Dancing Your Way to Better Sales

Recently, I was thinking about offline marketing and online marketing and how they can complement each other.

What if a few changes could make all the difference in the world to the ratio of sales per hits on your website?

As I was pondering, I remembered as a young woman how I was in the dance business. My job in the beginning was to sell dancing lessons. After a few months of that nonsense, I worked the back department. Basially, I taught ballroom dancing and did not work the front department (sales).

What were my objections and why did I call it "that nonsense?" It was simple.

The price was high and their sales pitch was six pages long, which you learned to memorize so well that even if you were interrupted in your spiel, you could get right back on track with what you were saying by rote.

To me it was phoney, it was not me and it was not how I talked as a person, and it bothered me. I had no idea, then, how much work and testing was put into the writing of that "pitch."

In the pitch:

You needed to find one thing to compliment the person on.

You needed to pay close attention to their body language...such as arms folded, staring at the ceiling, grabbing their coat (heaven forbid!)

And there were "ifs"

If they still are staring at you with eyes of steel, (I shall not be sold) you offered them water or coffee, or even a free soda pop. This would free up their arms.

And, all of these "alerts" while still remembering the exact words to say. And, then remembering to keep on with the benefits of becoming, 'the most sought after dance partner in the world. The having a safe place to come with other people in their "class.'

Oh, yes, prestige was important.

And there were tricks.. bringing out a sheet of paper for you to ask questions and have them answer your questions like:

What is your address, your phone number, and which of these three lesson plans would you like to consider?

And during all this time you are writing in the information that you need to have that form ready for their signature. By getting that information from them, you were actually getting their silent agreement, that they were going to sign.

Then, you presented them with an easy payment plan for their new exciting life and booked them for their first lesson as soon as possible.

I just could not do that pitch. I felt my exuberance for dancing was enough to sell people, however my boss said it like this to me...

"Teresa, you might be able to sell with your love of dancing, but we don't spend all those advertising dollars and take the chance that you might lose the customer if the customer was not properly handled in the first place." i.e. "The Pitch"

However, there were a few times when they didn't have anyone else free to take a new customer out for their free lesson...and it was me who did sell newcomers without that PITCH.

How did that happen? Well, I loved my product. I loved dancing, and therefore, everyone else would love dancing. I was actually doing them a favor by getting them to sign on the dotted line. And, I did have the benefit that I knew they were already interested in the product. The LEAD. And, they just had a wonderful easy dance lesson.

BUT WAIT.....What did I just say?

We are online sales people, aren't we? Isn't it our job to write a sales pitch about our products until our visitor drools to have what we have to sell.

Have I changed? I mean, as a young woman, I couldn't do that pre-written spiel and feel good about myself. What has changed?

What has changed is that I can't look to see if my customer is still interested. I can't see those folded arms, the shaking of their heads, the eyes going to the ceiling. I must depend on my skills as a writer to reach out and keep that potential customer reading.

So, how can we use the above story to improve our online sales?

Well, we know that enthusiasm sells. So write your sales page with the love of your product in your mind. And, write it when you are fresh. Don't force the writing. List all the benefits of your product.

We know that people love compliments. Give them a compliment.

We know we are going to have some people that are going to raise objections. This is a good time to take a break in your writing. By this, I mean put up some subheaders. These are what get your customer's arms unfolded and keep their interest. Maybe a feature of your product and the benefit of that feature to them.

Write with knowing that what you are selling is really good for your customer, and that your potential customer needs the product you are selling. Then lead them by the hand to the easy online ordering processing, reminding them how safe and secure it is to order online.

Good Luck on your future Sales!

Teresa King
April, 2002 (c)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - Teresa is a successful online entrepreneur who loves to meet people. Stop by her website at http://www.tipsfortop.com and sign up for her newsletter.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Here Are Some Tips On Dancing Your Way to Better Sales

8 Steps for a Woman Dancing with Cancer

Examine all the options, but only use what feels right to you. Create a ceremony Ballerina Bunny of healing/wholing and invite Ballerina Bunny your supporters. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine.

Dancing On Your Brain: The Cha-Cha Effect

Take your brain out to dance in this daring new direction. You can walk for miles and miles, but unless you add some Ballerina Bunny sideways action, youre grinding Ballerina Bunny your hipbones in their sockets. To subscribe, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com. He is considered the worlds foremost authority on creative thinking.

Shared Dancing Has Benefits for Babies and New Moms Alike

Done regularly, shared dancing can become a wonderful Ballerina Bunny way to communicate with your baby. So why not make good use of your natural instincts to cuddle and rock your Ballerina Bunny baby? So next time youre feeling overwhelmed or stressed out, try picking up baby and taking him for a spin around the living room to your favourite music. Holding your baby in your arms while you both enjoy a waltz, a 2-step or even some good old fashioned rock n roll, is a wonderful way to get some gentle exercise, and its fun too!

Have You Stopped Dancing?

Have You Stopped Ballerina Bunny Dancing? Hall I want you to think back to the last time you really, REALLY danced. When you Ballerina Bunny went off to college?

Inuit Drum Dancing Of The Arctic

Inuit drum dancing is still sometimes performed at symbolic celebrations such as opening ceremonies for conferences, festivals, graduations and shows for tourists. Like Inuit throat singing, the practice of Inuit drum dancing was banned by Christian missionaries for many years. Like many other Ballerina Bunny aboriginal cultures around the world, the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic have made use of drums in some of their traditional music for centuries. The Inuit drum called a qilaut was traditionally made from caribou skin with seal or walrus skin around the handle.

The Theatre

My first true love was at Ballerina Bunny twenty years old She was much older, yes I was so bold A theatre lover I became Gloria Swanson the name of fame Her last performance I think it was Butterflies are Free, we were impressed A great endeavour this thing she does No mere drama was justly expressed Later on as we undressed I knew my heart was not just me I felt her closeness and accepted We. I felt it so often; it is The Force!

Terri Schiavo Dancing

She and Michael Ballerina Bunny skating in circles. Like they were some kind of northern people, despite Terri's gentle southern draw. That entry into the kitchen, Ballerina Bunny those sounds of coming fate, and Will said:.

Overcome Writers Block with Snake Dancing

We need to focus on one thing at a time. You may want to work daily like I do. Write down 3-4 topics you are passionate about. Know that your book is unique Ballerina Bunny and offers useful solutions to help your audience solve their challenge or problem. Ballerina Bunny Write on one book primarily, and just put new ideas into the others' folder.

Ballet Dancing - The Ideal Physique

The ideal leg will of course be straight and shapely, showing little or not muscular development when standing, with smooth line from the back view, and knees which do not protrude too much from the front... With toes of medium length only and preferably with the first two or three approximating the same length... A good guide for the best proportions Ballerina Bunny may be taken from ancient Greece where the length from the crown of the head to the pubic arch or fork is equal to that from the fork to the ground.

The Sweet Fancy Adams Theatre in Gatlinburg TN

Hurry, though, because it's the summer and they are going fast! Two completely different shows are presented each season Ballerina Bunny and are alternated nightly. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays when the show will be "Once Upon a Trunk," an original musical comedy about a janitor who opens an old trunk only to discover that the trunk is home to a troop of actors from the golden age of Vaudeville.