Cutting out all the noise – How to make sure your message is heard

Website design By BotEap.comOn any given day, we are bombarded by messages. We don’t even need to leave the house. Radio. Television. Internet. Email. Phone. Mobile phone. Voicemail. Faxes. Just a few of the countless ways advertisers can contact us.

Website design By BotEap.comBut if we leave (the house), there is much more: Signs on the buses. Bus signs. More signs at L stops, at banks, on top of taxi cabs, billboards, at the checkout counter at the local grocery store.

Website design By BotEap.comOh! Newspapers cannot be forgotten despite their lagging numbers. And of course there is still mail: US Mail, FedEx, UPS, DSL. The list is endless, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

Website design By BotEap.comSo how does a small business, or any business for that matter, break through all the noise? What does it take to be heard when you’re competing for someone’s attention?

Website design By BotEap.comTranquility is the first thing that comes to mind. A distraction-free place where you can hear what the other person is saying. A restaurant where you can talk and network without shouting. Or an office or conference room where you can talk business and everyone can listen.

Website design By BotEap.comA minimum of interest is the next element. The person (or people) you are talking to should have an interest in what you have to say and sell. Does your service solve a problem for them? Can you communicate that in a clear and concise way? If so, you can probably get their attention. But to keep your interest, you need to dig deeper. You need to be able to answer objections, or “Why Shoulds” as I prefer to call them, which means you need to state your USP (unique selling proposition).

Website design By BotEap.comWhy should I give you my business when my current provider is doing a decent job? Please tell me how your service will make my job easier. Can you save me five hours a month of wasted time? Will that free me up to do an extra five hours of cold calling? Hit me with figures for time saved and potential income, and I might be ready for a follow-up meeting.

Website design By BotEap.comYou may prefer to make initial contacts by email. If so, you have different challenges. Now you need some plot. You need to create interest. And it must do so while maneuvering through mountains of spam.

Website design By BotEap.comHow will you ensure that your message is open? Do you know how to write a short and clear subject line that does not contain any spam filter trigger words? And once you open it up, how do you write short, engaging copy so that when you follow up on the phone, someone will actually listen to your presentation, or better yet, pick up the phone first and call you?

Website design By BotEap.comThis is where good sales skills come in handy. Knowing how to write a strong sales pitch, whether via email or postal mail, is crucial.

Website design By BotEap.comThink of all the lousy emails you receive every day. Better yet, try this simple exercise for a few days. Pay attention to subject lines that you delete too quickly. Then look carefully at the ones you open and think about why you’re not throwing them away. You should see a pattern. The emails that are opened are from someone you know, contain information you requested, or have subject lines that are so intriguing that you can NOT NOT open them. That’s what you want to do to separate your emails from the ones that are about to be deleted.

Website design By BotEap.comObviously, there is always more you can do to get your message heard. But if you start with the simple tactics outlined above, you’ll be off to a good start.

Website design By BotEap.como Deliver your message in a distraction-free environment.

Website design By BotEap.como Make sure the person you are talking to has some interest in what you are selling.

Website design By BotEap.como Know your USP to be prepared for “Why should I?”

Website design By BotEap.como Create a small plot.

Website design By BotEap.como Hone your sales skills, or writing proposals, as well as face-to-face presentations.

Website design By BotEap.comSmart marketing can remove the clutter and all the noise. You need to understand what your potential customers need and tell them how your company has the solution.