How To Ask People To Buy Without Asking Them To Buy
Sorry to disappoint, but there isn’t a way to do that.
First, a little background: I tend to get asked to craft the “fun” copy for businesses: the name and tagline, the homepage text, the product packaging descriptions. Fun stuff. I only ask where my material will fit into the sales cycle or marketing message some of the time. The answers I get are alarmingly lacking. “I just need it for my business cards.” “Well, right now we just want people to understand who we are.” I don’t even get anything encouraging like, “We’re working on that.”
There’s a surfeit of articles about how not to craft a call to action: what’s not working, why, and did you know the sun’s expected to rise in the east tomorrow. They’re predictable, easy to note, and most make good sense. But I visit too many websites that don’t need any of this advice because they have no call to action at all.
Think about the kid at the lemonade stand. There’s a sign somewhere that clearly states what he’s about, and he makes a refreshing little picture, doesn’t he, with the pitcher full of sunny iced goodness.
Now walk by him.
“Would you like to buy some lemonade?”
Everyone who passes gets one of those innocently pitched reach-outs to their wallet, automatically. You can’t sneak past him, and if you have the change and no Starbucks to heft righteously as you keep moving, you’re probably buying.
So repeat after me, out loud: “Would you like to buy some [insert your main offer here]?”
There, that wasn’t so bad was it?
The thing is, your website is the kid at your lemonade stand, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If it doesn’t speak up even once, I guarantee you customers are sneaking by every day, no matter how cute it is.
Find the places on your website where people tend to walk by often. Don’t rush to offer them your latest free report. Believe me, they’ll sniff that out on their own. Instead, ask them politely if they’d like to buy something from you in each of those spots.
Don’t leave it at that, of course. Test wording, location, offer content, and formatting to see what works best. Anything is better than just sitting there surrounded by lemons and sugar water.
Thanks to Mark Bailey for the inspiration for this post.
Photo credit: Sean McEntree, courtesy of Flickr, CC 2.0.
UPDATE 7/26/2011: Savvy Twitter friend Laura Click of Blue Kite Marketing wrote I consider the sequel to this post with the actual “how to” implement your call to action. She was kind enough to link back to my thinly disguised rant, so the least I can do is direct you to her informative post today to learn a thing or two. I couldn’t have written a better one myself. Follow Laura on Twitter as well.
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Ok, point taken. Time to MAKE myself take the time to modify my website, quit over-thinking and just do it already. Not to mention write the 'hire me' blog post. FWIW.
3HatsComm Me, too. I added a little four-liner in the sidebar. In italics. That should get folks thinking, lol. This was a rant disguised very thinly as an advisory tip, and I'm talking to myself first. Gotta get the right content together to help me figure out the redesign of the business part of the site.
If you don't ask for the business someone else will.
TheJackB Perfect point, and the worst nightmare of all businesses, exactly, Jack.
Always do the ask: good counsel, something that I, like adamtoporek need to do at my own site.
For years (28 now...eegads), I've never "packaged" my services. I've always worked one-on-one with a potential client to configure a truly customer-centric solution to their needs. However, I'm finding that that "open-ended" approach doesn't work so well online. People don't appear to be comfortable with "connecting and discussing" how they might configure a solution, specific to their needs. It looks as if they need an option A,B,C type approach which is something that, quite frankly, has not been my in my nature or practice.
I'd love if you could weigh in on this. I'm having an internal dialogue and struggle on this one.
If anyone can comment on how they do the ask, and how they like to be asked AS a customer specifically, I'd sure like to hear it because, as Shakirah says: "ask them politely if they'd like to buy something from you in each of those spots." (specific things that have worked for you?) and "test wording, location, offer content and formatting" (any words of wisdom here?)
I'm not looking for your "secret special sauce recipe", just some perspective on this, which I'm sure we'd all benefit from. I'd be grateful. Cheers! Kaarina
KDillabough adamtoporek Well, this website is only 8 months old, but one way I've seen--which I'm looking to implement as we speak, actually--to ask (and feel entitled to asking) is to place a call to action in a line or two at the bottom of each blog post. Of course, your call to action isn't always "buy." It could be "call," "check out my services," "subscribe to premium membership," that kind of thing.
I think it's a great way to make that appearance because every time someone reads an article they like, they'll eventually be convinced to take you up on your offer when the need or want is recognized. You can vary your offer, or the wording of it, and just test it for a few weeks or months (depending on your traffic volume) and change to optimize response rates.
In terms of packaging your services, one way to get ideas flowing is to take a look at the way other solo business coaches offer their services. Dyana Valentine (http://dyanavalentine.com) and Michelle Ward (http://whenigrowupcoach.com) are two personable business and personal coaches with great websites that came to mind for you to check out.
ShakirahDawud adamtoporek Thanks Shakirah. I've been spending countless hours researching other sites to see what/how they're offering their services, but hadn't yet come upon Dyana or Michelle...will do so. Thanks for the thoughts, suggestions and of course the kick in the pants to get more proactive on the CTAs. Cheers! Kaarina
KDillabough adamtoporek Okay--I figured you had, but didn't want to not mention it since it's my go-to procedure for my own and my client's needs. But another thing you can do is create a basic package that is kind of a foundation you build the custom coaching upon, and offer that. You can try finding the elements of your coaching that every case seems to have in common, and put them in a basic package. Then you can offer categories: sports, personal, B2B, B2C, real estate, craftsmen... And since you have the experience, you know which elements of your coaching most people in each of those categories have real need of, and you can offer each of them just that, modifying the language to fit each of their concerns. Packaging that way lets each visitor know you understand their specific concerns.
FWIW.
ShakirahDawud KDillabough Totally agree with Shakirah's points here. Kaarina - as much as I've seen you around on the blogosphere, I didn't know anything about what you do. So, I checked out your site and I think you could definitely beef up your services section. Also, I think putting together a couple of packages is a great idea. I think business coaching is new to a lot of people, so it would help to get a better understanding of how they can work with you. Sure, the packages don't have to be the only way. But, I think it helps give people a better sense of what you offer and how you work. And, it's awfully darn nice to give people the opportunity to buy online.
I started doing that with hourly marketing consulting. It's still relatively new, but it's a good way for me to help smaller clients without taking up too much time ironing out pricing, proposals, etc. So, I can say, "oh, you want to pick my brain? Here are some options where you can do just that." If you want yet another option to look at, here's my hourly consulting sales page: http://flybluekite.com/results-driven-business-consulting/
Hope this helps. Good luck!
lauraclick KDillabough Ooooh, a rate sheet! A LOT of copywriters and editors are very close-mouthed about rates since they tend to vary greatly depending project to project (I tend to write proposals after an initial consult), but I noticed plenty of consultants are great for putting it all out there, and I think that's wise for something people might see as being rather nebulous.
lauraclick ShakirahDawud Thanks so much, Laura: I'd already checked out your site, and read on your blog about how you went about considering packaging your services. I think you've hit the mark. And there's no question that giving the option to buy online is a must. It's obvious to me, though, that my method...successful to date in the offline world...doesn't translate online well. People really are looking for the specifics, and are not so interested in having a discussion to determine what they want/need. And you probably could agree that, people often know what they don't want, but don't necessarily know what they do want.
In my never-ending primary market research on this topic, I've heard it all...lI ove packages, I want to buy by the hour, I don't want to commit to anything long term,I want to "pick a person's brain" first (and wouldn't we all be millionaires if we charged just a penny for that:), I just want one session, I want multiple sessions, I want to meet in person, I want to work by phone......ad infinitum.
So thanks, Laura...much appreciated. Despite my deep-seated preference to operate online as I have for year off, I realize...it ain't gonna work that way. New tactics are in order. Cheers! Kaarina
KDillabough ShakirahDawud I think that there's a time and a place for pricing and packages. I have a few things that way online, but certainly not everything. It gives people who want to buy that way to work with me on smaller things. As you mentioned, Shakirah, larger projects require custom proposals....and I do that. I just give people the opportunity to work with me in smaller chunks through these packages.
This is definitely a huge shift from what I'm used to. When I worked at a traditional PR firm several years ago, we would have NEVER done something like this. Oh, how the world has changed! But, I also think doing something like this helps the customer. This allows them to better understand what we do. And even though they might not buy this, this can open the door to other things.
Shakirah -- great points. Not everyone is a salesperson, but everyone is in sales. The problem is, asking for the sale is a pretty fundamental part of making the sale, but it is uncomfortable for a lot of people. Hopefully, this post will help!
BTW, thanks a lot... you reminded me how much I still need to do on my site! :)
adamtoporek It reminded me, too, Adam, actually! I'm figuring out how to implement a little better, since so much of my traffic comes in through one of my blog posts.
I don't like to be pushy (No,really !) so I don't like asking somebody to buy my service. What I prefer to do instead is to point out their need, and/or let them know that my service will do more and cost less than their current solution if they have one. After that, it's really up to them.
To use the original analogy, my approach would be :
"Are you thirsty ?" .... "Do you have anything to drink ?" .... "I'm selling lemonade"
SteelToad Hi, Ray! Well, being pushy isn't great sales etiquette, anyway. I think your method is a good way to lead the horse to water, so to speak. Often people leave off the first two questions and just make the statement. That doesn't really fire people up for some lemonade.
Love, love, love this post, Shakirah! As you know, I wrote about overselling on social media, but there is definitely a problem out there of underselling too. In fact, I plan to write about that aspect also. I'll be sure to send folks to this post as your lemonade stand analogy is a perfect way to articulate the need to make the ask. After all, if you ain't askin', they ain't buying.
lauraclick Thanks, Laura. As I said to bdorman264 , I think we get a bit shy about that sometimes, or think it's already obvious, you know. But that extra lead is always a good idea--done right, of course.
Great article Shakirah. That was a really good explanation of what it means to have a call-to-action. I couldn't have said it better.
doggdaze Oh, but you said it well, and it set me off, Mark. Thanks again for the article at your place.
I see that all too often and even in my industry (insurance) where nothing happens until the sale is made. I know people who I've known for a long time that still ask me 'now, what do you do'? Shame on me, huh?
If you don't ask it certainly isn't going to happen.
bdorman264 Agreed, Bil--that it isn't going to happen, I mean. They don't teach us how to ask for business in finishing school, I guess--that's why we see it as impolite to ask. But anything worded politely and in the right context is polite, and is sure to get positive responses at least some of the time.
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