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Wednesday, 24 May 2006 |
The Most Important Word in Sales and Marketing
By Don Cooper
Do you know what it is? It’s a common word that you use every day, probably without giving it much thought. But when you are marketing, networking, or selling, it’s the most powerful word you can use.
No, it’s not “free.” (Although that runs a close second.) It isn’t “results” or “save.” It’s not “quality,” “benefits,” or “guaranteed,” valuable words all.
No, the single most important marketing word in the English language is “you.”
Think about it. Aren’t you your favorite subject? Aren’t you the most important person to you? And don’t you buy things you want and need for your reasons, when and how you choose to buy them? Well, your prospects and customers think exactly the same way.
Which means, if you want to increase your sales, you need to start using the word “you” more. Here’s how to use this most valuable word to enrich your business communication.
Marketing
When you create marketing materials (brochures, flyers, direct mail letters, etc.), focus on the needs of your prospects. Don’t dwell on the history of your company, the process your product undergoes, or your commitment to excellence. None of that means anything to your potential customers. They don’t know anything about your industry, and frankly, they don’t care. They don’t have time to. They’re busy dealing with their own problems.
So, to be effective, your marketing materials need to identify their problems and show how you can solve them. Your materials should speak directly to your prospects and use their language. The more often the words “you” and “your” appear in your marketing messages the stronger your response will be.
Networking
The goal of networking is simply to meet people and get to know them. So when talking to someone in a networking situation, whether at a Chamber of Commerce mixer, a trade show, or a cocktail party, keep the conversation focused on the other person. Ask questions like:
∑ “What do you do?”
∑ “How do you do that?”
∑ “What’s your biggest accomplishment so far?”
∑ “What brings you here?”
∑ “Tell me about yourself?”
∑ “What do you read to keep up?”
∑ “How did you get started?
∑ “Where else do you go to network?”
Not only does this give you valuable information, it makes the other person feel important, appreciated, and understood, which builds rapport and trust. And it’s a fact of human nature that if you give people a chance to talk about themselves, they’ll think you’re a great conversationalist!
Selling
We’ve all been taught to sell features and benefits. The trouble is, people don’t buy based on features and benefits. People buy what best fits their wants and needs.
So focus your sales presentation not on your product or service, but on your prospect. Ask about their needs, their preferences, their budget, their concerns, their time frame, their alternatives. Find out what criteria or what results are most important to them. If you give them the chance, most people will tell you exactly what you need to know to make the sale.
Don Cooper—“America’s Networking Guru”—is a sales and marketing expert who speaks, writes and consults on how to attract and keep more customers. He is a contributing author of Confessions of Shameless Self Promoters with Debbie Allen and Jay Conrad Levinson. You can contact Don at 303-885-1182 or
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You can also find other articles at www.DonCooper.com.
* 2001 Don Cooper. All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted, intact, as long as the full byline is included. To request a photo to print with the byline, please call 303-885-1182 or e-mail
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