Traditional sales and marketing techniques
Traditional sales and marketing techniques, pre-digital, have plenty of lessons for the enormous opportunity of the digital economy. Many of the traditional sales and marketing techniques are employed in various guises already of course. We can highlight a strong selection to remind us of some we may have forgotten or let go to rust.
Traditional channels
The benefits of using print, radio and other forms of traditional marketing can definitely be reaped. Print media has survived the cull of the advent of social media and the obituaries declaring its death. The tangible aspect of holding something physical to look, the aesthetic quality of designing for print and being able to keep something is still as relevant as it always was.
These forms can also be targeted in a way that digital cannot and never will be. Digital can be tailored by age, gender, location and delivered but only when that person is opening a phone or website. Flyers can be delivered and remain available to read and can be geo-targeted, even if this means you pushing them through letterboxes in your area.
Socialising
The days of long lunching are very few and far between these days but the methodology behind doing this face-to-face fun remain very pertinent. It is important that clients and potential customers see you in a different light. Finding out what makes a major client tick is super helpful and rewarding. And remember, people buy from people. So relationship marketing is super important. In relaxed settings, it’s amazing how much people open up and trust can be built.
Closing sales
It is still very much a truism that time kills the deal. Depending on the deal size and the details that need defining, it is very important to keep things fresh and alive at all stages. Don’t let things go stale or cold. Keep their interest in the product and company alive. Do your best to close any deal in an efficient and timely fashion. Sales techniques are s super important skill to master.
Attending events
The traditional trade show format is very much alive and kicking. Where else can you see so many relevant suppliers and like-minded souls in one place at one time? The Societies Convention and The Photography Show are the UK’s biggest events and are awash with photographers. There is also a great efficiency to this and beats 20 or so video calls without much inspiration around you. However, you may not get deals done there and then. But the very act of occupying physical space with them is important and enduring for relationships.
As for consumer events, people love to get out and see, touch and feel. If you choose to showcase your company at shows and events like this though, make sure you are prepared to put lots of effort getting into other people’s spaces. Don’t waste it by sitting behind a booth and checking social media every five minutes on your phone and hoping for interaction. People remember a conversation, a chance encounter and some hard-won knowledge. It makes them feel special.
Research
Old school sales and marketing is still very relevant. More so now because there is the ability to research every approach properly using the internet. Understanding a product or service, knowing everything there is to know before dealing with a negotiation is priceless. You can be sure your customers and competitors are all doing it.
Things to avoid
- Trying to sell a product or service, based on its features and benefits. People want to hear a solution to a problem they have so find out what that is beforehand and give them reasons why your service can handle it.
- Don’t be too enthusiastic at the risk of sounding cheesy and overzealous. Be calm, knowledgeable and helpful.
- Be real and approachable. Not all-knowing and glib.
There is nothing wrong at all with the traditional sales and marketing techniques. We have all the tools at our disposal to fully inform our tactics and make a high success rate of all the methods we choose to use. Most of it is freely available!