Selling is about more than offering the right products to the right people at the right time. Often, success comes from offering them in more imaginative ways than the next guy. This requires thinking outside of the normal sales box and storing a few more tricks up your sleeve. The following are some of the most unique ideas we've received at Senior Market Advisor.
Offer one-stop shopping. Bundled Services: They aren't just for the telecommunications industry. Offering bundled services makes sense for most businesses. They are more economical when purchased together and everyone likes one-stop shopping. We offer bundled services for marketing and PR for advisors and it's been a huge success for everyone.
Use your voice in new ways. Positioning yourself in the media as an expert - a quotable, featured authority on the business - is entirely possible by creating and hosting your own weekly radio program. 'It gives us credibility and distinguishes us from our competitors,' explains one source. 'My objective going in wasn't to write any business... I really considered my radio show an investment in establishing credibility," another says.
Think bigger than the ground floor. "We rent a rooftop outside Wrigley Field. We had 110 people that came to that rooftop last year. We pour a good drink and make sure that everyone is having a good time, and they know that we care about them. So, it's inevitable that when they say, "What are you doing this weekend?" my clients say, "I'm going to go see the Cubs." "How did you do that?" "Well, my broker." "Your broker?" That leads to a conversation that we generate business from, every single time. It's seriously taking care of the customer." -- John Kailunas
Know your pop culture references. "Quoting Will Rogers with retirees is always a home run. One of my favorite Will Rogers quotes is, "It's not necessarily the return on my money that concerns me, it's the return of the money that we should be focused on." Make sure we don't lose what we have." -- Mark Gremler, president, Billion Dollar Mentoring
Make it about more than money. Plan on doing a holiday party. We do one every year for our top 80 clients. We usually have between 140 and 180 people. We go to a winery that caters lunch, we have a band play and we do a huge Toys for Tots drive. Getting you and your clients involved with a charity can show that you are different and you care.
