Sure, we’ve all done this before. We’ve been walking in a hotel or in a building having a great conversation.

And then we get on an elevator.

And this elevator has other people on it.

And a lot of times the conversation stops — either from you, or from the people who were having a conversation between themselves.

And it’s kind of awkward, isn’t it?

Now has this ever happened to you? And you go up the floors, 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-14 (some skip 13 due to superstitions) and then you get out, and the conversation begins again.

Why does this happen, and what in the %$&@ does this have to do with your business?

Well, first the environment we are exposed to sets the tone for how a marketing or sales message is delivered and received. The environment is so important and yet often times overlooked. And a little, tiny, itsy bitsy mistake can cost you thousands. So, just as in the elevator a conversation is stopped, the wrong environment can kill your marketing message or business.

Second, what are the expectations of the people who are going to receive the marketing message or sales presentation? These expectations, or beliefs, or prejudices, or feelings about you ahead of time also govern the experience.

So, how does this apply to you. Well, you have to stop and think several steps ahead before you make a sales presentation or deploy a marketing piece. Is the environment appropriate? Is it preparing people for your message?

Here’s a perfect example. If you have an “in-bound” business what can you do ahead of time to prepare people for the sales presentation.

What can you do to open them up, to help them relax, to build your credibility, to build your authority?

In some scenarios a book of happy customers that have written letters about you can be very powerful.

In other scenarios photos of your happy customers can also work very well.

What does this do? It shows people you are a nice person (hopefully) and that you have helped some people before.

Will this be “enough” to persuade people to buy what you are selling ahead of time? Maybe, maybe not. But, if done correctly, it can certainly help tip the scales in your favor.

This is part of what psychological marketing is about. Tapping into the minds of your prospects, and answering the unasked questions. Creating a scenario or a condition ahead of time to prepare people for the sale. Reverse engineering your processes so it is like a greased slide when you talk to them.

So next time when you get on the elevator remember this automatic process. It just kinds of “happens” without you consciously deciding it.

-Matt

Tags: credibility, experiences, feelings, Marketing, prejudices, prospects, sales, sales message, sales presentation

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 26th, 2009 at 2:48 pm and is filed under Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.