Hi, folks...
Today, a lesson in setting expectations. But first...
"Ends Today"
==========
Just a reminder that the special deal I mentioned the other day
ends tonight. After that, I take it off the market as a
standalone product and it gets rolled into something else I'm
working on.
http://talkbiz.com/lowcost/?e=1
Here's a comment from one customer:
"I had to laugh when, after hitting play, after pausing
it for the fourth or fifth time to catch up with my
note taking, Jeff says 'I'm sorry I'm going so fast'
and you replied 'they can hit pause.'
"I laughed harder though at your 'vampire bunnies' comment.
"On a more serious note, this is probably the best $12
dollars I've ever spent. Thanks."
Two hours of serious training, with a little fun mixed in.
http://talkbiz.com/lowcost/?e=1
Check it out.
"Raise the Bar - and the Bottom Line"
===================================
One of the most common complaints you hear about doing
business online is dealing with "non-serious" people. The
definition of that amorphous phrase is always left up in the
air, but it does represent a problem. Specifically: You're not
attracting the kinds of customers you want to do business with.
Maybe you're only attracting curiosity seekers. Or you want
people who are at a certain skill level in an online game. Or
you want professionals who are looking for coaching or
consulting. Or, or, or...
The obvious solution is to set some qualifiers in your
prospecting process. Talk just to the people you want to deal
with, and actively discourage the folks who make your life
difficult.
But how?
The most common way is to start charging people to get in the
door. That can be very effective, but a lot of people miss some
important things when considering it.
For example, you'll see a lot of advice that says to sell
something cheap as an intro. The challenge with that can be
that folks selling higher priced back end offers can disqualify
exactly the people they want to work with if they go that
route. Some customers will only buy expensive products and
services.
You can also create expectations that you have to live with if
you go the low-cost entry route. The way around that is to make
sure the folks who do buy a cheaper intro product at least see
a higher-priced offer from you relatively soon in the process.
Think about this stuff from the perspective of your "perfect
prospect."
....
Setting expectations is a big part of this. For example, if
you're getting this newsletter, you probably signed up through
a page that was over 2200 words in length, to get a book that
was 112 pages long. You're not going to be too surprised when
the articles aren't 200 word blind ads.
On the flip side, if you sign up for something through a more
traditional subscription form with video, you're going to
expect a different kind of content than what I put out.
For good or bad, people will pretty much expect more of what
they've seen you do in the past.
Prepare your sales and subscription processes with that in
mind.
....
The medium you choose has an impact. If you are offering a
Skype room membership, you're going to get people who want
direct interaction with you. If you're not prepared for that
time demand, you may find yourself overwhelmed.
If you send a newsletter by email, the expectation will be
different.
Ask yourself how your perfect prospect uses the medium you are
considering before you make that offer.
....
Probably the easiest way to pre-qualify your audience is to
talk about the specific problems you want to help them solve.
Offering to help train middle-management to handle the
challenges of a Fortune 100 company will immediately
disqualify almost anyone who isn't upper management at such a
firm. Likewise, presenting a course on using social media in an
SME is going to attract a different, and sufficiently specific,
group of people.
The classic example is the TV commercial that starts out, "If
you're over 65, on Medicare, and need diabetic supplies, this
message is for you."
You might as well have just called them by name. And that's the
effect you want to create. They should hear your intro or see
your headline and think, "That's me. She's talking to me."
To paraphrase a comment by Seth Godin, they don't want email.
They want ME-mail.
....
You need to test things, and not just for up front
conversions. You want to see how a given channel and offer
works in the long term.
You also want to look at the impact each has on your
lifestyle. If it's making you a ton of money and giving you
ulcers and insomnia, it may not be the right choice.
I was reminded today of something I used to do, back when I was
writing sales copy for clients. If I couldn't get someone to
laugh (or at least chuckle) twice in the first half hour, I
didn't do business with them. It didn't mean they weren't great
at what they did, just that they were more formal than I like.
They weren't likely to want to deal with my style any more than
I wanted to deal with theirs.
I am a very casual guy when it comes to communication. Some
folks don't prefer that in a business environment, and it's
just good for everyone that they know up front what's going to
happen.
Expectations.
....
This one may surprise some folks.
If you're getting a lot of customers who demand too much from
you, there's a good chance I can tell you the reason: You're
offering too much up front!
Yes, it is possible to over-over-deliver.
I see this all the time. People are so afraid they're going to
disappoint their customers that they give them the world for a
song. Or try. They create the impression of being an endless
source of personal service.
That's not healthy for either side of the relationship.
Sometimes taking something out of your offer will help you make
more money. People don't believe offers that sound too good,
even if they're true. And sometimes you can fix the problem by
just leaving some things out of your sales copy. Keep it all in
the delivered product, but make some things "unadvertised
bonuses."
Giving people more than they were promised is much better than
promising them the world, even if you can make good on the
promise.
....
Sometimes telling people what they don't get is just as easy a
fix. For example, I once spoke with a lady who offered retail
products and consulting services, but was having problems with
people trying to get the consulting free, under the guise of
product support.
I recommended she add a short bit to her sales page. It went
something like this:
"I'm sorry but, at this price, I can't include personal
consultations. I've included everything you need in
order to get from start to profit. I guarantee that.
"If you want more help after you've reached that point,
you'll find my contact information at the end of each
course section."
The link took them to a page asking to schedule an
introductory session, along with a summary of her regular
rates. That didn't just end the incessant demands for free
advice, it seriously increased her consulting client base.
Won't work for everyone, but you may want to test it if you
have customers who are too pushy about demands on your personal
time.
The flip side can also work. One fellow I know offered a free
consulting session along with a very carefully targeted front
end product. It spoke directly to his perfect prospect, and he
knew they were people who paid - and well - for good
consultants.
He also charged enough that he didn't get people buying the
product just to get the free half hour.
....
There is no "one size fits all" solution to the problem of poor
targeting. The basis for fixing it, though, is easy. It's a
simple question:
What does my perfect prospect want from me,
and what do they expect to have to give in return?
Work within those expectations. Adjust them as needed. And
watch how things change for you.
....
If you're getting the wrong customers, spend a few minutes
looking over your sales process and see if this helps you find
where things aren't right.
If you're just not getting enough customers, check out that
interview I mentioned earlier. ;)
http://talkbiz.com/lowcost/?e=1
Enjoy!
Paul
-----===(*)===-----
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