It's Easier To Sell A Warm Customer Than A New Customer

Imagine the last time someone tried to sell something to you. How did you react? Did you shut down immediately and walk away or did you listen with attention and consider the points in front of you? The first is a common reaction to sales techniques, but you can actually achieve the latter if you are trying to sell to someone that you already know.

Think about it this way...are you more likely to purchase based on a recommendation from a friend or from a commercial? Friends and acquaintances win every time. Understanding this, it becomes clear why it's important to develop a relationship with your market before hand. Turning someone from a cold customer to a warm customer is easy if you use the following steps.

1. Prove your worth by offering something worthy.

A lot of online marketers miss the boat by using bad content or half involved approaches to their market. Your website, blog or newsletter needs to be high quality and speak directly to your potential customers. Whatever you send their way needs to be relevant, coherent and honest. This means that you shouldn't send a course on coupon cutting to a group of forex traders. You should also proofread and carefully edit your articles, blog posts and e-mail messages. Finally, you should be honest with your communication - don't make promises that you can't keep.

2. Build a list with free content.

Giving away something free to your website visitors serves two purposes. First, you're able to capture their e-mail address for further marketing. Secondly, you show them you can provide quality information with your high quality free product. The key to this approach is offering something that is good and useful. Don't just slap up any old PLR report and try to build a list. Invest time in making a good free report and you'll be rewarded with an e-mail list that trusts you.

3. Use your e-mail list properly

How many times have you signed up for someone's e-mail list and then never heard from them again? There is a lot of power in e-mail marketing, but only if you use it well. Your e-mail marketing list can be the foundation for turning cold contacts into warm buyers. At the very minimum you should be contacting your list with a newsletter once a month. Other options include sending multi-part e-courses or contacting your list whenever you have a new blog post up and running. Note that your e-mail list should not be harassed with special offer after special offer. Build a relationship properly on your list and you'll have lifelong customers.

Moving someone from a cold contact to a warm prospect just requires some forethought and common sense. Just like in other parts of your life when you treat people how you want to be treated, you'll end up benefiting in the long run. Treat your contacts like gold and they'll reward you with the same.