Selling - Two is not Enough

In an earlier blog I stated the obvious...

To sell..., you need to find...
1) people who have a problem that you/your product/service can sort... and..
2) who you have a way of identifying and communicating with... and...
3) who have the ability/pockets/willingness to pay you to sort out their problem.

You need all three! Two is not enough..

So let's give some examples.

re No. 1 'you need to find people who have a problem that you/your product/service can sort...'
- most small businesses have a perfect solution but don't know what problem they are sorting. The old elevator pitch comes to mind... why should people bother to buy your product? What problem are you solving?

To quote the old marketing adage... 'when someone is buying a drill from you, they are really buying holes...'

example: most 'technicians' are obsessed with what they make/offer (rather than what people are buying)... most website take about 'what we do' and not about 'what you get'... (what's left AFTER you've gone)

example: the manufacturer of a 'special' bicycle clip that no-one really wants (nor is interested in) - it solves no problem that an ordinary bicycle clip already sorts!

re No. 2 'you need to find people you have a way of identifying and communicating with...'

By definition, if you can't find the people to sell to then you are stuffed.

example: my local graphics artist friend who is not willing to even look for new customers "We don't like to do marketing... people should know who we are... we just wait for them to bang on our door." They deserve to go bust (and I have told her so!)!

re No. 3 'you need to find people who have the ability/pockets/willingness to pay you/someone to sort out their problem.'

There is no point selling to people who cannot afford your product (or are not willing to pay). Find a mechanism to filter them out... We call this getting rid of the tyre-kickers.

examples: posh, new (empty) restaurant in town; posh, new (empty) hotel; also near me are a pretentious art gallery..., an interior designer..., a vintage guitar specialist... all of whom are failing to find people willing to pay their prices. Crikey.

So it ain't as simple as

1) find a short supply product/service

2) charge premium prices.

People have got to want what you sell and want to buy it.

Think about what you do...

1) Do you sell something that clearly solves a problem?

2) Do you have a way of identifying and communicating with your potential customers?

3) Do they have the willingness and ability to pay?