| Listen. Sales resistance is OK. Why? Because it's | | | | their OPINION? |
| impossible for ANY publication to satisfy the | | | | Now, they hesitate, they resist, they OBJECT. |
| needs of the entire population, or the EXACT | | | | At this moment, you can CHOOSE to treat any |
| needs of any one customer. | | | | objection as something negative to overcome ...... |
| When you're selling adspace, you're the shooter, | | | | OR ...... as a request for more information. |
| and your client is the target. If the shooter | | | | It's an attitude thing. |
| misses the target, it's NOT the target's fault. | | | | What's YOUR attitude toward sales resistance? |
| Just imagine if your publication tried to satisfy the | | | | As you learnt in 'Selling Adspace Made Simple' -- |
| demands and desires of each buyer for audience, | | | | clients buy when your offer gets so close to |
| editorial, price, features, and so forth. You'd grind | | | | matching their expectations that it becomes |
| to a complete halt as you ran out of space. And | | | | MORE VALUABLE to them to buy your adspace |
| you would end up with no identity at all. | | | | than to keep their money. |
| Which means that, NONE of your clients is going | | | | From where they sit, the BEST way to explore |
| to end up with the exact audience they want, | | | | how far you'll bend to their needs ..... is to object! |
| with their adverts surrounded by the exact | | | | Then you'll offer them alternatives that more |
| editorial message they want. | | | | closely resemble the situation they want. |
| The question is ...... how closely does what you | | | | So objections are: Requests for more information |
| offer match what they 'must have'? | | | | Signposts of interest (And a stall for time) |
| Unless they produce their own publication, under | | | | When you get any type of objection or sales |
| their own total control, (AND WITH THEM | | | | resistance, including price, the key is to recognise |
| PAYING ALL THE COSTS of print, distribution | | | | that all of us are ALWAYS right IN OUR OWN |
| etc.) they'll have to settle for less than they want. | | | | MINDS. Your client is right. It's his (perhaps) feeble |
| They'll have to share you -- with other | | | | mind. |
| advertisers and other editorial spreading the costs. | | | | DON'T try to change HIS MIND. In a sales |
| Tell them this. TELL THEM. Let them know that | | | | interview, you don't have time. Just remind him |
| they're going to have to compromise and drop | | | | that for children, there are rewards or |
| some of the items on their 'wish list'. No | | | | punishments -- for adults, there are consequences. |
| publication in the world can give them everything | | | | Then change YOUR OWN attitude and begin |
| they want. | | | | re-matching what you offer to bring it closer to |
| Which brings up another question: | | | | what your client wants. The great thing about |
| How do clients determine what they CAN do | | | | selling advertising space is that you are selling |
| without when it comes to buying adspace? And | | | | IDEAS. |
| how do they communicate to you their 'must | | | | When a client objects to one idea, or to a part of |
| haves' from their 'could do withouts'? | | | | your offer, don't fight them. Agree. |
| Some ask questions: "Can I get it tomorrow?" | | | | And come straight back at them by |
| "Can I have my own spot colour?" "Does it come | | | | SUGGESTING a NEW idea -- or your original offer |
| with this guarantee or that special price?" | | | | re-engineered so that it appears to move closer |
| But many prospects don't come right out and ask. | | | | to being a match for what the client really wants. |
| Instead, they wait until you've finished your | | | | They'll never get EVERYTHING that they want. |
| presentation. So you ask them what they FEEL | | | | They'd have to run their own publication for that. |
| about what you have just told them. What is | | | | |