Let’s do this the “EASY” way, that always works!
I always remember telling my kids if they had a problem not to take the "easy" way out. Deal with the real problem by being honest and working it out the right way. Of course, they usually didn't listen, and it got worse from there. We all know this instinctively as we have all made the same mistakes.
So many examples come to mind, such as asking our friends or co-workers to do something we don't want too, only to learn later it was either not done at all, or worse created a mess we now had to clean up.
That's not to say that delegation is not an important aspect of what we all do but rather to say that in many cases it's just laziness on our part.
This is all leading to what is happening today in sales and marketing and with many large and small organizations looking for the "easy" fix. The easy fix is to spend more money on a what seems like a new technology that really just automates a process that no longer works as it used to.
Automation is great and can be a real time and money saver when based on a complete understanding of the process. However, when it is simply used to make a broken system operate faster, well you just get more volume of the same poor results.
Case in point, automated emails, InMail’s, ad’s and messaging programs. Emails, up and till recently were an effective way to reach both existing and new contacts with information we wanted them to see. Over the years people began abusing emails and began sending more and more advertising we now call SPAM into our "In" boxes. So, in response we began going through the arduous process of making sure these emails all went into our junk folders, but alas those brilliant marketing minds figured that out and they get through anyway. You'd think they'd get the hint!?
It's gotten to the point now where there are literally so many coming in that the anti spam programs and blockers can't keep up.
So, here's the point;
Recognizing that there's a problem that needs to be fixed and knowing how we all want the "easy" fix, there are now companies who have an easy solution for us!! Instead of recognizing that our customers don't want to be continually bombarded with spam through emails or InMail’s or online ads (that simply won't go away not matter how many times you push that little X...) we have found another easy fix.
Just buy our program and it can push out so many automated emails, InMail’s, ads and junk that your customers can't avoid them!! Sure the %'s are so low now that doing it manually simply can't be done but that's why we've automated it! Forget trying to message a few people with your corporate propaganda, we can hit thousands! Heck you don't even have to follow them up because we have automated that too!
You just sit back and wait while our AI figures out and directs those that respond into your little sales funnel so your hungry sales people to can call and sell them. All for an exceptionally low price of....
You get the picture.
There is no free lunch.
Why would your customers be any different than you?
-You don't answer cold calls or numbers you don't recognize, in fact you block them.
-You don't answer spam emails in fact you hate going into your email because you have to dig through all that crap to find your customers email
-You don't answer those cheesy InMail’s that pop into your social profile out of nowhere and you certainly don't watch those ads that pop up on your phone or screen when your searching for something!
So why oh why do you think your customers are any different than you??
Their not.
So, let's now realize and learn that we need to do this the right way and yes, the hard way. The good news is that you don't have to pay for some fancy new technological solution that won't work anyway.
So what to do. Well it's not really so hard as you think, in fact it's simply about what you do everyday with your best pal's and associates. It's about sharing information (not selling) with people in a way that they want to read and see it. It's about being there when they google their question about how to solve a problem your product solves. It's not about jumping their bones just because they connect with you!
People want to buy from people and feel like they now have someone they can trust and ask questions as they need to. I've never seen a corporate advertisement or spam accomplish that.
Don't keep doing what you've always been doing only in an automated way! Think about what's really wrong and it's "you" because your considering the "easy" way again.
Get online with your customers and join the "Social" revolution, in the end while it's not the easy way, it's the right way and it's where your going to end up anyway.
So, when that new shiny automation tool gets shown to you and promises to provide all the golden eggs you could ever want, what do you say? Try this, Thanks but we are going to solve this the right way, not the easy way.
** An overwhelming number of companies are still stuck in the mindset that social media is the domain of marketing rather than sales. As buying patterns continue to evolve this is an increasingly dangerous position to take. More and more every day, buyers are reaching out via social channels rather than phone or email, and your sales team needs to be equipped to properly follow-up with these leads. **
Should have Played Quidditch for England
5 年Thomas, you make a great point. I was talking to a guy last weekend, his responses (like everybody) to cold calling and email. His conclusion was to buy an app that allowed him to send more emails and make more cold calls. — “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Great blog, as always!