Six Reasons Why A Report is a More Powerful Selling Tool Than a Sales Brochure
The world is full of advertisements. People see them when they surf the Internet, turn on the television, open a magazine or a newspaper. Every day, people see dozens of ads. How do you make your sales literature stand out in a crowded marketplace?
By taking the "sales" out. Most businesses believe that they have to talk about themselves and their product to attract new customers. But people are bombarded by marketing messages every day. And when they go looking for real, unbiased information online, it can be difficult to wade through the fluff.
People don't want to be marketed to. But they do want information. Offer informational reports instead of sales literature, and your customers will listen to you. Here are six reasons why a report or guide can be more effective than a sales brochure.
Because people want information--not a sales pitch. Everyone hates to be "sold." Think about the last time you walked into a store and a salesperson asked you if you needed help. Chances are, you said you were "just browsing." Unless we have a specific, focused question, most of us do that--because we don't want to be given a sales pitch.
But we love information. We do a lot of research online before making major purchases. We comparison-shop, read consumer guides and reports, and do our best to educate ourselves so we can ensure we're getting the best deal.
Don't be the business offering a sales pitch to someone who's looking for useful information.
Because people read reports and guides. When you're talking to prospects, you probably get a lot of people asking you to send them a brochure. This is usually a brush-off: you send the brochure, and you never hear from them again.
Unfortunately for all the trees sacrificed to make our brochures, many don't get read. But a consumer guide isn't seen as full of sales copy. It's full of useful information. People are much more likely to read something they see as unbiased and informative.
Because it sets you up as the expert. It's a "show vs. tell" situation. While your competitors are giving out brochures that simply tell readers how experienced the company is, your report will actually show your readers how much knowledge you have.
When they have a question about some aspect of your industry, you'll be the one with the answers. When people see you as knowledgeable, they're more likely to buy from you.
Because it builds trust. Nobody trusts salespeople. If you offer your prospects unbiased information that does not contain a detectable sales pitch, you'll build trust. People will see you as a source of information, not just a source of sales rhetoric. If they trust you, they're likely to trust you with their business.
Because it gets your sales pitch in the back door. There may be plenty of buyers who know they need what you sell--and are actively looking to buy it. But for every buyer like that, there are a number of people who don't know what you sell, and don't even know they need it. They won't read your brochures. They'll click past your ads. They won't listen to your sales pitches.
But they will read a special report or a consumer awareness guide--especially if it addresses a problem they have. When you approach them with solid information, their defenses are down.
They're not brushing you off as an advertiser looking to make money; they're taking in the valuable information you're giving them, and learning how you can provide a solution to their problem. Informational literature allows you to reach and educate people you can't reach through traditional advertising.
Because it differentiates you from the competition. Your competition is sending out sales brochures, buying ad time on television and radio, writing sales letters, and fine-tuning the copy on their website's landing page. The customers are looking at all this effort and seeing "sales, sales, sales."
You're the one handing out the consumer reports. When someone calls you asking for information, you don't send a brochure--you send a consumer awareness guide. Your website is a resource of valuable information. You come off as caring about the customer's needs, knowing your industry inside out, and being an honest source of information. Who do you think the customer will buy from?
When it's done right, informational copy is a more effective selling tool than traditional sales copy. A long report can play a key role in your marketing efforts. Offer it as a free gift after an order, post it on your website to attract links and hits, give it out at trade shows and conferences--the possibilities are endless.
While traditional sales copy can generate consumer resistance, an informational report can educate your customers, make you look good, and best of all, bring you more money. There's no question that a report is a powerful tool in your next marketing campaign.