Sales Funneling – A Marketers Guide
Sales people often feel that all marketing needs to do is to drive loads of leads their way. If this is the approach in your organisation, then you are missing sales and lowering potential profitability. Careful management of the tone and quantity of your marketing content across a planned sales funnel can deliver pre-qualified leads to a sales person, significantly improving the chances of conversion.
Many of us will have experienced a sense of ‘information overload’ where we simply switch off, or the frustration of wanting to know more about a product or service before we commit and not being able to find it. Both happen regularly, and when they do – you’ve lost a sale.
For almost every purchase we make, we run through a broadly similar decision-making process (I say almost, as the impulse bar of chocolate at the supermarket counter is quite a different process). Typically, and particularly for more complex purchases, our thinking will go something like this: ‘My laptop is heavy – I saw that ad for really light weight ones, who was it again?’ (Latent need); ‘There’s that ad, it’s X-brand’ (Awareness); ‘I’ll just check out their site’ (Interest); ‘Hmm, well the weight certainly compares well, but can I afford it, what are the other options?’ (Evaluation); ‘I’ll pop into Y-shop to see what it feels like and ask a little more about it’ (Trial); ‘I’ve researched the best price, I’ll get it from there’ (Purchase). Kotler and others have spelt out various different versions of this process, there’s bound to have been one modelled for most markets. By understanding the way people make buying decisions, you can map your sales funnel: 1. Awareness, 2. Interest, 3. Evaluation, 4. Trial, 5. Purchase.
Against this process you should map and measure your sales funnel, you’ll steadily whittle down your audience at each step, with interested parties moving through the funnel and those who either don’t want what you offer or who are turned off by your messaging going elsewhere. To maximise the conversion at each stage, marketers should consider two key elements; tone and quantity.
What do I mean by tone? As short-hand, think emotion. Against the sales funnel, there is an appropriate tone at each step. If you imagine a continuum from emotional to rational, typically your marketing material will need to start at emotional and move to rational through the funnel. To really get noticed, you need to appeal to our most human side, our emotions. If you hit a nerve, they notice you. However rational you are, e.g. ‘we’re cheap’, if they don’t feel a need for what you’re offering they’re unlikely to notice your communications in the first place. Successful emotional appeals, in marketing terms, usually hit on a negative feeling and say that you can take it away. This is called finding the point of pain. Once you’ve established that emotional appeal, your communications need to move into more rational territory, where proof is needed. As a sanity check on the tone of your marketing materials, map out each stage of the sales funnel and look at the material (offline, online, sales person, in-store, etc.) and then judge the emotional appeal – are you delivering rational messages too soon? Is your material providing further emotional messaging, when your buyer is looking for rational proof?
Quantity, in regard to sales funnelling, is a fairly straight forward concept – start ‘short and sweet’ and then provide more information at each step. Where most organisations fall foul of this is on their websites. Home pages are often jam packed with information. In a typical sales funnel, an organisation’s website is the second or third step – this means that people typically reach you looking for an emotional appeal (what’s the benefit for me?) and they are looking for key messages. Again, map out your journey and assess the quantity of information you are serving at each stage, it should start small and increase at each step.
So, if you’re experiencing lots of web traffic, but low numbers of enquiries – or lots of footfall and low sales, think about the sales funnel. An initial assessment against tone and quantity will signpost where your blockage might be and put you on the path to a free flowing sales funnel that has a tangible link to your bottom line.
Copyright (c) 2008 Bryony Thomas
Lap Tapping Is An Unusual Style Of Acoustic Guitar Playing
Lap tapping is a unique guitar technique whereby the acoustic guitarist holds the instrument flat on his lap while tapping the guitar body and strings percussively while playing the melody.
A small number of technically gifted acoustic guitarists have helped develop this form of guitar playing over the years. Talented guitarists such as Ben Konstantinovic, Tony Haven and Ben Howard have very individual styles and can be seen in action on You Tube. Perhaps the best known of all is Canadian guitarist Erik Mongrain whose songs like Airtap! has enjoyed widespread coverage and racked up millions of views on You Tube. Erik Mongrain uses a unique two handed flat guitar technique which simultaneously combines percussive tapping of the guitar body and chords.
Another up and coming lap tapping guitarist is singer, songwriter Liam Iliffe from Bournemouth, UK. Liam is only 15 years old but has been playing guitar for over 8 years. Although his two handed technique is similar to Erik Mongrain, a key difference is that he tends to favour simpler melodies in his own songs given he also sings at the same time. Liam uses lap tapping primarily as a way to inject more raw emotion and drama into his acoustic compositions.
In 2012, Liam entered Live and Unsigned the UKs biggest talent competition for unsigned artists. After sailing through the auditions, Liam impressed at the Regional finals in Portsmouth and was voted through to the Southern England area finals in May 2012. He was also selected by the Live and Unsigned judges to showcase his lap tapping guitar playing at the Southampton Music festival that will be held in October 2012.
The Live and Unsigned competition also coincides with the launch of Liams debut Album Slap tapping, now available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and other major online distributors. Alongside his original songs like Our Bridge and Intervention, the album also features his unusual cover versions of Sweet Dreams by the Eurythmics and the dubstep classic Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites by Skrillex.
Tapping usually incorporates pull-offs or hammer-ons as well, where the fingers of the right hand and, in the motion of removing that finger, pluck the same string already fretted at the eighth fret by the little finger of his/her left hand. It is an extended technique, executed by using one hand to ‘tap’ the strings against the fingerboard, thus producing legato notes. Tapping may be performed either one-handed or two-handed.
[Top]The Advantages Of Kiosks
One smart way to bring in a fresh technical edge to your business, marketing, sales, or client servicing is to start utilising the potential in kiosks. In the modern world, where the market is characterised by competition, increasing options, and freedom of choice, one cannot ignore the vast possibilities and potentials of kiosks. The growth of kiosks has been phenomenal in the last 5 years across the world. While kiosks involve a relatively higher initial investment, it proves to be cost effective within a very short time.
Modern kiosks are computer-programmed interfaces that facilitate interaction with customers resulting in the exchange of goods or information. The customer is normally aware of the product or information he is seeking for. In other cases, kiosks aim at informing the user in minimal time about his options from the kiosk. Hence, it acts not only as a marketing and informative tool but also as the final sales agent.
Kiosks can be popular and advantageous to various businesses on a number of grounds.
Ensures round the clock sales or service
The primary advantage of kiosks is their machine based intelligence’, which nullifies the need for a human’s presence during a transaction or interaction with a client. Hence, kiosks can be functional 24 hours a day, making possibilities of sale round the clock.
Encourages self service
Most customers of modern age prefer choosing, deciding, and transacting privately or on their own, or with minimal interference from sales agents. They prefer to seek technical opinion only when they need it. In such an evolving nature of client base, kiosks prove to be a perfect interface since it is entirely designed on the notion of self service’.
Allows easy maintenance
Kiosks are generally easy to put together or pull apart for maintenance. In the event of a system failure, most companies rely on the sound technical support system provided by the kiosk providers.
Limits functionalities, enhances focus
Owing to limited interaction possibilities in a kiosk, users are focused to a certain family of information, within which, their choices get limited. Hence, kiosks minimises irrelevant demands of customers to a large extent.
Increases market reach
Not only do kiosks work 24 hours a day, they also increase market outreach. Mostly kiosks are designed to be located in public places or targeted areas. This opens up the prospect of having unlimited and a wide variety of users.
Reduces work load
Kiosks effectively do the job of marketing, sales, or public relations personnel. Effectively, they reduce workload and cost of having commensurate number of personnel at late hours and remote locations.
Advertises
Innovative kiosks and interfaces have a huge impact on the image and goodwill of your business. They become statements of your commitment, research, awareness, and reliability.
Kiosks-UK.com is one of the leading service providers in the world of kiosks. If you are thinking of installing kiosks or contemplating about changing your existing set of kiosks, remember to visit us. We are one of the most experienced players in designing, installing, and supporting all technical needs for kiosks in the UK. We, at www.kiosks-uk.com, ensure efficiency, timeliness, technical edge, and professionalism for your business needs. Call us or visit us today for more on kiosks.
[Top]Latest Panasonic Rice Cooker (electric Cooker) At Lowest Price
When you purchase kitchen appliances, you want to buy best and cheap kitchen appliances that means the kitchen appliances must have the good looking, quality, price, cheap, warranty and many more. Homeshop18 offers best kitchen appliances in lowest price. Please have a look below some detail of kitchen appliances.
(1). Panasonic Rice Cooker Model No: SR-TEG18A
Features:
Best known by its Panasonic brand name, Group & Global Headquarters, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. based in Osaka, Japan is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. In India, Panasonic Sales & Services India Pvt. Ltd. is responsible for the sales and marketing of mass consumer products.
Electric Jar Cooker (1.8 L), 5hrs Keep Warm, Steaming Basket
Concave Lid, Prevents over boiling
Water droplets prevention Prevents water droplets from dripping onto cooked rice, keeping rice warm and fluffy.
Smart Cap – Prevents over boiling, Prevents boiling over during rice cooking process.
Steam basket available, Non stick inner pan.
(2). Polar Rice Cooker Ricee
Polar is a household brand in Fans and signifies trust and confidence of millions of satisfied customers for last 30 years. Polar Bear Home Appliances is all set to scale great heights as it offers quality, aesthetics, reliability and value for money proposition
Features:
5 Ltr capacity, Powder coated M.S. body, Non-stick coated inner bowl
Water collector cup provided, 700 Watt heating element, Automatic keep warm
One touch easy operation, Power: 230V, 50 Hz, 600 watts
Cord Plug: 3 Core with molded plug, Thermostat: Provided for continuous warming
Cook/Warm indicators provided, Lid: Press fitted, Steam dew collector
(3). Panasonic Thermopot Model No: NC-TWS22
Features:
Best known by its Panasonic brand name, Group & Global Headquarters, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. based in Osaka, Japan is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. In India, Panasonic Sales & Services India Pvt. Ltd. is responsible for the sales and marketing of mass consumer products.
Hot water round the clock, Keep Warm function
2.2L Capacity, Stainless Steel inner container, Floating ball level indicator
Push button dispenser, Child Lock, 360 swivel base for easy access
Available in Pink & Grey colours
Author suggests you to buy electric cookers from homeshop18 in India.
[Top]Useful Phrases For Doing Business In English
When it comes to English for business youll find there are a number of expressions that you probably wont encounter in casual speech. Here are five expressions that you might hear if you are going to a business meeting or you are in a business situation.
1. Manage expectations
To manage expectations means to ensure that the client has realistic expectations. For example, a company may take an order to deliver a certain amount of products. The client, who does not know how long it takes to manufacture and prepare a product might expect in a week. When you manage their expectations you make sure they know exactly how long it will take and what to expect. In this way, the client is not disappointed, and you are not under increased pressure from an unhappy client.
Example: We need to manage their expectations so they know they will not get delivery of the product before April.
Anyone who has to deal directly with clients will need to know how to manage expectations.
2. At the 11th hour
If you do something, or deliver something at the 11th hour then you are doing it at the last minute. If you had two weeks to write a report but you leave it until the last minute, you are doing it at the 11th hour.
Example: Jane always delivers her reports at the 11th hour. One day she will miss the deadline if she is not careful.
A company might finish a project at the 11th hour, or an individual can finish a task at the 11th hour.
3. The lion’s share
The lions share is the largest share. If you are talking about a competitor and the fact that they have the lions share of the market, then they have most of the business.
Example: Martins have the lions share of the market as they make 80 percent of the sales. We need to increase our efforts to increase our market share.
This is phrase is generally used when referring to companies or organisations.
4. Dot your i’s and cross your t’s
If you are told to dot your is and cross you ts you are being told to make sure you get all the details right. You have to check and recheck your information to make sure that the end result is perfect.
Example: This project could bring in 2 million dollars in sales so make sure you dot your is and cross your ts. We need to make sure everything goes smoothly.
A manager or director will use this expression to ensure employees and other colleagues are careful when preparing the project.
5. Get your foot in the door
To get your foot in the door means to get an introduction to someone or something. You can get your foot in the door of a company by getting an introduction to the director or by selling a small amount of product to a company. If you do well and make a good impression, you can go on to increase your involvement with the client or the company.
Example: Make sure they agree to trial our latest products so that you can get your foot in the door. If they like it we can introduce the rest of our product line to them.
Both individuals and businesses can get their foot in the door.
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