Return on Investment: Are You Selling & Marketing Benefits?

As a former fundraiser, I was always marketing and pitching the benefits to donors. If they chose to invest their donation in the cause, what benefits would they receive and where would their money go? In this tough economy, whether you sell the latest widget or gadget, or want to increase your donor base...it all comes down to benefits.

Don't Just Talk About Your Products & Services: Show Worthwhile Benefits
I recently had the benefits vs. products conversation with a client partner. When I write sales copy for my clients, this is always in the forefront of my strategic brain. I explained how these certain products needed to show the benefits as opposed to just talking up the brand as a product unto itself.

Yes, people invest in the brand solely for the brand name, but that brand name comes with benefits - usually high quality and reliability that people can trust and rely on every time they "invest" in that particular brand. When people drop a chunk of change for a product or service, they don't fork over their money blindly. They want to receive value, in the way of benefits, in exchange for their investment.

Show your benefits - whether visually/graphically, audio/video, or via the written word (or all of the above!)  It all comes down to a valuable investment. People want to know what they get in return for the money they plan to spend on your products and services...and are they a worthwhile investment that will yield successful results? How will these benefits improve their bottom-line, and even more important, how will these benefits improve their LIFE?

Are You the Only Person Who Likes Your Product or Service?
I know that sounds like an odd question, but look at the show "Shark Tank" -  many contestants have competed on there with products that don't make sense (or they are the only one who likes their product). Yet they still ask investors to back a product that honestly won't sell in the "real world." If you haven't done your market research BEFORE you launch a product or service, you are looking at problems down the road.

If you are the only one who likes the product or service, it's going to be a tough sell. You need to think strategically - who are the target markets and who would actually use this product or service and will they invest in it? It won't do you any good if you are the only person on this planet who believes in or likes your product or service. You want others to like and believe in your products and services BEFORE you sell or market it.

I know that sounds like a no-brainer but there are some businesses who take the knee-jerk approach. They realize, after the fact, that they can't sell anything because no one else is invested in the "benefits" of the product. You could have the most amazing product or service in the world, but if you can't show why your products and services could make someone's life easier then you need to start at square one.

Tunnel Vision Content Won't Win You Fans
This also holds true of your content marketing. If you create a blog or website and you only write about topics that interest you, then you'll be your biggest - and ONLY - fan. Think about content that interests your target markets. If you don't care about sales or a bottom-line, that's one thing. However, if you want people to jump on your bandwagon then don't produce contently solely for yourself.

Whether you are a fundraiser or a new start-up, think return on investment when you market your products and services (or cause)...and show don't tell!

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The Fastest Way to Lose Your LinkedIn Connections

I participate in a lot of LinkedIn groups and moderate industry groups. But there is one word missing from some of these groups lately: "help."  I'm leaving LinkedIn groups because of how many annoying sales pitches that flood the discussion groups. Believe me, I understand how competitive it is right now. But people are going about LinkedIn the wrong way. 

Would you go up to Mr. Joe Smith on the street and say, "Hi, Mr. Smith, you don't know me or know anything about my company, but would you like to buy my latest and greatest product?" You wouldn't do it to a complete stranger, so why are LinkedIn professionals using this same tactic? 

The fastest way to lose your LinkedIn connections is to directly sell to them without FIRST knowing them and building trust. Back in my fundraising days, I couldn't walk into a company and just ask them for a $10,000 sponsorship -  the big suits who write the checks would have been laughed me out of the room. These companies didn't know me nor did they know anything about my cause/non-profit. Why should they invest in my cause? Why should they hand over their corporate dollars to ME and my organization? They shouldn't. 

LinkedIn is about building solid, genuine relationships - it's not about blatantly selling/advertising your products and services. Yes, you can massage the "soft sell" pitch later AFTER you get to know your LinkedIn connections. But if you blast your groups with sales pitches 24,7 and don't actively participate in groups and engage in conversation, I guarantee that people will get turned off and you might even be kicked out of groups. Who wants to be seen as "that spammy salesperson" on Linkedin?

Do not treat LinkedIn as your personal virtual ad billboard. Think about sales basics; it always comes down to putting customers first. Why have LinkedIn users forgotten this simple fact? How can you sell to someone you don't really know? 

Research their profile and get to know more about them - ask questions, find common interests, etc. When was the last time you actually asked your LinkedIn connections how you could HELP them?

What are the 3 easiest ways to HELP people on LinkedIn?

1. Answer questions. Offer your help and expertise to other LinkedIn members. Search for topics that are related to your area of expertise/professional industry. Don't come across as egotistical or holier-than-thou. Be REAL and honest when answering questions - people can spot a fake a mile away. 

2. Participate in groups and offer feedback, advice and if you link to content, link back to your blog and not your website. People don't want to read another sales pitch on your website, but they do want to read information, articles, watch videos, etc. that will make their life easier and solve their problems. Always remember to be professional and courteous. Even if you disagree with another person's opinion, put your best "face" forward. 

3. Get to know people FIRST. After you build rapport and trust, offer them value first. Offer them a free download, report, etc. Think about the sales funnel. Even if people visit your site or blog, they won't opt-in unless you offer them valuable content FIRST.  Don't expect your LinkedIn connections to buy your product or service right off the bat. A valuable freebie allows them to learn more about your products/services. Give them value and they will come back for more (and you will probably make that big sale the next time around).

If you use LinkedIn because you think it's an easy way to sell your products and services to customers, then have completely missed the point behind LinkedIn. You will also quickly lose out on building real, genuine relationships with potential prospects. You put your company brand in jeopardy by coming across as an in-your-face salesperson, and word spreads quickly  on LinkedIn networks.

Your first step to LinkedIn success? Change your sales philosophy. Replace the word "sales" with "help." Offer your help first, and develop trustworthy, solid relationships with your LinkedIn connections.