Electric Heating Systems

Marketing is not Selling. Marketing is a positioning activity to ensure your product has the best chance of being seen by potential buyers and of "selling itself" as far as possible.

The difference between marketing and selling is pro-activity and the ability to achieve the sale that has been set up for you by good marketing.

There are six building blocks to successful selling that are relevant to selling energy-efficient heating such as Infra Red.

1) Business knowledge.
- Do you understand the business climate in which potential buyers are operating and in which you are selling? Is it strong? Is it weak? Is it seasonal (yes it is - generally - for heaters!)? Is it political?

- Be well-read. That is, understand as much as you can about the present business environment and demonstrate that you do.

- Be able to converse on current events and futures. Self-explanatory. Be level headed. Don't adopt obvious 'sides'.

- Be politically aware. What is the impact of current government policy and its current and future impact on business (huge selling opportunity here, obviously for energy-efficient products and the likelihood of getting funding).

2) Industry Knowledge
- Ensure you are fully informed about your client's industry. How does it fit within the overall business knowledge you have? For example, whilst the economy is weak, public spending is reasonably high (hospitals, public bodies etc may consequently be 'buyers'); other people will also be motivated to cut costs and therefore equally may be 'buyers' but each needs a different sales message. How would Infrared Heating satisfy each type of client?

- Be aware of your client's competitors and how your product may help a client stay ahead of them.

- Be aware of any personalities in their industry - have they recently said anything for or against infrared heating?

3) Company Knowledge
- Be rock-sure about how your own company operates - for example - will you do "proofs of concept" if asked?

- Are there ethical boundaries about where or to whom (or how) you sell your products? For example not rubbishing the competition.

- Be aware of your own advertising. How did the client find you? Will you feed any of this back into your own company?

- Are there specific experts within your own company that you should get infront of the client rather than try and "bluff your way" yourself?

4) Product Knowledge
- You must have an in depth knowledge about your Infrared heating products yourself.

- Be persuasive. This includes being aware of any possible weakness in your products. Be sure a client will probably have researched them. Have an answer ready.

- Believe in what you sell.

5) Selling knowledge
- Selling is a skill. Research it. Try "Selling to Win" by Richard Denny.

- Avoid any hint of "But it's difficult" or any other negative. Always sell its flip side. "Infrared heaters aren't actually expensive, when you compare their running costs versus traditional forms of heating - even over just two or three years".

- Practice selling.

6) Attitude!
- It is the ultimate characteristic that separates stars from "also rans"

- The old cliché that "first impressions count" really counts.

- Trust yourself.

Finally:
Think about your strengths and weakenesses in the above areas every month. It will give you insight into potential sales as well.

Trust yourself. You got this far due to "something".

Think professional. Don't lower yourself to other peoples' sales standards and don't be afraid equally to walk away from an opportunity as they might from you. A sale well made is a potential subsequent sale. A sale badly made is a trail of bad feeling and bad-mouthing that will follow you and your company around.

Success builds success no matter how small the initial success.

The one who gets ahead is the one who does more than is necessary - and keeps on doing it.