Approximate read time: 10 minutes
There is an age-old sales saying that goes like this…
“A confused prospect never buys.”
This means it is critical to be an effective communicator if you want someone to buy.
And I’m not just talking about purchasing a product, service or solution with money.
I’m talking about every time you need to sell someone on something:
- Your idea;
- Your point of view;
- Your personal brand;
- Your suggestion;
- And so on…
Everyone is selling something, regardless if you like it or not (or acknowledge it or not!)
But, what is an effective communicator?
The term “effective” is as problematic and thin as words like “successful” and “happiness.”
Let’s start with some definitions….
Communication could be defined as conveying information to another through a medium, or modality—that is, a particular mode in which something exists, is experienced, or expressed.
Effective could be defined as successfully producing a desired or intended result.
Therefore, an effective communicator could be defined as successfully conveying information to another through a medium or modality to successfully produce a desired or intended result—that is, conveying the original information as intended with 100% accuracy, 100% of the time.
So how do you effectively communicate?
Let’s look at how communications works…
Communication has:
- A Communicator; and
- A Receiver.
The Communicator wants to convey information to the Receiver as intended with 100% accuracy, 100% of the time—that is, with no miscommunication.
And…
The Receiver wants to receive information from the Communicator as intended with 100% accuracy, 100% of the time—that is, again with no miscommunication.
The way information is conveyed or received could be through a medium or mode, such as:
- Body language;
- Vocal tonality;
- Language;
- Speech;
- Audio;
- Video;
- Writing;
- Visuals;
- And so on…
But, the problem with these medium or modes is way they convey information. They are flawed.
In other words, they cannot duplicate information from a Communicator to a Receiver as intended with 100% accuracy, 100% of the time.
Why is this?
Partly because, the information from a Communicator to a Receiver is conceptual.
A photo of a car is not ACTAULLY a car.
A verbal description of a dog is not ACTAULLY a dog.
The other part is that information collected by a Receiver from a Communicator has its own barriers, such as:
- Emotional filters;
- Cognitive biases;
- Learning styles;
- Personality types;
- Meta programs;
- And so on…
There is no perfect way to get rid of miscommunication.
Let me repeat, as it is important!
THERE IS NO PERFECT WAY TO GET RID OF MISCOMMUNICATION.
The thing is, the only communication you have control over is how you communicate, not how information is received.
But the paradox is that you need to understand the mental models of how information is collected by a Receiver to communicate in a way that reduces miscommunication for a Receiver.
Luckily, there are some simple tools that help you work these out, fast.
HINT: It’s doing so in a way they prefer to communicate, not how you want to communicate.
So you had better get really good at it if you want to sell someone on something.
And mark my words…
You sell someone on something multiple times a day, regardless if you like it or not (or acknowledge it or not.)
Are you being effective as a communicator?
What opportunities are you missing because of miscommunication?
I bet there are a ton!
And alas, I’ll be bound to miscommunicate this information as intended.
How fitting 🙂
Always already listening
This guide is here to show you how to communicate with prospects and customers at the various steps of a marketing and sales pipeline.
Here are the elements:
- STEP 1: Awareness Communication;
- STEP 2: Segmentation Communication;
- STEP 3: Introduction Communication;
- STEP 4: Conversion Communication;
- STEP 5: Progression Communication; and finally
- STEP 6: Determination Communication.
Let’s begin with…
1) Awareness Communication
This step is about making traffic (also called suspects) aware of your brand.
What to communicate:
- The benefit or promise that will solve their pain or gain;
- Why [TOPIC] is important;
- Who it is for and not for;
- What results are possible with [TOPIC];
- How to take immediate action on [TOPIC];
- What will happen if you take action on [TOPIC]; and
- A call to action.
This leads to the first decision tree.
If suspects say no to your awareness communication, you will need to continue with awareness communication until they become aware of your brand, or you need to change the delivery method or channel to be more relevant to them.
If suspects say yes to your awareness communication, you will need to send them to the Segmentation Step.
Of course, the exact details of how to do this are beyond the scope of this guide.
This step is about increasing the number of prospects, AKA lead generation, AKA marketing and understanding your prospects and customers.
2) Segmentation Communication
…This step is about segmenting traffic into prospects by presenting a gated offer.
A gated offer is a free offer that has a “gate” or entrance attached to it.
In order to get the free offer, you must pass the entrance.
The cost of passing through the entrance is the prospects contact information, usually in the form of an email address, but it could be a phone number, too.
The cost of passing through the entrance is the prospects contact information, usually in the form of an email address or a phone number.
What to communicate:
- The benefit or promise that will solve their pain or gain;
- Why [TOPIC] is important;
- Who it is for an not for;
- What results are possible with [TOPIC];
- How to take immediate action on [TOPIC];
- What will happen if you take action on [TOPIC]; and
- A call to action.
This leads to the second decision tree.
If suspects say no, opt-in to the gated offer and bounce (exit) from the page, you then need to start remarketing in an attempt to bring them back to the same or similar category of content (or lead page) that has a gated offer in order to repeat the process. You will also need to attempt to segment again.
NOTE: Remarketing is a digital advertising tool that allows you to reach the visitors who have previously visited your website via a tracking cookie in their browser.
If suspects say yes and opt-in to the opt-in offer (and they are a new suspect), you then need to send them to the Introduction Step or The Conversion Step:
- New prospects get sent to the Introduction Step; or
- Old prospects get sent to the Conversion Step.
Of course, the exact details of how to do this are beyond the scope of this guide.
This step is about increasing the number of prospects, AKA lead generation, AKA marketing and understanding your prospects and customers.
3) Introduction Communication
…This step is about introducing and teaching prospects about your brand.
You have now converted suspects to prospects.
Once you have their contact details for follow-up, you need to introduce them to your brand.
What to communicate:
- Tell the brand story;
- Tell the brand credibility;
- Explain the value and benefits of the brand;
- Set their expectations for your brand;
- Let them experience parts of your brand; and
- Ask them to take an action.
This leads to the third decision tree.
If the prospect is new to your brand or has never received Introduction Communication, then you need to send them Introduction Communication.
If the prospect is familiar with your brand or has received Introduction Communication previously, then you need to send them to the Conversion Step.
Either way, prospects only gets Introduction Communication one time – the first time.
Of course, the exact details of how to do this are beyond the scope of this guide.
This step is about increasing the number of prospects, AKA lead generation, AKA marketing.
4) Conversion Communication
…This step is about converting prospects to purchasing a product, service or solution.
You are starting the process of converting prospects to customers by presenting them with a low priced offer.
What to communicate:
- The benefit or promise that will solve their pain or gain;
- Why [TOPIC] is important;
- Who it is for an not for;
- What results are possible with [TOPIC];
- How to take immediate action on [TOPIC];
- What will happen if you take action on [TOPIC]; and
- A call to action.
Of course, the exact details of how to do this are beyond the scope of this guide.
This leads to the fourth decision tree.
If prospects say no to your offer, then you need to send them to the Segmentation Step for a new offer, as this current offer is obviously not for them.
If prospects say yes to your offer, then you need to send them to the Progression Step.
This step is about increasing the number of customers, AKA prospect conversion, AKA sales and increasing the success of new product, service or solution launch, AKA combining it all.
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5) Progression Communication
…This step is about getting customers to buy more so you can make a profit.
You have converted prospects to customers, even if it was at a loss or cost neutral.
This step is about progressing customers to buy another solution.
This could be a:
- Cross sell;
- Next sell;
- Upsell; or a
- Down sell.
What to communicate:
- The benefit or promise that will solve their pain or gain;
- Why [TOPIC] is important;
- Who it is for an not for;
- What results are possible with [TOPIC];
- How to take immediate action on [TOPIC];
- What will happen if you take action on [TOPIC]; and
- A call to action.
This leads to the fifth decision tree.
If customers say no to your next offer, then you need to send them back to the Segmentation Step for a new offer, as this current offer is obviously not for them.
If customers say yes to your next offer, then you need to send them back to the Conversation Step to sell even more. This now becomes a loop between the Progression and the Conversation Steps.
Of course, the exact details of how to do this are beyond the scope of this guide.
This step is about increasing the value and number of customer transactions, up selling, next selling, down selling and cross selling.
6) Determination Communication
…This step is about engaging prospects and customers who are no longer showing interest in your low-priced or next offers.
It is an attempt to win and bring them back.
This leads to the sixth decision tree.
If prospects or customers say no to this determination attempt, you will no longer communicate with them, as your communication is obviously not for them.
You may feel uneasy about doing this, as you would have invested to market and sell to them previously, but if they are not engaged with you anymore, they no longer have a gain or pain they are motivated to solve.
If prospects or customers say yes to this determination attempt, you then need to send them to the Segmentation Step and start the whole process again in attempt to re-segment prospects and customers.
Of course, the exact details of how to do this are beyond the scope of this guide.
This step is about engaging prospects and customers.
Take Action
You made it…
You now have a solid plan for your marketing and sales communication.
That’s the full Marketing & Sales Communication Process, and it will be more than enough for you to get started on your own.
You can get the printed illustrated Process Map of this and 20 others for free, here
And if you’re serious about marketing and selling more, the logical next step is to contact me to help you do it yourself, have me do it with you, or have it all done for you.
This maybe the momentum you need to get great marketing and sales results.
Now let’s learn about The Content Creation Process.
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