I recently read an article that reminded me of a high school English class about writing persuasive papers. The article is intended for copy writers but has a strong relevance for sales, marketing, business, and communication. In it, the author discusses triggers that influence someone’s likelihood to say “yes” and suggests some basic techniques that should be familiar from when we first learned about persuasion. Some are common sense and others are easy but require effort in order for them to be effective. I will share each of what the author describes as “compliance triggers” with a perspective relevant to the marine industry.
- Reciprocation: When you get a lead, what do you automatically send your potential buyer? Brochures, marketing materials, a DVD of how your product is made, maybe a hat or a t-shirt. At boat shows we put out candy and every tchotchke under the sun with our logos emblazoned on them in order to stand out later as consumers sift through their bags of collected items. On a larger scale, you might give a sea trial or a sample product to try out. The author suggests that simply giving something away is enough to make people want to give back, but I would like to take this one step further. Before you start ordering pens, branded water bottles, and blocking off days for sea trials, determine what it is you’d like in return. Giving someone something is certainly a way to help them remember you, but what do you hope to gain from it? An email address, a referral, a sale? I believe the reciprocation technique is only effective if you know what you hope to gain from it.
- Commitment and Consistency: The basic principle here is that if you can get someone to first agree to something small they will be committed to you which then makes it easier to get them to commit to something larger or more often down the road. This is the concept of customer loyalty. How did you attract your initial customers? What have you offered them or asked of them that has made them loyal to you? Do those same things to gain new leads. In the case of a boat purchase, there are not many options for an initial “small purchase” but you may get people to commit to you by having them agree to join you for a sea trial, a boat show, or a rendezvous. Their small investment in doing those things will keep them committed to your brand until they are ready to buy. Once you have owners, offering them service, warranty work, parts, and invitations to company events are regular sales to help create consistency in their purchasing practice with you.
- Social Proof: Rendezvous events are a fantastic example of social proof; they are an audience who already love your product and are the best sales people you could ask for. Inviting prospects to events that feature your product is an opportunity for them to learn from others, see themselves as part of the community, and develop a stronger appreciation for your product without you having to sell them. Advertising campaigns and websites that feature testimonials, photos, or videos of real clients using and enjoying your product are other ways to offer social proof. If you have a good product and you know your clients agree, ask them to share their experience—happy people tend to naturally spread their positive vibe.
- Liking: This is one of those common sense techniques that I think can easily get lost in the “day to day.” If people like you and can relate to you, they will be more inclined to buy from you, remain committed to you, and share their experience with their peers. There are any number of boat show techniques that we use to engage consumers, but it’s critical to remember the simple act of being personable, welcoming, interested in, and understanding of the person you are talking to.
- Authority: The author recommends demonstrating authority on your subject or product with citing awards or presentations to show your credentials. In the boating world this means offering reprints of articles written about you, displaying special ad laminates or awards won at events, and I think, simply knowing your product inside and out. I think having the CEO on board, at the booth, or personally communicating with clients every now and then is impressive and shows the executive’s interest in and commitment to their clients. But I think that having extremely well educated associates and sales staff is much more valuable. If everyone on your team can discuss the history of your company, construction of your product, various uses or applications, and provide resources for more information you will have an advantage over competitors who are less educated on their own product.
- Scarcity: Invoke the fear of losing or missing something by attaching a deadline or “last chance” to what you have to offer. I am optimistic about people and like to believe that they are goal-oriented; you can appeal to those people by making their acquisition of your product something they want to do by a certain date. People are also busy—they use calendars, Outlook, Blackberries to organize life’s “to do list”—become part of their schedule and something they have to do by creating your own date-driven offers. Whether you are offering a discount, a product, a reward, or even a newsletter, try attaching a deadline to it so your client has to act in order to receive.
As I mentioned, many of these triggers are common sense and simple, but require effort to be effective. All of them can relate back to customer service and providing clients and prospects a personal and enjoyable experience from the very first moment they come into contact with your product.
Comments on this entry are closed.