Your selling message should be the foundation for the many forms of written, verbal, printed and Web communications your company uses to market its services.
Are your employees conveying the right messages to prospects when they make first impressions? Do your customers know all of your company’s products and services? Do people know how to speak your company’s language?
Here’s a Fluency Test:
- Ask the sales representatives in your office what your company does (use a tape recorder if possible).
- Now do the same for non-sales staff.
- Ask 10 clients and 10 vendors the same question.
- Review your brochures, media kits, Web site, standard forms—anything you can get your hands on that frequently appears in front of your customers.
How does the information vary? What’s missing from your printed marketing materials or from your verbal sales presentations?
A Muddled Message is a Missed Opportunity
You may discover that the real reason a particular product is not performing well is that your message is relayed inconsistently by your employees, causing confusion and possibly frustration among your target audiences. Tracking how your entire staff is actually educating clients or prospects on products and services can be an enlightening exercise. The ultimate goal is to make sure your employees are delivering the benefits of your services effectively. While your sales staff should continue to develop customized approaches for individual clients, it is essential for your overall selling message to encompass a single, unified voice.
Refining Your Selling Message
After conducting an inventory of your sales and marketing materials, your employees’ knowledge and customers’ understanding of your products and services, it’s time to refine your message.
Your selling message should be the foundation for the many forms of written, verbal, printed and Web communications your company uses to market its services. Your message should be concise and easily understood by a variety of audiences. It should discuss your core services, the industries and types of customers you serve, your history, values and the unique benefits your company offers.
Instant Messaging
Make it a point to express to your employees the importance of speaking the same language. Give your employees a copy of your selling message in the form of an easy desk reference. You could even give a “pop quiz” to each employee and give rewards, such as chocolate or coveted bragging rights, for correct answers. Make it easy and make it fun.