Hi Everybody.

I would like to ask all of you how you market your self.

Normally I call a potential client, and ask them if I can come and make a presentation of my previous work.

I have also tried mailing campaigns but they are not very efficient.

And of course I have my webpage www.WideEyes.dk

My main problem is that I HATE calling people witout an invitation. Does anybody have any suggestions and tips on how to reach my clients and how to behave in a conversation. And also how to prepare mental for the calls??

Best regards

Morten Andersen 

Do this 2 weeks before the end of a business quarter. Like 15th of March, June, September and December.

Hi I am Morten Andersen with WideEyes.dk the premier Virtual Tour designer in Denmark. May I please speak to your company president? 

I have been looking at your competition's website ---- insert competition website name --- and find that we could probably help you increase your Sale$ and profit margin X% by adding VR tours of your product to your website.  Would you consider a free 20 minute presentation - in your office next Wednesday September 19th in the afternoon?

Next you will probably hear next -  No or Yes or 'Can we set another date and time..'?

The dialog is short to the point and has a 'call for some form of positive action'. 

It uses buzz terms like 'Your competition' , Increased Sales and Profit Margin and politely asks to set a meeting in their OFFICE for a specific day and date but leaves the time option open to let them make a decision about the Time.  Typically a 3 or 4 day lead is good for anyones schedule but leaves the actual 20 minute time open for them to move business activities around.

You will need to make the presentation to - 1 of each - web page manager,  decision maker mangager, and budget officer.

Avoid - tech support people, the secretary, the 1st tier manager

Bring your presentation on a Notebook computer,  along with paper handouts of the same computer presentation so the managers can follow along during.. and follow up reading after they have signed the purchase order.

Sometimes a company budget has already been prepared and approved.  So business spending has already been detrmined for this quarter.  Businesses usually do a last quarter spending update to determine if they are on financial track.  So if you get in during the middle of the last month in the quarter.. they will have 2 weeks to add your new expenditures into their analysis and program funds for the next quarter.

Some companies do their financial updates only mid year and end of year.  Usually towards the end of the year they will know if they are ahead or behind financial schedule and if they will have any residual funds not yet spent that they can reallocate to their advertising budget [THAT$ YOUR WORK].

A few essentials:

Work with a mutually agreed to and signed purchase order for services

Full detailed description of the needed work -

how may pano's, about where will they be taken - marked up floor plan layout of building.

Name of company representative that will work with you during the photosession.

Estimated Start date

Estimated Need date - calculate your work flow time frame and multiply that by 1.6 (5 days x 1.6% = 8 work days excluding weekends to account for possible delays, possible retakes.

Include VAT (Sales Tax) on top of your cost to get a price. Require 30% of price as a NO refund deposit before any work is done.  If they cancel you keep the deposit.

So that they do not think you have run off with their money.. provide a temporary page on your site for completed work in progress.  They might like to look in on your temp page to see how you are progressing and also see some preliminary panorama work.  Keep the communication door open by email or phone call to their company representative.  Talk with them about every 3 rd day.  Solicite feed back - let them work with you in producing a product that they will appreciate at the end of the project.  Letting them engage in project development helps them gain 'project ownership'.  They will be ready to accept the final project on the completion date.  That make project approval and final document turn over quicker.

Copyright disposal - determine up front how you want to handle the imaging copyright.  That varies with the photographer.  We typically transfer copyright title to the client upon bank clearance of the final payment.  Its their product - they paid for it.

Some where in the process you might ask them in an email.. if with their authorization continue to show their work on your site... free advertising for them.  OH and its good advertising for you too.

OK  information overload time !!!

Sorry - I'm afraid I don't do this as its in a different line from what I do but this advice is excellent should I make the move.

Dave people like you make this forum the best I've been on!

F

Hi Dave

Thank you for your input.

I have also had a talk with a friend who sells over the phone. He also gave me a little advice. So now I just have to put it all to use. :o)

Quote: Originally posted by rfh12002 on August-22-2006

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Dave people like you make this forum the best I've been on!

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Quote: Originally posted by Wide-Eyes on August-23-2006

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I have also had a talk with a friend who sells over the phone. He also gave me a little advice. So now I just have to put it all to use. :o)

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Hi Emarts

Of course I don't mind sharing what I have learned. That is why we are here. To help each other.

My main problem with phone calls is to prepare for it mentally. I do not like disturbing people and I know how annoying it is when sales people call me.

So here is some of the advice I found usable:

1) Take the attitude that the customer do not know anything. His stupid (dont let the customer know. But with this attitude it is easier to handle rejections)

2) You dont have to try and sell the client anything. Tell him that you just want to make him aware of you product. That way he have an opportunity to deside for him self  if it is something he finds usefull.

3) Make a manuscript. All major companies dealing with phonecalls have an exact manuscript that they follow.

4) Do it quickly. Within the first minute you can normally feel if the phonecall is going anywhere.

5) If the customer says "I dont have time right now" or something similar. Ask him when you can call. You then let him know that you respect that he is busy. In the same time you tell him that you are really interested in talking to him. And furthermore it obligates him to take the time to talk to you when he sets the time for the next call.

6) If a rejection give the client 6 months and then try to call him again.

Hope this helps and that I have explained it right. My written english is not the best so please ask if there is something you do not understand.

@ Jrock  

I believe you are right. To get a message through you have to think creatively. Especially if you have a small company with limited budgets.

You should also see it from the clients point of view. What is most important for the customer. That you can scroll up and down 360 degree and other technical stuff?? Or that by using the internet to visualise their properties they attract customers??

And remember: If you can't bring Muhammed to the mountain, then bring the mountain to Muhammed :o) 

I haven't called others to sell products but I do received such calls sometimes. If your products are really helpful, i think many people would like to learn about them.But not so many know what panorama is.

So I think Google is really important. Try to make your website appear in the first page of some key words. Many potential customers would use Google.

The other method is to introduce you and your website in some BBS that your potential customers would usually visit. Let them know that Panorama can help them to promote their business.

Third, you may cooperate with some big website who provides services for you potential customers.They will introduce many for you. But of course this is really not easy to make friends with big websites.

These are my ideas and I don't know if it is applicable for you, but I wish it will.

Hi Danny

First off. What is BBS??

For me sitting in Denmark I do not believe that Google will help me. The need for Virtual tours / Panoramas is Latent. Meaning that they do not know about panoramas and virtual tours. Thus they do not know that they need it. And if they do not know the need it or what it is, they wont be looking for it at google.

Best regards

Morten Andersen