subject: How To Improve Sales And Marketing [print this page] How to improve sales and marketing can sometimes seem like a daunting task. Sometimes you might feel like you really are going to need to be more lucky than good for things to get better. And unfortunately, there always is a little luck at play. But while you are waiting for luck to be on your side, there are also some very clear and simple things you can do to improve your ability to be "good" and increase results.
Increase Quantity of Interactions with Target Prospects
At the end of the day, to improve marketing and sales, you are going to have to get in front of target prospects. And the more prospects you can connect with, the better your results will be. Here are some things you can do to increase the number of prospects that you are talking with.
Professional Networking
One of the quickest and most productive ways to drive lead generation is to invest time and energy into the area of professional networking. This is getting involved in your local area by attending events, activities, and getting involved with groups or associations.
When you are networking, try to increase the quantity and quality of your connections. Remember, not only can your connections potentially be prospects and clients, but the real power comes when they become referral partners and send leads your way.
Cold Calling / Telemarketing
Some people say that cold calling is dead and a waste of time. While there are challenges with cold calling, when done properly it can be an effective way to connect with prospects to generate leads.
Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most powerful marketing tools and tactics available to do and best ways for how to improve sales and marketing.
Pay-per-Click Advertising
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a very effective way to get traffic to your website. The great thing about PPC is that you only pay for the traffic that you get and you get to determine what you want to pay per click.
Improve Sales and Marketing Messaging
When trying to figure out how to improve sales and marketing, there is typically always room for improvement in the area of messaging. Whether you have a prospect on the phone, they are on your website, or you are giving a presentation, you need to capture their attention and build interest and your messaging will be key to doing that.
The first thing to point out here is that the messaging for sales will be from that of the messaging for marketing. Your brochure should not be the basis for your sales script and sales presentation. And what your sales people are saying should not be the copy for your website and brochures.
One area where attention can be invested when trying to figure out how to improve sales and marketing is to look at whether your messaging effectively communicates the value that you have to offer. Is your messaging all "speeds and feeds" or does it touch on how you will help the prospect in terms of business, technical and personal value?
