101 Best Sales and Marketing Ideas
IDEA 31:
WORK ROUND INHERENT PROBLEMS
Sometimes there are problems that you make selling more difficult, yet by their nature they are seemingly impossible to change. This example, where the hindrance is physical fact, is taken from one particular industry. Because of the specific circumstance the solution is not one that would be necessary or possible for everyone, but like so many of the ideas here it demonstrates a kind of creative thinking which I applaud, and which you can imitate.
Idea
At local office equipment distributor had an office and showroom in a medium-sized town (say the size of Cambridge in the United Kingdom). It was on a prime site but there was one drawback: there was no easy customer parking nearby, and none that was free. The small staff car park was shared with the other businesses in the block in which it occupied the ground floor. The company knew that many customers would not buy without a demonstration, and also surmised that the lack of parking put some people off from making a visit. Of course there were a number of things that might have helped, including moving the showroom, and banning the staff from parking on the premises so the spaces could be used for customers instead. One idea worked well, however.
The showroom was open on Saturdays, a day when staff in the offices above did not work. Following an idea generated by one of the team, the company did a deal with its neighbours to use their parking spaces on Saturdays. It then suggested in promotions and telephone prospecting calls that customers might come to a demonstration on a Saturday. This worked well. It soon discovered that for an excuse to avoid shopping with their partner or family! This change extended the number of demonstrations given and thus saw sales rise.
In practice
- Are there things to do with your sales situation that might be exploited or change to help your sales? Check.