how does the "little guy" compete

[Techman]

well
The basics of all intermediate marketing will say there is need to eliminate the competition and stop acting as a seller of a commodity. Beyond intermediate marketing there is a level where there is no competition.

That is called the unique sales position or whatever the latest terminology is. Leave the commodity arena by building a unique sales posture and catering to that market only. All others bizz models are irrelevant. By building a unique sales position any one can do whatever they want including selling the very same products at a higher price as others and be very successful.

I have no competition. I never will. That is the goal of every business owner. Build the bizz model so that the bizz reaches to a specific market that meets a specific need and disqualifying any possible client who does not fit the profile.

All of this lead right into developing the 4 P's into a viable sales tool. You will sign most of the clients at a higher price. Those who balk must walk. They will self disqualify.

Pivot
Profile
Praise
Prompt.

Once there into the 4 P's the bizzz owner will lead the client into a sale. If the owner determines the client is not suitable he moves on.

IE:
How much for a xyz sign?

This is where the pivot answer starts. It comes in some variation of the following..

We have a wide variety of signs that will fit your needs. This is pivot.

Now we have to Profile the client. We ask him a series of questions to find out what his need is. Not his stated need. But his internal pain. What makes him anxious. His pain is not because he needs a sign. His pain is worry over paying his kids private school tuition. Once we find out his internal pain we build it until he has a nervous break down over it.

The next step is to praise. We never say something like.. "we use only the very best of materials. etc. Its just Blah blah blah.. All of this will never medicate his pain.

Our praise is in bragging about our ability to find his pain.
Wow, I just told you what is bothering you the most. Since I was the only one to know the cause of your pain We must be the one qualified to relieve it. I know you agree Mr. Client.. yes????

The next is to prompt.. Mr. client.. We determined the most difficult part. We know how to get you more of what you need. Now you OK it right here, leave the deposit and this will be done in just a short while.

You place the pen right over the signature line. Sit back and shut up. First one to move or talk loses.

Learn the skills of the 4P's and there will no longer be competition. It's that simple..

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I am still unsure of that even in theory

 

[Locals Find!]

well
The basics of all intermediate marketing will say there is need to eliminate the competition and stop acting as a seller of a commodity. Beyond intermediate marketing there is a level where there is no competition.

That is called the unique sales position or whatever the latest terminology is. Leave the commodity arena by building a unique sales posture and catering to that market only. All others bizz models are irrelevant. By building a unique sales position any one can do whatever they want including selling the very same products at a higher price as others and be very successful.

I have no competition. I never will. That is the goal of every business owner. Build the bizz model so that the bizz reaches to a specific market that meets a specific need and disqualifying any possible client who does not fit the profile.

All of this lead right into developing the 4 P's into a viable sales tool. You will sign most of the clients at a higher price. Those who balk must walk. They will self disqualify.

Pivot
Profile
Praise
Prompt.

Once there into the 4 P's the bizzz owner will lead the client into a sale. If the owner determines the client is not suitable he moves on.

IE:
How much for a xyz sign?

This is where the pivot answer starts. It comes in some variation of the following..

We have a wide variety of signs that will fit your needs. This is pivot.

Now we have to Profile the client. We ask him a series of questions to find out what his need is. Not his stated need. But his internal pain. What makes him anxious. His pain is not because he needs a sign. His pain is worry over paying his kids private school tuition. Once we find out his internal pain we build it until he has a nervous break down over it.

The next step is to praise. We never say something like.. "we use only the very best of materials. etc. Its just Blah blah blah.. All of this will never medicate his pain.

Our praise is in bragging about our ability to find his pain.
Wow, I just told you what is bothering you the most. Since I was the only one to know the cause of your pain We must be the one qualified to relieve it. I know you agree Mr. Client.. yes????

The next is to prompt.. Mr. client.. We determined the most difficult part. We know how to get you more of what you need. Now you OK it right here, leave the deposit and this will be done in just a short while.

You place the pen right over the signature line. Sit back and shut up. First one to move or talk loses.

Learn the skills of the 4P's and there will no longer be competition. It's that simple..

I have never heard such a big load of pure Crap in my life. Your actually saying you make sure your clients have nervous breakdowns as a sales technique? WTF kinda business owner does that? Selling signs has nothing to do with someones pain. Leave there pain alone its not your concern. They need a sign you sell them a sign.

You have competition and aren't even smart enough to realize it. Every business has competition. No one is a Monopoly anymore.

As for not Selling commodities thats just plain stupid. Commodities are what keeps economies in action. A commodity is something everyone must have PERIOD.

A luxury item is something someone can live without. In this Economy those who sell commodities will survive while luxury items are those that are going to be the ones to fail.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

LOL. No he actually didn't make make that up.

But really, you've never given a client a nervous breakdown before? You must. It's such a hoot.

 

[James Burke]

In regard to competition:

Basic economics says that substitutions are the same thing as competition. If the customer can find a substitute for any product you sell or any service you offer, you then have competition.

I would say that applies to all of us in one way or another.

How easily the customer can access those substitutes largely determines our success.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

The less and longer the better. I used to live in Hillsdale, NJ BTW.

 

[Techman]

I have never heard such a big load of pure Crap in my life. Your actually saying you make sure your clients have nervous breakdowns as a sales technique? WTF kinda business owner does that?

IF you do not know the difference between an example and actual usage then there is no hope for you. Take you attacks somewhere else. You know nothing of which you speak. Take a few courses in business and take a few courses in marketing and will soon find out just how ignorant some really are. If you think this is a load of crap then you need a few lessons yourself...

Selling signs has nothing to do with someones pain. Leave there pain alone its not your concern. They need a sign you sell them a sign.

By your comments you have no basic understanding of this most basic of concepts concept then you are not yet a salesperson.

I see here is a load of incestuous ideas passed around between each other all of which are as old as the moon and all of which are equally dead. I see lots of the same problems and lots of the same complaints with no fixes for not one of them.

I see lots of bashing and no ideas. I offer up something that really works and which is a common basis for all sales and immediately someone who couldn't sell a calvin sticker decide they know better. Ya right. Instead of calling my post a load of crap why don't you offer up something constructive yourself.

A luxury item is something someone can live without. In this Economy those who sell commodities will survive while luxury items are those that are going to be the ones to fail.

Tell that to the HArley dealers who are selling out each month.


Geeses.

 

[James Burke]

What Techman says about "pain " is true, but it's not necessarily the literal sense unless you're selling Advil or Tylenol.

Pain in this instance refers to a customer's "need", and in some cases "wants".

Good marketing will cater to these two basic concepts. Excellent marketing will educate a customer on needs and wants they didn't even know they had.

I come from a very "non business" background, and to be honest I am not consciously aware of taking a customer through a series of "steps" when leading them into a sale. I'm a former highschool teacher and my sales pitches resemble more of "educating" than selling...and that works extremely well for me.

 

[Techman]

Thank you JB... I wish I had your articulation skills

 

[iSign]

if you can be the biggest ego infested baffoon, it doesn't matter if you have good ideas, or valuable experience, you will tend to draw out the next biggest ego infested baffoon, and the opportunity for a positive community driven dialogue will be lost as just one more victim to the insidious, ever present cost of competition

 

[Pat Whatley]

...find out what his need is. Not his stated need. But his internal pain. What makes him anxious.

I knew if I thought about it long enough I'd figure out where I'd heard that marketing speech before :ROFLMAO:

From FIELD OF DREAMS

Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.

 

[Techman]

what a peerfect anology,,

 

[American & Proud]

Techman,
In post #79 you mention another thread, "But once I had an epiphany a while back .. of which I posted,, of which that post had a large following.. "
Do you have a link to it? I would like to read through it.
Thanks

 

[Techman]

http://www.signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10431&highlight=visual

 

[American & Proud]

Thanks for the link, I appreciate it.

Got it open now and will read through it.

 

[CentralSigns]

Techman enlighten us as to how much the direction you have taken has helped your business. Are you triple your 2006 gross with less overhead or what. This will help to understand your business move better. I'm saying since 2006, since that was when you started the new business structure you allude to now. I now understand what you and Dan are taking about both then and now, much the same thing I suspect.

 

[Techman]

In 2006 there was very little income. Can we say broke with an occasional notice from the utility companies?

Are you triple your 2006 gross with less overhead or what.

I was broke in 2006. So any where from there was an improvement. We qualified for lots of income tax credits if that gives a base line. I had a CC with a 30 g limit from before the storm. The CC was up to over 15 g's.

Growth..
No, not triple. a slow but steady incline each month. I do fewer jobs but get paid more. I never do anything less than 100.00. If the client tries to beat down a price its over for them especially if they do it while an invoice is presented. All new clients must have a complimentary first consultation for a quote. No quotes over a phone call. Never.

The bizz is finally up to 9-11 a month with about 2.2 a month in fixed expenses including a garage shop. (I got to find a heater for it soon. It's friggin cold now). There is a slow steady increase with a few dips in between over a longer term. Of course the percentages will change as the income rises. The projected gross income levels will be much better by 2nd quarter 2011.

I do few computer repairs lately. That side of the income scale is fading fast. The cutter and printer sit quietly waiting for the occasional job. I gave away a backup cutter. I have no plans to purchase a new printer. Vinyl is final? Yes it is in the final stages of death. I do have an account to get corian. That stuff makes money.

The results of the change in focus:

The overall results of all this is that we will be debt free by Feb. 2011. Yes that means all debts including credit cards. Cash will be king. With a little blessing from the Higher Authority I will be doing a payoff to the mortgage Co. Monday. The decision and goal to make this move came Jan. 2010. Stacking dollars for this became very easy in the past few months. Next year my honey will be paying cash for her new car.

So there ya have it. Take it for what its worth.