Words to Live by...or starve by!

Hi and welcome again to another great Marketing Tip of the Week. Before I begin I want to wish all of you a great Valentines Day. May love shine for you this week.

This week's tip is really exciting for me to write about. I've created over 32 businesses in the last 33 years and this is precisely how I found out what my customer wanted.

Have you ever asked yourself this question? "If I knew what my prospects wanted, I could give it to them. But I just can't find out." Does this sound familiar? Most people selling products and services don't have more than a vague idea what their prospects want and, it seems, no idea how to find out what it is that they do want.

The problem is that if you don't know what your prospects want, then you're reduced to trying to sell them what you have, namely products and services.

Let me tell you this. Nobody but you is interested in what you're selling. Prospects, as every marketing book stresses, buy benefits.

Your real job as a product or service seller is very different from what you may think your job is. You are realer in the business of discovering what your prospect or customer wants to achieve. The problem he or she wants to solve and then positioning your product or service as the way to get that problem solved. To do this, you need your prospect to give you information.

If you're sending it with a cover letter:

1. Write down all your products and services in order of either what most of your prospect buy or which is the most lucrative for you.

2. List 4 or 5 benefits the prospect will get when they use each product or service.

3. Then return to the top of the page of your questionnaire. Use a statement like this.

"Please tell me which of the following items are of special interest to you, or describe the ones you want to know more about."

4. Put a box in front of each item where the prospect can indicate their interest.

5. Leave a space at the bottom of the page for the prospects name, address, business and home phone numbers.

Let's use an example for a Real Estate Agent. Please massage this for any occupation you are in.

( ) I'm interested in learning how to make money on Real Estate.

( ) I'm interested in receiving information on how to choose the right house for me.

( ) I'm interested in receiving information on how to maximize the selling price of my home.

( ) I'm interested in information that will help me see defects in my house early, before they become too expensive to correct.

Get the idea? I hope so. I also hope you've noticed that what you're asking the prospect to do is tell you which benefits and needs, they are interested in. Benefits motivate people to give you the information you desire.

Well, that's it for this week. Next week, I will continue on the Prospect Questionnaire that will help you create more prospects and customers.

I'd like to ask you a favor. Mention this 'Marketing Tip of the Week' to one of your business associates and ask them to subscribe at http://www.kenvarga.com . You'll be giving them the greatest gift ever!

If you find this customer creating tip useful and/or profitable, hit your forward button NOW and share it with a friend or co-worker!

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Copyright [c] 1999-2002,

Ken Varga, <http://www.kenvarga.com>

32 Successful Businesses in 33 years

Author, Speaker, Consultant.

Mentor to Entrepreneurs Worldwide