Big Bang to Batman…or how to be a marketing & sales superhero!

The Big Bang Theory is a very popular TV show about a group of geeks with some great toys and gadgets but no desire to get into a fight.  In contrast, TV and movie superhero Batman has the same toys and gadgets, but unlike the geeks, has the battle scars to prove that he has the courage to use them.

The same applies to modern marketing and sales, you can have the best product in the world, but unless you’re willing to ‘get it out there’ and make those hard, difficult sales calls…then the sales and income aren’t going to just materialise on their own.

There’s no doubt today a business needs to have all the components (the gadgets) of its marketing and communication arsenal in place from its website, social media profiles, advertising, Public Relations and so on – as they are the essential key ingredients for building a brand that will deliver long term sustained financial success.

Unfortunately, many business owners find it easier to avoid confronting the potential of rejection from a prospect and instead keep adding to their ‘Marketing Fortress’ of gadgets focusing their energies on blogging, tweeting, writing white papers, etc. 

Instead of changing the font on a website, business owners need to allocate time to the process of prospecting and turning leads into sales and connections into clients.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not belittling the need for an organisation to have a website, LinkedIn profile, branding, promotion and communication activities – they are all absolutely essential components of an integrated cohesive marketing strategy that every business must have.

The modern technically savvy and sophisticated consumer needs to be reassured about the business relationship to be entered into and will use technology to research your background, capability, expertise, etc. through Google, your company website, LinkedIn, etc. before connecting with you.

Kevin Costner in the Hollywood movie Field of Dreams was told ‘if you build it, they will come’.  There is a reason it’s a movie – it doesn’t happen in real life.

Sales heroes aren’t made when life is easy.  It does take bravery to make the call and face potential rejection.  But success in business isn’t guaranteed – if it was easy and didn't require some level of bravery then everyone would be a success.

Staying safely inside the ‘Marketing Fortress’, with all the gadgets, the Batman outfit and cloak, still in their original wrappers and in pristine condition will not increase sales and revenue. 

On the other hand, prospecting and connecting with potential customers using the power and support of the marketing infrastructure and company / personal profile will deliver diverse sales opportunities.

The steps to sales and marketing success aren’t complicated:

-        Prepare your ‘gadgets’ in advance – website, brochures, LinkedIn profile, etc.

-        Streamline the marketing process making sure all the components dovetail and reflect / support the business objective.

-        Identify the prospects, make the contact / send the letters and make the calls.

In the end it’s simply a question of balancing the inner geek (The Big Bang Theory) and the need to get outside the comfort zone and with the right balance between marketing, prospecting, sales and client service activities.

By doing this it will have you saying “I’m Batman” in no time!

Issued by Joe Perri & Associates Pty Ltd              www.joeperri.com.au     

About Joe Perri & Joe Perri & Associates

Joe Perri & Associates provides PR and marketing focussed communication strategies / solutions for clients in the SME, corporate and non-profit sectors that help them achieve their strategic business aspirations.  Joe’s goal is to help clients more clearly define their overall communication objectives and then implement the most appropriate strategy to reach their target audience more effectively.