If you are involved in Internet Marketing, then you have to understand one thing.
Whether you like it or not, you are a salesman.
Maybe you think you are a "marketer" or a "networker" or even a "social bookmarking professional", but the bottom line is, network marketing in all it's forms is one way or another sales!!
Maybe you don't believe that, maybe you hate selling - but it doesn't matter, because - and I will say it again - If you are involved in Internet Marketing, then you are a SALESMAN- that's a FACT.
I'm not sure what your idea of a salesman is. Maybe when you think of a salesman you think of a guy with slicked back hair, a greasy gleaming smile, who can, with clean heart and sound mind, arm twist an 80 year old grandma. He can convince her that she just "must have" that 1200 CC motorcycle because "it will do so much for her hairdo" Then once the sale is done, he rapidly gets the motorcycle delivered, tells his staff he is not available and disappears. Then when the grandmas 330 pound football playing grandson comes around to get the sale reversed, your costumer service staff glibly tells him that they sure are sorry, but you are not available, and besides the "30 minute money back guarantee has expired" so there is really nothing that they can do.
If that is your idea of what a salesman is, then I can understand why you'd never want to be one. I mean who wants to go through life always looking over their shoulder wondering when one of those bad sales is going to catch up with you and rearrange your face? Not MY idea of the "good life" - and I am sure it's not yours.
So if you are doing internet marketing, and thus you are a salesman, it would be good to have an understanding of what that really means - right? Well, let's take a look at this.
To get this thing started you must have some service or article (eBook, info product, course, etc) that you are trying to get someone to buy or use - right? I will assume that this product is valuable - in other words - it does do what it is supposed to so. It works, or it gives the knowledge it is supposed to so someone else can make something work.
Ok, so you have this service or article, and you have told other people about it - maybe even told them a LOT. And this article REALLY WOULD help people do better at what they are doing, or would make them money if they bought it - SOOOOO - why aren't people beating down your door or flooding your website with orders??
Well, bottom line is just plain fear. They have been screwed before, or they don't want to part with their hard earned money, or they are not convinced it is right for them, or that it will work for them. There could be any number of reasons why they would not buy your product - even though it really would help them - and this is where you as a salesman have to step in.
So what is a salesman? What are you trying to do as a salesman?
You are trying to get your service or article into the hands of your customer, for which you get back some sort of exchange (usually money). A salesman insists that people buy. He really cares about the person and cares enough to get them through the stops and barriers that they have put on themselves and helps them to get the service or article that is going to help them succeed. (This is why your product MUST really be valuable - it really does have to help the person make a change in their business, or make their life better. If it does not do that - you will not be in business very long)
In order to be able to handle the stops that the person has, you must be able to relate to that person, you must identify with them. This is not some airy-fairey "Gee, I feel your pain man" and then you slam some product on them they will never use. It has to be real and honest. If after you really understand where this customer is at, and you realize that your product is NOT what they need - then tell them. Say "Hey, what I have is not what your are looking for - it's not going to help you get where you want to go". Be honest, and they will respect you for it. Ok, so you don't get a sale with them - FINE!. You gained their trust and they'll send others your way - as they know you're a sincere and trustworthy person. That alone could be worth ten times more sales then the one you would get with them.
Your responsibility does not stop once the sale is done - no way. You have to follow up and make sure that the person does get you product and becomes a success with your product. You have to get them to use it, to get their questions answered about it, to get some results with it. That is ESSENTIAL, as if they never use it - of course it will not work. If they don't understand it or use it wrongly - of course it will not work. In either case, you're likely to get a refund request.
Now don't get all upset if you get a refund request. It's going to happen - no matter how good your product is or how hard you follow up after the sale - you'll always have a few. People get distracted, they don't really use it, their wife hates them for buying something, etc etc. You are going to get them, so you need to rapidly and in a very friendly manner give the refund. If you do this right - you'll again gain the trust of the person who refunded - as they will at least know you're trustworthy and do what you say.
Now in all honesty, although all these steps do fall under the responsibility of the salesman, you may not be doing them all on your own. If you have your own business, and you are a one man band, then, yes you have to do them all. As you get bigger, take on employees, then some of these things will be delegated or outsourced to others.
Ok lets look at the whole cycle one last time.
You must have a high quality service or article (eBook, info product, course, etc) to sell.
You must know with certainty that your service or article IS valuable and will help others - it will handle the problem that they have. If used and used properly - it does work - no question.
You must then identify your prospects and see that your product and their problem are a match - your product will help them.
You must then insist through your sales letter or direct communication that they get your product. Guide them into purchasing it (there is a lot of data on how to do this - but that will have to be the subject of another post).
Once they have your product, you must ensure that they use it and are successful with it. You do this through your followup.
You also must set up a refund system. You'll always have a few, so make this smooth and honest and you'll gain their respect and even possibly a future sell - as you've shown you are honest and reliable.
There you have it. You may think that's a lot. In reality it's just being a person who really cares about his customers and who helps them get the service or article that is going to make a real change in their life or business. And then because you care, you follow up and make sure that they use your service or article and ARE successful. It's really not so hard. And if you really follow this through, and really care about your customer, you will have gained a customer for life. They will gladly open all your emails, will buy all your future products, will tell others about your service or product - and you'll have an ever expanding list of customers and be the roaring success you always dreamed of.
Believe me, it is worth the effort to do this right - so go out there and be a great salesman.
I hope that you enjoyed my article. I have more information on succeeding on the internet and marketing basics at my Blog. Get all that information at the link below.
http://themarkhamiltonblog.com/