Lisa Pfister Product Launch Consultant

Posts Tagged ‘relationship’

We’ve all heard prominent marketers talk about how imperative it is to pace the relationship you have with a prospect. The analogy they usually use is that you don’t ask someone to marry you on your first date. Of course that makes sense.  It’s so critical to foster relationships with your prospects before you ask them to trust you with taking the big step – taking the credit card out of their wallets and actually making the purchase.

This is probably one of the reasons that I found the product launch sequence used by Jeff Walker in his Product Launch formula so compelling. It gives those of us who provide services online a way to “court” our clients in the prelaunch sequence. We share our story, we provide great content, we give away some of the best stuff we have. This allows us to build trust and value in the eyes of our prospects. It’s a solid way to really build a long standing relationship.

This being said few, far too few marketers actually follow this strategy. Even though they know that a tiny fraction of people who land on a sales page will buy, they think that somehow their situation is different and in their case they’ll be successful.

Now, you’re wondering why is the title of this post referencing Egypt? This is where it all gets tied together. J

Two years ago I went on an amazing adventure around Egypt. There’s always a constant barrage of people who are relentlessly going after tourists to sell them their wares. For the most part they’re just selling commodities that can be purchased one more street down so there’s never any real pressure to make a purchase at that time. With a thousand perfume shops, a thousand tshirt shops a thousand statue shops why buy now? So the success of most merchants relies on two things: price and luck. Hopefully they are offering a cheap enough price or they’re just lucky enough that that person is ready to buy now.

That’s the way it is with most internet marketers. There’s a ton of choice “around every corner” so you rely on luck and price.

Here’s where the smart marketers in Cairo really shined. They didn’t try to sell me. They engaged me in some unalarming way while walking down the street. Then they invited me in for tea. They shared stories with me about their culture and their city. They treated me as a friend. Eventually they introduced the benefits of their products and given the relationship we started and the law of reciprocity I bought willingly, even when I wasn’t in the market for what they were selling. The funny thing is – I don’t regret any of the purchases. They were sound products and I enjoyed the experience. I knew what was going on but still I was brought into the buying experience because of their skill in engaging me without trying to sell me.

We’re all tempted to get the quick sale – but remember how inefficient it is. Take your time with your prospect. Give him value before you ask for it in return. Date before you propose or walk (and sell) like an Egyptian.