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Direct Marketing: 6 Steps To Drive More Through Sales Pipeline
Introduction
We can define Direct Marketing as a personalized messaged from a marketer to one potential client. In other words, the marketers will contact the potential customers one by one. We can use a variety of different methods to do such kind of personalized advertisements. For example- in person, direct mail, telemarketing, mobile message/SMS, email marketing, or any other form where the marketers communicate directly with a potential lead. Also, suggest the client take a direct action like- buying a product, visiting their website, or physical store, etc.
Now, a sales pipeline is such a process that is a specific sequence of actions that a sales factor needs to take so they can take a prospect into a real qualified lead. And, of course, we need a longtime customer. Once each pipeline stage gets completed, the new one is ready to go to the next level. These stages can be prospecting, qualification, meeting, consideration, decision, proposal, etc. Your company can customize these.
Why Direct Marketing?
Direct Marketing is very cost-effective, as you spend money only on contacting directly your niche market, not the entire world as we do on TV, newspaper, or online advertisements. Another benefit of direct marketing is that it can measure its result easily and get feedback on products from the customers. As you will communicate one customer at a time, you have the opportunity to listen to them and know if your efforts resulted in a sale or whatever the action you wanted the potential customer to take. The key to direct marketing and for most business success according to my point of view, is to have a good customer database. Only with a better existing potential customer's collection, you can drive results on direct mail, telemarketing, mobile SMS/text messages, or email marketing campaign.
In this article, we would know about 6 tips to drive more through the sales pipeline. Let's start then!
1) Prospecting
Af first, you have to find out who you want to business with. Once you target your prospects, build a database of these customers, and try to contact them technically. In the future, they will convert into longtime customers form the new ones. It is mainly the stage where you want to know whether or not someone needs your business product or service. You should create a list of people who might need you and start in contact with them.
2) Lead Qualification
It is the stage where the potential leads have contacted your company or got engaged with your sales. Here, if a prospect gets fit with your ideal customer profile, you will have a high chance to turn them into a successful long term customer. You can offer your targeted prospects an e-book, a webinar, white paper, etc. lead magnets. If they are interested in your service, they will contact your business marketing team.
3) Meeting
After qualifying the quality lead, fix the meeting. It can be through skype, discord, video calling, or person to person physically. Here, you can let them know about your offerings as products or services. Also, you will get to know about the buyers a lot more. You would also get to know if there is any chance for the buyer to accept your offer or receive your proposal.
4) Proposal
Summarize your information and case that you want your prospects to know. Tell them how your service can meet up their needs. Additionally, convince telling them the reasons why your team is better than the others out there. Differentiate it very well. Now, demonstrate the amount you want to propose for providing the service to your client. Also, try to show them how your offering is going to supply more than their expectation.
5) Negotiation And Commitment
In this stage, you must need to hear your clients carefully. What they think about the pricing or if they need any extra service for free. Talk to them about their demands. Discuss extending or decreasing the range of your work for them. Come in negotiation with them. Make them understand why you are charging fees for what.
Once you commit your client, remember not to drawback ever. Your customer should have trust in you. Because this customer is most likely going to be your long term customer. Keep in mind, people have chosen you among a lot of business marketers for the service. So, if you do not stay committed, you not only will break their trust but also it will result only in a negative review for your business company. You may not get any referrals from them in the future.
6) Opportunity Attained And Post-Purchase
When you got the final commitment from your customer, go forward to fulfill the order you just got. Before that, sign the contract both of you officially and provide documents as proof to your customer. Usually, after signing a contract, we call the sale closed. Here, what you need to do is offering extra advantages or other related services to your clients while the progress of your work regarding the order is going on.
After you complete your first contact with your client, ask them what they think about your service. Discuss them if they expect any improvement needs. If everything is perfect, finally tell them to write a review for your company on social media or ask them politely for referrals.
Conclusion
Direct Marketing is indeed powerful in this business world. Because most of the people keep remaining busy throughout the day. They do not get the time to communicate through unwanted messages or chit-chats. People nowadays love to be quick and fast for any work. People want to come to a direct point regarding works. So, considering this circumstance, digital marketing has created a strong position. If we follow the above six steps, we can hopefully get a better result regarding our business market and touch the milestone we desire.
