Marketing & Sales Strategies for Consultants

FEI Chicago Chapter

3/29/2011

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Clark Neuhoff30 Years in Marketing & Business Management

Founded The Sextant Company in 2003

Helping Teams Execute Faster

Business Planning, Marketing, and Exit Planning

Bob Lambert30+ years in Strategic Business Development, Marketing & Sales

Co-Founded Samurai Business Group in 2001

Sales Training for the 21st Century

Sales Mastery & Sales Management Training

Who We Are

Clark NeuhoffThe Sextant Company

Navigating Next Level Growth

External Marketing

For Consultants

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Why are We Here

• External Marketing – Clark• Filling the Pipeline – Bob• Next Steps - You

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Why are You Here ?

• Make a Decision• Grow your Practice

• Most important thing for a Consultant?

Clients !

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Required Reading

The E Myth Revisited– Michael Gerber

Million Dollar Consulting– Alan Weiss

Brand Harmony– Steve Yastrow

Put the Win Back in your Sales– Dan Kreutzer

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Marketing - Where Do We Start

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Marketing - Where Do We Start

• Why do I need marketing?• What will it do for me?• How long will it take?• Can I do it myself?• Where can I get help?• Is it working?

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Marketing Can’t…

• Make you competitive• Make customers need your

product/service• Make up for poor quality

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But it Can….

• Create Awareness• Educate & Inform• Differentiate• Reinforce Beliefs• Position or RE-position You

Shorten the Buying Process

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What is Positioning?

The way in which we present ourselves, our company, and our offers to a prospect in order to achieve our desired outcome.

How are you positioning yourself today?

AccountQualification

AccountQualification PositioningPositioning CommitmentCommitment AnalysisAnalysis Benefits

Presentation

BenefitsPresentation CloseCloseAccount

Qualification

AccountQualification PositioningPositioning CommitmentCommitment AnalysisAnalysis Benefits

Presentation

BenefitsPresentation CloseClose

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Brand vs. Products?

• Who owns them?• Where do they exist?• Products and Services are what we offer

– Customer will decide their value– Can be cross-compare– Commoditize

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Who Owns Your Brand?

• You can own the trademark• Brand exists in the mind of

your customer– Sum total of every experience with

you

• You CAN impact this• You can increase the VALUE

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Starts With

• What Are You Known For?• Your Positioning?• Brand or Corporate Identity

– Logo– Website– Stationary & Collateral– Customer Service

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Every Campaign has 4 Elements

Message – What we say

Audience – Who we reach

Delivery – How we reach them

Evaluation – Is it Working

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Message

• What customer problem(s) do we solve– WII-FM– Benefits NOT Product

• Differentiate• Permission to Believe

– Evidence & Education– Success Stories & Testimonials

• Brand

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Audience

• Current Clients• Referrals• Prospects – Ideal • Market Segments• New Markets

• Central Database

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Ideal Customer Profile

• Who is the best fit• Who do we want to do

business with• Who can we help the

most• Location?• Size?• Culture?

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DeliveryAdvertise

Events

E Mail Direct Mail

Public Relations Social Media

Website SEO & SEM

• Marketing MIX• Frequency• Calendar• Control• Budget

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Evaluate

• Value of a client?• What would I invest to get a new one• What would you invest to keep one

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Evaluate

• How long is your Buy Cycle ?• What’s it worth to shorten it ?

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Evaluate

• How are you tracking results?• Where do your inquiries come from?

– Ask– Call to action– Google Analytics– Unique landing page

• Best conversion rates

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Every Campaign has 4 Elements

Message – What we say

Audience – Who we reach

Delivery – How we reach them

Evaluation – Is it working

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Exercise - Differentiation

1. Target

2. Triggers to Buy

3. Competition

4. Parity

5. Exceptional

Build your message on how you are

EXCEPTIONAL

Bob LambertSamurai Business Group

Turning Sales Mastery into Competitive Advantage

Prospecting for Consultants

A Human Being Is Buying…

One Constant Throughout All Of Selling….

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Today’s Reality of Selling

• Market dynamics are continually changing

• Customers are more informed and sophisticated

• People do not like to be “sold’ – they want to “buy”

• Salespeople need to be more than order takers. They must be business advisors

• Trust is a must!27

Buyer Process Management™

Marketing SalesCustomer

Loyalty

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Go to Market StrategyGo to Market Strategy

Marketing Lead Generation

Sales Prospecting

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Trust

Focus

QI

Referral

ProfessionalAlliances

Targeted Direct

+ 90%

Leverage

Networking Off/on line

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Prospecting One to One

Networking Offline

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Where to Network

• Business networks – Chambers, Trade Associations, Rotary Club

• Charity/ social events• Affinity Groups

– Alumni, Neighborhood Associations, American Legion, Hobby & Interest groups

• Trade shows, Conferences, Seminars• Faith based organizations• Volunteer organizations• Political events

“It’s not about know how… it’s about know who.”

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7 Secrets to Great Networking

1. Understand the goal 2. Get out 3. Ask good questions 4. Read voraciously 5. Follow up6. Give favors 7. Ask for the return of favors.

“Who is honored? One who honors others” Aon

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F.O.R.M.

“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Family Ask your prospect about his/her family. People enjoy talking about family… their talented spouse, straight A or athletic child etc.

Occupation People enjoy talking about what they do. You might ask… How did you get started…? What do you enjoy most…?

Recreation People love talking about their recreational activities. Does he/she ski, play tennis, bicycling or something else.

Message What is it they value? Are they involved with a charity, religious or political activity? You can discuss it… just don’t argue about it. Be supportive.

Great Networking Questions?

• What in your business brings you the greatest happiness?• If there was one thing you could do better in you business

what would that be?• Of the trusted business relationships you currently have,

what qualities do you look for in a new relationship?

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• Can you name a couple of organizations you belong to?• If you could share one piece of networking advise that

would make me more effective what would that be?• Who do you know that I should talk to?

Networking Help Questions?

Leverage On-line Networks

Linked In 100 million

Facebook 400 million

Twitter 200 million

Craigslist go to source

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Law of 20 touches

• Average person knows 250 people

• Email, phone, fax, snail mail, carrier pigeon

• Secret to hidden connections

20 touches per week

X 48 weeks

= 960

X 250

240,000

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Key Concepts

• Building trusted relationships foundation to prospecting success

• Consistent offline and online prospecting effort important

• Leverage trusted relationships for quality referrals & introductions

• Quality online introductions from trusted relationships = sales

• Trust is a Must!

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Marketing Sales CustomerLoyalty

Buying Decision

Model

QI

Referral

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Trusted Relationships

Sustainable Business Development

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Recommended Resources

“The Speed of Trust” The one thing that changes everything – Stephen Covey

“Never Eat Alone” & other secrets to success, one relationship at a time – Keith Ferrazzi

“The Go-Giver” Most people just laugh when they hear that the secret to success is giving… – Bob Burg and John David Mann

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Next StepsQ&A

Thank You!

Clark Neuhoff – The Sextant Company

Clark.neuhoff@sextant-us.com

Bob Lambert – Samurai Business Group

r.lambert@samuraibizgrp.com