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Ever notice the colored diagrams, photos and plastic duplications in doctor’s offices that show the body, organs, skeletons, etc? What’s their purpose? I actually asked my GP. He said doctors use them to describe various aspects of our bodies, placement and shape, how they function and and how they can be damaged by disease, injury or at birth, etc.. In short, they are used in an attempt to “educate” their “clients” about their body and it’s “operations”.
Now lets view the same thing as a dentists office. The last time I was at mine he had the typical varity of magazines. Yesterday they were gone. They have been replaced with a computer monitor running on going videos. The dental association is sharp – much more than ours. Here’s why. Dentists are being recommended to set up “blocks” of time for childrens appointments and “blocks” of time for adults. The reason? During those blocks of time, an appropriate video is continually being showed on the single monitor and viewable from any location in the waiting area. I asked my dentist about the above since I also do work for him. He verified my assumptions, and gave me the additional info.
Marketing, but marketing done by real pros. Marketing created by their association(s) and various suppliers for their members and/or clients. More important, marketing aids as being very important, and therefore, actually used by their members and clients.
In my dentist’s office of the woman who cleaned my teeth AND in the office where my teeth will be worked on by the dentist, were similar marketing diagrams and photos as in the medical doctor’s office, also developed to educate, but with an obvious bias towards marketing, and subtle, yet none the less effective.
Consider the above information and attempt to transfer the above marketing “systems” visual aids to use in our industry.
Any coments? While contemplating, think of other industries existing “effective” use of visual aids that can also be used by us.
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As Harry Beckwith, author of "Selling The Invisible" says, what we in the service industry sell, in the clients "perception", is a "promise." I agree.
So, how does one "effectively" sell a promise? By realizing that a promise is an "in"-tangible and therefore must be transformed into a "tangible." Furthermore, the degree to which each of us are able to create that tangible, which in reality is a conglomerate of many tangibles, is what the client finally has something they can see, feel and touch on which to make a purchase decision. Until the above is done, and done expertly, sans reputation, they will continue basing their decisions on price 1st, and only influenced by other attributes as our personal appearance, enthusiasm, etc. And why not? What else have we given them to base their decision upon?
"Mr. & Mrs. Smith, I only do first class work and an very neat in my work habits". So. Everyone else is saying the same thing! Go ahead and use the word "quality" as well - that #1 over used word that means nothing anymore.
I have learned and what others have proven, is that the degree of our capacity to create the above tangibles, and "coupled" with our own grasp of selling, or the sales "process", will determine the outcome. The outcome being not only getting the sale, but getting the sale at our price. It is extremely important for those who do not have 100% of sales from repeats and referrals to realize this if they are to increase their closing ratio, and at the price they desire.
Although 100% of my sales do come from repeats and referrals, I use marketing/sales visual aids to "enhance" several aspects of selling anyway:
1. To create authenticity of myself as an expert in my field.
2. To educate the client about the project (materials & processes) and why I do as I do.
3. Using all of the above, to get top buck - period.
With presold clients, all that is left for me is to create those "tangibles" needed to obtain my desire, #3 above. For example, I bring a 12" section of finger jointed (FJ) trim which is almost always in the state where one section at the joint is raised, and that raised section can be seen and felt. I then educate them why I never use FJ trim, and that includes exterior jambs. Why? they are thinking. Don't assume they know the scenario around FJ trim. I explain how many jobs I get replacing rotted jambs, how each FJ section expands and contracts at different rates and why, etc. It helps to bring an old piece of base or casing with FJ trim that has deflected at the FJ to further substantiate #1 above. Tangibles! The same works for those who are not a repeat or referral client.
Door manufactures have cut outs of hollow and solid core doors. Other VAs are cut outs of drywall nailed (pops) vs screwed & glued, cabinet hinge types, drawer side to back attachment methods, manufacture warranties and their installation specs. There are probably dozens of VAs available to us, but rarely used.
The above are just a few suggestions/ideas available to us, and what I use. Any other possibilities can be noted by our readers. The possibilities are endless. If key is to use just enough appropriate types, yet without over whelming the client.
*HEY SONNY,WENT TO THE DOC TODAY,WAS THINKING ALL THE WAY TO REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT THE VISUAL AIDS.WELL ANYWAY WHEN THAT DAMN DOCTOR PUT THAT RUBBER GLOVE ON AND TOLD ME TO BEND OVER I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE LOOKIN AROUND.BUT NEXT WEEK I'VE A DENTIST APPOINTMENT AND I WILL BE ALERT.AND THAT SON OF A BITCH BETTER NOT TELL ME TO BEND OVER.RIVERBANK BOY
*I'm much in favour of visual aids, but I'm probably not using them to their full advantage. I use:* portfolio, with a wide range of projects, including lots of gadgets installed in cabinets I've built. I have yet to have a client ask for references after seeing the portfolio.* drawings, usually 3d Cad drawings, of even simple projects, with a title block with the clients name and project (ex. Kitchen) in it. One thing I have leraned recently is they even notice the quality of paper you use....nothing but best quality paper for presentations for me from now on.* product literature; glossy door brochures, hardware catalogues, etc....no brainer maybe, but I don't pay for it, and clients like four colour stuff* door samples, and small mockups of five or so styles of custom countertop we make, from self edge laminate to solid surface. Some of the doors are finished, and I also have other finish samples.Also laminate chips and solid surface samples* in the plans, are small sample cabinets in frameless and face frame styles, so I can explain the differences without having to draw pictures all the time.That's the main ones, though I've probably forgotten some. Some go to the first meeting, some to the second. Bear in mind I don't have a showroom; I sometimes meet people in my office, but usually it's housecalls, so there is a limit to what I can pack along.
*In my opinion, visual aids should have two qualities: information and eye candy. The information communicates and educates. The viewer reviews and responds rationally. "hmmm... I see the importance of proper installation now....".However, never underestimate the importance of eye candy (strong visual attraction). The viewer reacts emotionally and viscerally. "Wow! That is really neat looking! That is just the kind of work we are looking for!"In my work, most of the time, the perspectives, 3-d images and portfolio photos are what create the emotional reaction.With many people, once the heart is sold, the mind finds a way to fall in line.
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Ever notice the colored diagrams, photos and plastic duplications in doctor's offices that show the body, organs, skeletons, etc? What's their purpose? I actually asked my GP. He said doctors use them to describe various aspects of our bodies, placement and shape, how they function and and how they can be damaged by disease, injury or at birth, etc.. In short, they are used in an attempt to "educate" their "clients" about their body and it's "operations".
Now lets view the same thing as a dentists office. The last time I was at mine he had the typical varity of magazines. Yesterday they were gone. They have been replaced with a computer monitor running on going videos. The dental association is sharp - much more than ours. Here's why. Dentists are being recommended to set up "blocks" of time for childrens appointments and "blocks" of time for adults. The reason? During those blocks of time, an appropriate video is continually being showed on the single monitor and viewable from any location in the waiting area. I asked my dentist about the above since I also do work for him. He verified my assumptions, and gave me the additional info.
Marketing, but marketing done by real pros. Marketing created by their association(s) and various suppliers for their members and/or clients. More important, marketing aids as being very important, and therefore, actually used by their members and clients.
In my dentist's office of the woman who cleaned my teeth AND in the office where my teeth will be worked on by the dentist, were similar marketing diagrams and photos as in the medical doctor's office, also developed to educate, but with an obvious bias towards marketing, and subtle, yet none the less effective.
Consider the above information and attempt to transfer the above marketing "systems" visual aids to use in our industry.
Any coments? While contemplating, think of other industries existing "effective" use of visual aids that can also be used by us.