It’s Friday morning and I’m working from home. The phone rings. I answer but there is silence – at least for a few seconds. Then on comes a voice and it’s straight into “Hello Mr Edgar, how are you? Have you considered installing new windows recently or maybe your kitchen is falling apart and you want to update those shoddy cupboards? How about loft insulation or maybe your toilet seat is too cold in the winter and you want a nice, furry lining to sit on instead?” Sell, sell, sell…argh!!
How does it make you feel – as a potential customer? I’m guessing it makes you feel mad, frustrated, sick to the back teeth of the cold callers.
So, what is WRONG with this approach?
Well, I’ll make a suggestion. It doesn’t build any trust between the seller and the buyer. I mean, who is the person on the other end of the line? I don’t know them. I’ve never heard them before. I don’t really know who or what they represent. They could be ANYBODY.
Would I buy from them? Hell no. Are they a pain for ringing? Hell yes. Do I wish I could ban ALL cold callers? A resounding YES!
What’s the solution then? How DO you sell to a potential customer?
I believe it’s all about how to build trust. In my business, personal and group fitness, it’s most definitely about building trust. I mean, do I expect a stranger to suddenly join my classes or start paying me lots of money WITHOUT trying me out first? Or, if it’s one of my online products, without getting to know me BEFORE they buy anything? Of course I don’t expect that.
So what do I do about it? I build trust with a potential customer. I offer a FREE trial for my classes, I offer a FREE consultation (or chat) for my personal training service and I offer FREE gifts for my online products. I keep in touch with the potential customer and eventually, they may buy from me. They may like the FREE trial class so then they sign up. They may like what I say at the FREE personal training consultation so then they sign up. They may like my FREE gifts online so then they buy an online product.
You see, building trust works. I will NEVER buy new windows, a new kitchen, have loft insulation or purchase a warm, furry toilet seat WITHOUT knowing who is doing the selling. Simple – so STOP calling me when I’m working from home!!
Regards
Paul
Ps/ Oh, talking of free gifts, you can sign up for my free women’s health and wellbeing report and start to build trust with me. Here’s the link where you can enter your name and email address (don’t forget to confirm your details when you receive the email): https://www.bodyandmindfitnesscompany.co.uk