How to fail at marketing without trying. A light hearted look at the mistakes we all make in getting to the sale and how to avoid them
Using real dumb keywords
I have just committed a mortal sin using a Keyword that no one will search. Everyone tells you not to do this. you must have traffic and competition to generate results. However I may get on page one of the search term and get randomly trolled by someone just like you.
For this I use the Jaaxy Keyword tool which is a market leader and tells me what I should do.
But would I listen, no went ahead anyway so let's see what happens.
Click on the image to see more on Jaaxy.
Including a headline.
What I have done is written a great headline that will make people stop and look therefore I am not breaking all the rules. I use the Monster Insights product that has helped me to go from dumb to having a reasonable chance of success. If you want to learn more click on the image below and be transferred to the monster cave
Selling instead of problem solving
I have been in the selling game for many decades starting with insurance (now that's a hard start) to now at affiliate marketing a hard finish.
First of all you don't sell insurance.
Hey buddie want to give me $100 a month and get nothing in return, that's unless you die of course then you are rich.
Buyers lined up begging for this it sounds so great. Not likely.
The great intangibles of a market.
You might exaggerate peace of mind, security, Family welfare all the benefits that keep your conscience a bit cleaner. Intimidation can be used here or bringing fear into the current situation and maybe embarrassment but never selling. The returns in this business are large however it takes a special soul to weave the magic. It is not for everyone.
But I digress.
The foot in the door salesman has long passed his use by date.
We now solve problems and weave dreams and the buyers come.
So what problem are you pedalling today,
Blowing your own trumpet too loud
I have a mate of mine that tells his life story within the first minutes of meeting someone new. Ok he has done a few good things over the years however he immediately turns people away with the I AM So Great Talkfest. No one cares we are only concerned with SELF.
I find it interesting to ask new people their story, they love to tell you and in so doing a bond is created and the selling begins LOL
Others that I know delight in telling you how much money they have, maybe this is because we are all near retirement age but I want to scream I DON'T Care.
I knock about with some well heeled guys that don't need to brag, they have got to the I don't need to impress you I am comfortable in my own skin stage.
Not answering the question
This often comes about by concentrating on what you want to say that will prove you are the important and knowledgeable part of the discussion. You are so keen to talk that their questions fly past like a mosquito on a power trip.
Therefore concentrate on what they want and not what you will say.
How to fail at marketing without trying by over talking
Not listening to the buyer
Sometimes, and for a change, you might try listening to the question and letting the answer form the result. You should remember it is not all about you!
There are many times where you can never change a customers mind and babbling on will get you no where. I might try to sell you on a Chevy when you are a dead in the woods Ford man, it is not going to happen. A more modern example is Apple v Android, you are in one camp or the other, rarely both.
A friend of mine worked in a telephone retail outlet, the commissions on selling a Samsung phone are in the hundreds of dollars yet Apple only in tens of dollars. The salespeople are beaten into promoting the higher margin product simply because they get a better return. This is not unfair as the phones are really pretty equal except that us Apple people wont change to the dark side, we are prepared to pay more for brand recognition.
Apple still outsell all the others.
My point is trying to sell someone something they don't want is a waste of time.
The mistake of Tangent selling
I often see this where the salesperson finds the going tough so they try a new direction. You want to buy a family sedan however the young sales guy can see you in the latest off road SUV. So when the process hits a stumbling block they take off in a whole new direction which is a way you never wanted to go and won't end up doing.
How to fail at marketing without trying by not talking
When to shut the cake hole
This is arguably the most important piece of advice I can give anyone. Failure can cause a lifetime of self recrimination.
The mistake many make is continuing to sell after you get a YES. Everyone has red flags and if you fly one after the sale it all disappears.
At one stage. many years ago, I was selling real estate. I sold a nice property to a lovely couple
and in my excitement continued to sell all the benefits that I had not given them. One benefit was a no go signal and in the middle of signing documents they hesitated and announced they would like to think about it. This is no mans land, the sale is gone and there is nothing you can do about it. One simple word changed the world.
Therefore If I had just shut up I was home and hosed. That mistake cost me several thousand dollars in commission and a lifetime of regret.
Therefore when you have made the sale talk about anything else but not the deal until you have it all signed up.
How to fail at marketing without trying by overselling
Going back for seconds
This is really prevalent with online selling, you pay your $9.99 to get an article and then they go for an upgrade to $19.99 and then $29.99 and to really make it work $199.99 or figures like that.
first of all they have made the sale, received the money and have commitment before going into another sale.
If you have ever purchased a new car you will understand the extra sale experience. Do you want extended warranty with that, window tinting or any money dragging up sell they can find. Again they hold the Ammo until the signing has been done.
After making the huge commitment the small bits are just easy yes (or No) answers. There is often more income from the second and subsequent sales than the original one.
In my early online days I bought a cheap promise that was more a scam than a product as they tried repeated upsells on me.
Furthermore when I complained I was told you should have known that's what we do bugger off if you don't like it. My loss was small my experience large.
How to fail at marketing without trying by underselling
Under whelming a sale
We don't always buy a product we most often buy an experience. A holiday cruise ship has pictures of fun filled nights and great meals and never long gangplank queues and customs form filling.
A new car will see you driving down quiet roads at speeds you are not allowed with a big grin on your face. Unlike the Police road blocks you will encounter and the door chips at shopping centres.
You are a marketer, a deliverer of dreams, great times and experiences. You are not a box seller flogging an uninspiring product.
It may be more truthful however we act on emotion so cater to the basics needs and stay away from the long list of problems.
Get your training the right way
First of all at Wealthy Affiliate they set out to avoid all the pitfalls you will find as you grow into an internet entrepreneur. The goal is enough income to satisfy the demands of you and your family working from home.
Secondly there are right and wrong ways to master the art of online marketing.
Finally it is a lifestyle dream, no boss, no 9-5 job working from anywhere when and how you desire.
There are many just like you that are making five and six digit incomes working part time.
This is where they share their experiences to transport you quickly to the top with some basic lessons undertaken for free and at leisure.
Success is your goal .
How to fail at marketing without trying by Peter Hanley
