"Don't You Give Up Now!"

Don’t quit.
I know tax season probably has you dragging a bit right now, which is understandable. But you’re nearing the home stretch…and this last month will likely be one of the most profitable of your year. You’ve prepared all year for this! Keep at it.
And that goes for your marketing too. Keep at it. I’m in Scottsdale for an internet marketing conference, and this little marketing lesson made itself very real to me on the flight over here.
You know those annoyingly perky credit card booths at airports? The ones staffed by college kids or the like practically begging you to stop and talk to them. “25,000 Dividend Miles!” … “Do you have a USAirways MasterCard?” … “Perhaps I could bear your children?” (ok, they don’t say that).
Doesn’t work, right?
Funny thing…so I blithely walk on by, and watch dozens of folks grumpily ignore these kids.
And then a few stop. And fill out the forms. WHAT?!?
As if we all don’t get enough credit card offers in the mail. And then…there’s the flight itself. About 30 minutes before we land, the flight attendant gets on the intercom and announces the *same* offer which everybody had just passed right by.
Oh, but she’d throw in an additional 500 miles to the initial offer.
What do you know… I counted at least seven folks that raised their hand and filled out applications on the flight.
So, a few lessons here for you…
1) “All sales occur in a vacuum”. Which means that you might *think* that your prospects are remembering all the previous times you marketed at them–and failed. Truth is, they probably ignored you…or just got off on the wrong side of the bed that day. What matters most is NOT the future, is NOT the past–it’s right NOW…the “time vacuum” of the present.
2) Given #1, you must have a way to stay in front of your prospects on a regular basis. You just never know when somebody will be ready to say “yes” to your offer. It’s a big mistake to only try once, and *assume* you missed that first time. In fact, here’s some stats on closing rates for sales professionals.
2% of sales are made on the first call or contact.
3% on the second.
4% on the third.
10% on the fourth.
And, get this…
81% of sales are made after the fifth contact.
So…if you’re not following up regularly with prospects, you’re leaving 98% of potential sales on the table. Ouch.
3) Mix up your offers. That flight attendant may not have gotten many takers if she gave just the same old 25,000 miles offer. Frankly, 500 miles is pretty lame (about the cost of a coke)…but it worked.
So…try to take a moment tomorrow (Friday), and go back after prospects or direct mail leads you’ve tried this tax season. You’ll be surprised…they may just be ready *now*.
Keep kicking butt out there!