Concierge Talk with Danette, May 7, 2009

Concierge Talk with Danette is a free, bi-weekly live
telecast from the office of Danette Moss.  We will meet
@ 2 PM/ET to discuss outsourcing services to independent consultants,
online internet marketing, blogging, technology for the concierge
and errand industry, and other random miscellaneous topics.

Stop by and tune in to this show and watch for other C & E Talk
shows with Danette.

(C=Concierge), (E=Errand)

Creating a pitch that says “Buy from me”

One of the first concerns many new and existing concierge and errand services providers has is how to sell their services.

That’s because most of us in life have experienced a pushy salesperson and now the shoe is on the other foot leaving you with the thought or question of “How can I sell my services to prospective or existing customers without coming off like a used car salesman?”

Well, one sure way to do that is to first realize that just about everything
we do in life deals with selling. Think about it. If you want to eat or drink
something a sales transaction will be made somewhere.  Whether you go to the store or restaurant to purchase the item or simply turn on your water faucet or gas to cook.
The reality is nobody in the world makes money without somebody buying something.

People want to buy, but the issue is that they don’t like to be sold to. Regardless of whether it is a want or need, people will spend money. The task for you is to find the right market, commonly known as “target market”, to provide quality products or services to that will meet a need or fix a problem.

Before we go any further, I’d like to dispel the myth that sales and marketing are one in the same, because there is a difference between the two.  Marketing are the things you do to put yourself into a selling position, whether it be publishing a weekly or monthly newsletter with informative information to your postcards and/or business cards you distribute.
It is the vehicle used to create an opportunity or desire within a prospective client or existing client to buy your products or services.

Sales is all about getting in front of new or existing clients.  Sales can be done through a tangible sales letter or virtual by using an online sales page. Sales can also be done by getting face-to-face with the prospective or existing client.

As mentioned earlier, sales is about providing people a solution to a problem or doing something they don’t have the time to do or simply don’t want to do.

Where You Start

Start by providing them with needed products or services – things they want and get value from, not things you think will sell. It must be something that is of value to them.