October 2001 ISSUE
"Just Send a Catalog"
by Ann Barr

When you encounter resistance at the beginning of an outbound call to a new prospect, before you have a chance to talk about your company or your products, it could be just an automatic response or a brush off to end the conversation. One frequently heard brush off is: "Just send me some information in the mail." Three good responses to this statement have come through e-mail from sales professionals who subscribe to my Weekly Sales Tips e-mailed newsletter.

Getting More Information
Gayle MacArthur’s answer is in the form of a question, to find out specifically what products the prospect is buying. When a prospect tells Gayle – in the beginning of a phone conversation - to "just send a catalog," she responds this way:

"I’ll be glad to send you a catalog. We have several different catalogs for different products. To save you from wasting time reading about products you don’t buy, I will send you the catalog listing the specific items you are interested in. Which products do you purchase?"

If your company doesn’t use a catalog, but you do have price lists or brochures you can send, your answer could be:

"I do have some material I can send you. Let’s narrow it down so you don’t waste a lot of time reading information that doesn’t pertain to you. Which products do you order?"

Customer Survey Form
Linda Benson told me she gets very positive responses when she answers the "Just send me a catalog" statement with this:

"We used to send catalogs and found that as soon as they were mailed, many of the prices had changed. What we do now is, fax over a Customer Survey Form so you can list your equipment. That way, I can send information just on the supplies you use. Okay?"

Other sales reps have told me they get good results when they offer a 10% discount on the prospect’s first order, after the customer faxes back their completed Customer Survey Form. You can print out a free Customer Survey Form at www.sellingsupplies.com/Survey.htm

Using Today’s Technology
Faith Mohs wrote to tell me about her experience four years ago when she was in sales, before she became a manager. When a customer asked her to send a catalog, Faith responded with: "Let’s look together right now, at our web site catalog." This accomplished three objectives:

1.) It kept the phone conversation alive and active – kept the dialogue going.

2.) Got the prospect physically involved in the conversation.

3.) Helping the prospect scroll through her company’s web site was a good way to easily present additional products the customer may not have been aware that Faith’s company sold. This is an excellent way to introduce the prospect to your company’s web site and answer any questions they may have about navigating their way through the web site.

Gayle and Linda’s responses to the "Just send a catalog" statement accomplishes one important objective: Finding out which products the prospect buys. Faith’s method educates the prospect about her company’s web site and the variety of products and services offered.u

Ann Barr is a consultant and sales trainer with 19 years’ experience in Sales and marketing. ENX readers can get a complimentary e-mailed copy of her report: "64 Ways to Increase Your Sales" by subscribing to Ann’s free e-mailed newsletter "Weekly Sales Tips."E-mail your request to: annbarr@sellingsupplies.com with "Sales Tips" in the subject line, or visit Ann’s web site: www.sellingsupplies.com

November 2001 ISSUE
The Second Most Important Part of Your Sales Letter
By Ann Barr

Which part of a marketing letter do you look at first? Studies show that customers pay attention first to the headline or first sentence of a fax flyer or direct-mail letter. The second thing most consumers look for is missing in many marketing faxes and letters. But this critical component of the letter can increase your response rate by as much as 300 percent.

If you are like most people, you look first at the headline or first sentence of a direct mail letter or fax. After that, what do you read? According to Ted Nicholas, author of "Magic Words That Bring You Riches:"

"The most read part of any letter next to the headline is the P.S. Yet, if you examine your mail carefully you will notice many direct mail letters do not include a P.S. Senders of such letters are missing a terrific opportunity."

Increase Response up to 300 Percent

Nicholas goes on to say:
"Christian Godefroy, one of Europe’s most successful marketers, recently told me that when he added a P.S. to an already profitable sales letter, the response increased 300%."

Six Tips

Six tips about ways to use an attention-getting P.S. –

1. MOTIVATE the reader to take action now.
2. Reinforce the OFFER.
3. Emphasize or introduce a BONUS.
4. Introduce a SURPRISE benefit.
5. Emphasize price or terms of your offer.
6. Emphasize the GUARANTEE.

EXAMPLES of how to use a P.S.:

1. MOTIVATE the reader to take action now. Example:
P.S. - This offer expires on November 30th. Order today!

2. REINFORCE the offer. Example:

4. Introduce a SURPRISE benefit. Example:
P.S. – Included at no extra charge: Four reams of laser paper when you order by November 30^th.

5. Emphasize PRICE or terms of your offer. Example:
P.S. – Remember: This 30% discount expires on December 1. After this date, you must pay the regular price of $98. Don’t miss out. Order today!

6. Emphasize GUARANTEE. Example:
This cartridge is guaranteed to perform perfectly and produce sharp, clear copies or you get a new replacement cartridge immediately.

The next time you sit down to create a sales letter, re-read these six tips. Use one of the P.S. categories and your response will be better than ever.u