Asking For The Order...
February 17, 2022
I remember attending a sales meeting at one of my first broadcast jobs. It was a little odd because the "on air" people usually didn't mix with the "sales people" but I was curious as to what they did to keep us...paid. I'll never forget his wise words that ended the meeting, "Never, ever leave the sales meeting without asking for the order."
So simple yet so profound. Both the sales person and the client know what the meeting is about. I mean I've had sales people take me to lunch, have a nice chat but they never actually asked for the order.
But this post isn't so much about sales as it is about marketing. Ready?
I'm not sure how much time you spend checking out the various reviews a business gets, say on Google. My Bride always checks the reviews before she buys anything. And that's where this story goes:
Not long ago I did some business with a printing company for a client. We had created eight large posters for an event and sent them to our commercial printer who we've used for years for that sort of thing. They did a nice job, they turned the project quickly, we were satisfied and our client was blown away.
Then something interesting happened.
Weeks later I got an email from the owner of the printing company asking me my thoughts about their work and if I would recommend them. I answered that I was impressed with not only the quality but also the pricing and the turn around. He then asked me if I would rate them on...Google.
And, of course I did.
He asked for the order.
There is plenty of competition out there for whatever you are selling so, how can you stand out? Ask for the recommendation and make it public. There are folks out there, like my Bride, who will dwell on those reviews and how many "stars" a product or service has. And it often makes the buying decision easier and more informed.
And, the best news is your cost is practically zero.