P.T. Barnum was right. In the absence of promotion, something horrible happens. Nothing! Whether the Greensboro Coliseum is promoting a concert or wrestling match or the LJVM is promoting a Wake Forest basketball game, the same thing is true.

And it is also true for the world of selling. The best sellers are usually the best promoters. Yes. Unabashed self-promoters. It is certainly true in show business. If you don’t think so, ask Madonna, Evil Knievel, Ed McMahon, Dick Clark or Howard Stern!

What causes salespeople to be reluctant to promote themselves, their organization, product or service? Let’s take a look at seven that could be sabotaging your best efforts:

1. Not wanting to come across as brash; too aggressive or attention seeking.
2. A lack of confidence in your product, service or organization to deliver on promises.
3. A need for approval and acceptance with traditional terms.
4. Not knowing how to promote.
5. Not knowing how to promote professionally and inside of the limits of tasteful standards within your industry.
6. Being poorly positioned to promote successfully.
7. A false belief that it requires a lot of money to do it.

·         Becoming an industry champion, spokesperson, advocate or expert. Appearing on radio, television, web broadcasts, journals and magazines certainly gets your name out there to the right people, doesn’t it?

·         Volunteer your services or expertise. Think about offering your time and talent to organizations that interface with your customer base. Better yet, activities that allow you greater visibility with your direct customers.

·         Do research and publish the results. Sound complicated? It’s not. Simply conduct your own surveys or research projects, compile the data and then provide it directly to customers and prospects as it relates to how your product or service is involved with the findings. You will then have become a source of knowledge, expertise and insight. It positions you well, is not expensive to do and gives you greater insight and understanding into your customers.

·         Develop your own web-site. Better yet, make selected, valuable information available by “password only” to key accounts and prospects. This provides an air of exclusivity and a source of proprietary data to a self-selected few – your customers!

·         Publish your own newsletter, e-mail reports or related communication tool to your prospects or customers. How often do you receive various magazines sponsored by credit cards, banks or other, related providers of services to you? Yours doesn’t have to be full-color or on glossy paper. It just needs to be information dense, helpful, consistent and valuable.

·         Get your organization to sponsor awards, programs or recognition activities with your industry or for your customers. Do you really believe that large consulting firms sponsor “Quality Awards” just to have the winners recognized?

·         They will provide valuable, meaningful information or services to your prospects or customers.

·         None are self-serving or pushy.

·         None are not expensive to initiate and sustain.

·         They all position positively as a helpful, trusted and valuable business partner.

The secret to all of this is one simple thing. It is learning how to think like a promoter. It is understanding that without proper promotion there is a good possibility that you will never break out of the pack of people trying to get your prospects attention. Remember – people always pay attention to people whom they perceive as having something important to say to them. Each one of these strategies certainly help to position you as a valuable resource. P.T. Barnum was right. And he wasn’t just talking about the circus!
 

©2000 Bill Brooks, The Brooks Group, Greensboro, NC

For almost two decades Bill Brooks has been one of America’s most in-demand sales speakers.   The reason behind Bill’s tremendous popularity is that he has successfully accomplished what other sales speakers merely talk about.   He enjoys real-world, legitimate sales success, executive experience, in-depth topic expertise, academic preparation, as well as the highest speaking and consulting accreditations.   Bill has been a sales executive and marketing manager, an international sales award winner, CEO of a 300 million dollar corporation and successful college football coach with a 70% winning record.   He has managed a national sales force of 4000.   Bill is author of over 100 video and 200 audio programs, and 9 books.   He has hosted over 300 satellite television shows.   For more information about Bill Brooks’ speaking, training and consulting services; or learning tools, call 800-633-7762 or e-mail sales@thebrooksgroup.com or visit his website at www.brooksgroup.com.