It sounded like a catastrophe of biblical proportions… a woman in the hotel parking lot was wailing that someone had broken into her SmartCar and stolen her GPS. Her biggest concern wasn’t the cost of the gizmo, but the fact that she couldn’t find her way home without it.
Technology is terrific, but there is something to be said for not totally depending on it. Technology serves best when it enhances our abilities, rather than replacing them.
Many coach operators are accelerating their use of the internet as a sales tool. While that isn’t a bad thing, it isn’t without risk.
Selling is hard. Once you get past the clichés and misconceptions, it’s a discipline like accounting, management or maintenance. It’s tempting to put marketing effort (and dollars) into nifty websites, splashy advertising and using on-line brokers. They’re easy, tidy, and it’s fun to see our names in lights.
Sales, and business, are almost always about relationships. One exception is self-serve gasoline, which is a commodity sold almost exclusively by the lowest bidder. It can only hurt the charter/tour part of our industry if we sell luxury service as a commodity that goes to the lowest bidder. When we become too dependent on technology for marketing, we come dangerously close to that position.
A lot of fine operators just don’t like “selling”. For a long time many depended on the Yellow Pages for marketing. For some, that thinking has evolved into depending on brokers, and leads generated by websites.
While you need a good internet presence, don’t fool yourself into believing potential customers visit your site solely for the great graphics or prose. If they found you electronically, they are “shopping”, and it’s already about price. There will be minimal opportunity to show them why you’re worth more than your competitors.
For those of you who love selling, and hanging out with clients, keep it up. On the other hand, many of you don’t have the time, or inclination, to sell. That isn’t a good reason to abandon the effort. You hire mechanics, lawyers and accountants to handle specialized parts of your business… Why not a sales person?
Here are 3 ideas to expand your sales strategy.
- Hiring a dedicated salesperson will expand awareness of your company to new groups. We’re not just talking about telephone sales, but rather going out and meeting folks. Hire someone to tell customers why your company adds value to their trip. They give your company a “face”, and they work for you. They can connect with groups that already charter buses at various industry conferences, and ask for the opportunity to serve them, as well as selling the concept of coach transportation to folks who hadn’t yet considered it.
A wise bus executive tells of a friend that hired a salesman with hopes that he’d increase business. The operator had decided on a 6 month trial effort. He asked his buddy how long it took for the salesperson to pay for himself… “6 weeks”. That may not happen every time, but consider it.
2. Utilize members of your team who have firsthand knowledge of the services you provide. We’re in a seasonal business, so drivers are sometimes looking for extra work. Your best drivers are good with people (otherwise they’d be driving trucks). Why not give them the opportunity to try sales?
3. Make sure that every electronic inquiry gets a human response, at least by telephone. Train your people to treat phone calls like sales calls, and do more than just give out prices. Make a valid phone number a mandatory field on web site requests for quotes. If a potential customer won’t give a phone number, they’re primarily interested in beating you up on price.
Please don’t think this is a knock on using every modern tool available. It’s not. You need a first rate website, and working with brokers is a good way to fill dead spots. The point is that the only way to control your destiny is to take hands-on responsibility for selling your company.
I was hanging around my buddy’s scuba shop last week when a gentleman stopped in just to thank the young woman that had sold him the “right” product. The customer’s kindness made two points. Properly done, salespeople provide a real service… and it really is about relationships.
If you are looking for additional training for your sales team, please reach out to On Your Mark Transportation today to learn how we can partner with you for the new year.
