Hi there 

Well, who can tell the twist and turns of business?

We had a chance to catch up with some of our peers in the Coaching Industry over the last few weeks, and it's given us plenty of positives (and some negatives) to think over, I can assure you!

And that's great, because if you aren't thinking about your direction, you probably haven't got any.  So we've kicked off some new websites to promote the solutions for your problems.

eCourse Central is one - a directory of short eCourses on all sorts of subjects. 

The second website is still under wraps, but you'll hear about that in the weeks to come - and we think you'll love it!

Also managed to get in a good birthday party for Narelle - happy birthday, Narelle!

We've had some great contact with several Franchisees and Franchisors to see how our new FORM and FAME Programs can help them.  We're looking forward to starting some of those soon.

This month's article focuses on a new way to think about what you do - and how your Client may think about what you do. Are they the same?  Let's find out.

Enjoy and learn.  Warm regards,

Narelle and Dennis 

"Black Box Marketing -

Does it work?

by Dennis McMahon

I was at a Focus group the other day, where the topic was a new model for a Real Estate Agency.  

The system proposed was to offer Agents a suburban Agency, which they would buy like a franchise, obviously receive a better commission structure because he or she is the Principal and receive passive income from referring other Agents into the network. 

There have been a few of these new systems promoted in the Real Estate industry recently.  Promoters of the new systems assume because an agent makes more money under one of these systems that they will deliver a better service to a client.  But in reality, the service doesn't change.

Most industries market from the perspective of how wonderful they are - Holden kept asking people to help them reach 1,000,000 sales; Architects sell themself on the basis of awards won; hairdressing salons love to announce their awards and so on.  

My point is, that none of that is client-centred.

So, here are my thoughts on how to really improve what you do and how you do it, so your buyers flock to you rather than your competition.

The Black Box Marketing Model - it's all about the Client!

First of all, I want you to imagine that whatever you sell comes in a Black Box.  It doesn't matter whether you sell a service or products, your prospective Client initially thinks you are selling him or her a magical "Black Box".  They don't know  what you or your "Black Box" solution can do for them - and, it seems that everybody else is offering them the same magical "Black Box" too.

The only way it becomes less a "Black Box" and more a personal solution - a solution that they can see has definite personal benefits for them - is by you expressing the solution in terms your prospective Clients can understand.

This means:

• You take the time and make the effort to understand your market.

• You are very clear on what your "Black Box" can do and for whom it can do it.

• No jargon - language as understood by 8 year olds please.

So you can easily understand how to change the way you market and sell your "Black Box", we've devised the "Black Box" Game.

Black Box Game

The Black Box Game has you, and every one of your competitors, standing in a line with your "Black Boxes" on tables in front of you.

Everyone Can Play!

You can set this up for your own company or team (or you can ask us to facilitate for you).

Setting the Scene

Imagine your prospective Clients walking down the line, and each one of you has the same opportunity to sell your "Black Box" to that person.

The Black Box Game Rules

Rule 1: Each "Black Box" looks the same from the outside (same weight, height, colour, length, depth, feel, etc.) so the pretty packaging ain't gonna sell it or you!

Rule 2: Your "Black Box" can be anything that will solve the person's problems and give them what they want.

Rule 3: You each get 1 minute to understand the person's problems and decide what your "Black Box" needs to be, to help them in the best way. 

Rule 4: Then you get 1 minute to show, tell, demonstrate, convince or persuade that person to buy your " Black Box", instead of your competitors.

Rule 5: Selection of order is to be random - drawn from a hat, etc.

Rule 6: Everybody gets to hear what everybody else says.

Rule 7: The buyer can't buy until they have seen and heard from everybody.

Rule 8: The buyer must choose the best option for them and explain why.

Rule 9: Observers will record each "Black Boxer" and provide individual feedback to them, based on their performance.

Rule 10: After a break, every person will use the Black Box Feedback and Improvement Tools to develop a personal Black Box Improvement Plan.

Rule 11: The Game is played again, and feedback is again provided.

After the Black Box Game, you will be able to develop and finetune the process for your products and services.

Preparation

Imagine that you've got your chance in the Black Box Game with a real live prospect, who's ready to buy:

• What are you going to say?

• What can you do?

• What is special about you that will help you?

• Is it your client rapport building skills?

• Maybe you know how to ask the right questions?

• What can your black box do that none of your competitors can do?

• How can you best show that person those unique benefits of your black box?

• Where do you start?

How did you go with those questions?

If you think this is a fanciful scenario, put yourself in your own shoes the last time you went to buy something outside your own area of knowledge or experience.

For me, that could be cars, computers, golf clubs, legal services, accounting services - or any number of things that I don't understand.

You, me, others will at some time need need a solution for an area of business or life that we don't know very much about.  And, so we have to put ourselves, our trust and quite often a lot of our money in the hands of someone selling us a "Black Box".

Is that how your Clients feel?

Think about your marketing avenues: Networking, Yellow pages, Newspaper ads, Website, Fliers, Phone calls etcetera and the contact you make with the Client - are they thinking that it's all just a "Black Box"?  

Because if they do think it's all a bit "Black Boxie", then the only thing they will feel comfortable to use as their decision criteria will be - you guessed it - price!

Why do they think of the price?

Because they understand money - it's the common commodity that everyone knows.

They will figure (and so do we all), that if the "Black Boxes" seem to be all the same, and they make a mistake, at least the cheapest option has given them the lowest loss.

So, if you don't want your solutions to be a "Black Box" to your Clients and prospects, then think about how you tell them what you can do for them.

And know how to answer those questions next time they get asked!

If you or your team would like to play the Black Box Game at your company, click here to send us an email and say you'd like some information on the Black Box Training.

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Advice from "Master" the Tabby kitten:

"Stay focussed on the job at hand and exercise an iron will.  
It works on humans every time!"