Linear vs. Closed-Loop Marketing for Coating Businesses

The Marketing and Sales Process is NOT Linear

Virtually every business has some form of "buyer journey". The reality is that it's really not even that - it's more like a closed loop. Think of the miniature train at the amusement park that has multiple stops as it goes around and around. Each "stop" is a different stage in the sales cycle and eventually you get back to the beginning because sales -  if done properly - does not end, you "ascend" your buyer up to the next level.

The biggest problem I had to overcome when I was starting in sales was to understand that the sales process is not a "straight line" like a commuter train running down the rails and making a "stop" at each station. Unfortunately, that's how most marketers and salespeople are trained (at least that's how I was trained).

When I was cutting my teeth in sales working in my family's powersports business we used to say "God Quickly Pays Salespeople That Close Deals Fast" as a way to remember each of these "stops".

The first letter of each word - "GQPSTCDF" represented one of the sales "Stops" we were to follow to make the sale. Specifically, the letters translated to:

• Greeting - This stage is all about establishing rapport and creating a friendly, positive vibe. Just think of it as two friends meeting up and chatting about coatings. In a networking environment, this is where you shake hands and exchange names. If you're cold calling (yuck) this is where you deploy your hook and hope you don't get sworn at and hung up on.
• Qualify - The qualification phase is where you get to do a bit of diagnosis to make sure that you can help with your prospect's specific coating needs. you'll ask about their current projects, their objectives, and any challenges they're facing. This isn't just about you assessing if your services are a good fit for them, but also about you deciding if you're the right coating specialist for their needs. If you're cold calling, you need to do, and show, that you've done some research BEFORE you start asking questions. Getting a prospect on a call then asking a stupid question like "So tell me a bit about your business" is not only unprofessional, it shows a complete lack of respect for your prospect's time and they will resent you for it. Your chances of making a sale doing this? Zero.
• Presentation - After you've done some diagnosis and you're confident you can help the prospect is when you'll share how your expertise and services can benefit the prospect / prospect's company. You'll explain the benefits of your approach, and how you've helped other clients like them. This isn't a sales pitch, it's about sharing knowledge and ways that you could potentially help. Sharing the story of a previous, similar prospect that became a client is often a good way to present your solution(s).
• Special offer - During your presentation, you'll introduce a special offer tailored to your prospect's specific needs. This could be anything from a personalized guarantee on your service to an ongoing service plan. Your goal here is to provide your prospect with tangible value and give them a taste of what it's like to work with you.
• Trial close - Throughout your presentation, you'll ask for their thoughts on the offer. This is a casual, non-pushy way to see if your prospect is ready to move forward. You want to ensure that they feel comfortable and that all their questions are answered.
• Close - Far too many salespeople get hung up on "closing" the sale. The reality is that if you've done your research and you've addressed the majority of obstacles before presenting the price, there should be little to no resistance from the prospect. My usual approach is to give them multiple opportunities and encourage them throughout the presentation to say "no" to anything they don't agree with. At the end of the presentation I'll often say something like "am I wrong thinking you want to get started?". If they're ready to go ahead, they'll sat "No." and you can finalize the details. This involves agreeing on terms, pricing, and schedules. Your goal is to make this process as straightforward and clear as possible for everyone. 

• Delivery (fulfillment) - Now the real work begins! You'll deliver the agreed services, whether that's a consultation, project management, or a coating application. Assure your new client that you'll be there every step of the way, ensuring everything goes smoothly. One thing - don't gloss over this. Getting this right will do 3 things. 1) It will open the door to repeat work because you will show your new client that you are organized and reliable. 2) Especially in commercial and industrial settings, it is critical to remember that many of your contacts converse regularly with their peers at other businesses. These contacts are an excellent source of referrals. 3) Happy clients are your best source of reviews and case studies.
• Follow-up #1 - Let's be blunt - you'll probably never get a commercial or industrial client that will close on the initial contact. (It has happened to me and frankly, I was shocked both times) You have to follow up - relentlessly. We have a very crude follow up acronym we use of "BDFO". It means you follow-up until the Buy, Die, or FO (you can guess). Another key activity we insist on with every one-to-one contact is BAMFAM (Book A Meeting From A Meeting). You never letting a meeting with "let me think about it and we'll reconnect in a few weeks..." NO. NO. NO. You confirm what needs to happen in the next day/days/week and book your next call right there and then. (Again, this takes some next level sales skills but you can learn how to do it). In summary, EXPECT to have 10+ contacts to win most projects. Commit to it and you'll be AMAZED at how much work you'll be awarded.
• Follow-up #2 - This is where the gold is. Once you've completed your work together, check in regularly to see how everything else is going. Let them know that their feedback is vital to you, as it helps you improve your services. You want to genuinely learn how you're doing and if there's anything else you can do to assist them. This step, done properly will open the doors to a near endless supply of ongoing projects.

And that's how the Sales Pipeline flows.

Time to pop your bubble...

Life would be easy if prospects for our products or services would follow this "ideal path". Mine rarely did. This means that besides your single track or pipe, you need to be prepared with alternate pathways to keep the moving towards your destination (aka buy something).

This should sound obvious yet as business owners, many of us cling to the "one path to the sale" like some kind of cult religion.

Why?