The Best Sales Tip Ever – Really

This is the best sales tip I ever got.

Introducing: The 3 i’s

  • These concepts are simple to implement in a sales situation.Pick Me
  • They require no special skill, practice or scripting.
  • They set you apart from competition
  • They’re especially effective in following up with a prospect…

…even after experiencing “NO”.

The 3 i’s stand for:

Information – Introduction – Invitation

The 3 i’s put you or your sales team in a position of value and expertise in the eyes and minds of your prospects. They make it easier to approach a prospect and carve a path for follow up.They make it more likely each contact made with a prospect will get attention and move the relationship forward. You and your company will stand out when you use the 3 i’s.  

Sales Tip #1: How to Overcome the Fear of Cold Calling: Use Invitation

“Hello, I’m Andrew Mazer and I’m calling to invite Mr. White to a lunch meeting with me and a couple of other business owners.  May I speak with him, please?”

Or, “…Our company is donating turkeys to a local charity and we’re pulling together some other business people for this good cause.  I’m calling to invite Mr. White into a small group who will get some public recognition for a tiny investment.”

Think about events or meetings you could invite a person to which would be a benefit for them. Keep an eye out for events which would be conducive for this kind of invitation strategy. This is not about inviting someone to lunch (although you can) but it’s more like telling someone, “I was thinking about you and your company and I think this could be a good investment of your time.”

Sales Tip #2 How To Become Trusted Before, During and After the Sale: Use Information

Sharing quality information is an excellent positioning tool.  I’m not talking about the information which describes your business or your products & services. I’m talking about useful information which pertains to interesting business matters, business-related news, or to a specific niche or industry your prospect is in.

Sharing information shows your prospect:

  • Your head is in the game…you do your homework.
  • You care and you’re a valuable source for information.

Sharing information could come in the form of an article clipped from a newspaper, magazine, or a blog post printed out and mailed or a link sent via email.  It could be as simple as recommending an event, a website or a video.  Even if you have not yet met or spoken with your prospect, submitting information through a gatekeeper will often get through.

I launched my internet marketing business this way.  I created an information-rich presentation which I delivered to a room full of business owners about how to increase their visibility online.  Breakfast, the least expensive meal you can serve at an event was provided. First I created the presentation, then I got to work on inviting people to come take in the information.  It generated clients and referrals.

Sales Tip #3: Become More Helpful  Through Introduction.

What if you could refer a new customer to a prospective client before you ever asked for an appointment for yourself?  Wow…talk about a foot in the door!  Not only you could introduce your prospect to a new customer, you could also introduce him or her to one of your other satisfied clients who may be of synergistic value.  In networking, we call these power partners.

An example of a power partner relationship could be a personal injury lawyer and a financial adviser. A good prospect for a financial adviser is someone who may have recently been awarded a large sum of money in a lawsuit or settlement.  The lawyer would be an excellent referral source for the adviser.  Facilitating an introduction between these 2 professionals would put you squarely in a good position to get yourself a meeting with either party any time in the future.

The 3 i’s.  Surefire ways to get your foot in the door and look like a pro.

About the Author Andrew Mazer

Andrew Mazer, Founder of Mazer Wholesale, Inc. established since 1986. In 1996, I began marketing my wholesale business online. In 2009, I began helping other business owners market THEIR business online. I am the author of The Business Owner's Guide to Marketing Online, The Groupon Solution, and The One Good Idea Newsletter. Contact me at Andrew@smallbusinessu.org

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