Passive Marketing – A Salesperson’s Best Friend

As salespeople, we are constantly networking, meeting new people, making presentations, and working to sell our product or service. During this process, we meet a large amount of prospects, most of who are not in the market for our product or service, or may not be quite ready to buy from us.

Great salespeople realize that not everyone they meet and get in front of is not going to need their product or service. However, they also realize the potential of every person they meet. Perhaps over time that person may need your product or service, or maybe they know someone that can benefit from what you do. While most salespeople realize this, they don't take advantage of it. If the prospect isn't ready to buy at that point, they move on to the next person. So, what should you be doing to take advantage of this untapped potential?

1. Build an effective database

Building a database of every person you come into contact with is the foundation for any passive marketing effort. You will want to have some type of software program to maintain your contacts, and should keep track of all pertinent contact information, as well as where you met them, information that is unique about them, and any other important information.

2. Passively market to your contacts

Leverage your database by utilizing a consistent, passive marketing system to keep in front of them. This could be a newsletter, an ezine, a tip-of- the-month, or anything else that you can think of that keeps you in front of your contacts on a regular basis.

3. Add value - don't sell

Your passive marketing system should always add value for people, not be a hard sell. Tips, how-to articles, advice, and success stories that relate to your product or service are great things to include in your system.

4. Make it easy for them to contact you and experience your product or service

Your system should provide a way for your prospects to easily contact you and experience your produce or service. Complimentary services, product giveaways, or free trials are great ways to accomplish this. When the time is right for them, this provides an easy way for your prospect to get a hold of you and eventually buy your product or service.

A successful passive marketing system will allow you to keep in front of all of the people that you have come into contact with, add value for them, allow them to familiarize themselves with your product or service, and make sure that they remember you when they need your product or service. Sounds like a great way to increase your sales!

Happy selling!