Earning the Right To Sell With Stats ? 10 Steps to Greatness

We could learn a thing or two from pro sports.

Baseball players use stats to tell the story of their season and their career. Scorekeepers keep track of every at bat, every hit, every strike out, every run scored and every base stolen.

Those stats are cited by commentators during the game, sports reporters after the game and they are featured on the backs of baseball cards to they tell the story of the player's career.

Those of us in business could learn a thing or two from baseball players about using stats to size-up our careers and experience.

Give your prospects a reason to listen to what you have to say.

I was attending a conference last month and the topic of using business stats to "earn the right" among prospects was brought up. "Earning the right" was explained as giving your audience a reason to listen to what you have to say.

Before you can sell anything you must establish credibility.

Before you can sell anyone anything, you must first convince them you or your product or service are worthy. And one way to do that is with stats.

At the conference, we were tasked with compiling a list of our own stats (what we've achieved in our business or career, or what qualifies us to be doing what we're doing) and I was amazed at how few of my own I could recall on a moment's notice.

Can you easily list all your "stats" - I couldn't!

It was easy to come up with the obvious - I've been helping clients successfully market for 20 years.

And I could also recall two recent marketing successes: gaining free exposure for my business to 100,000+ of my ideal customers and tripling my web site traffic in a three-month period.

But beyond that I was stumped. My 20 years of marketing experience and seven years of entrepreneurial experience were boiled down to three stats that did not do a very good job of representing my career or my expertise.

I came home from the conference determined to compile my list of stats and to start using them. And, to inspire you, my readers and clients, to do the same.

Use my 10 questions to create your own list of "stats"

To make it easy, I've compiled a list of 10 questions you can ask yourself to come up with your own list of stats. This list is just a jumping off point.

Feel free to brainstorm further to come up with your own list of compelling stats that you believe will help you "earn the right" to be seen as an expert in your field by your prospects.

I call this list your "10 Steps to Greatness" Why? Because when you are able to list stats in 10 different areas, you will be able to convince your prospects you are great at what you do AND that your product or service can help them.

I've included my own stats as examples, NOT to brag about them, but for several reasons: First, to show you I DID come home from that conference and compile my own stats; Second, to give you examples to follow; and Third, to inspire you (if I can do it, you can, too!).

Not all of my stats are earth-shattering. But by having a full list to choose from, you can be sure to have a handful of compelling stats available at any time.

10 Steps to Greatness

(1) How many years have you been in your current line of business (or a related field)?

For example, I've been in the marketing field for over 20 years.

(2) How many clients or students or customers have your served (in your current business or your total years in this industry)?

For example, I've taught over 600 small business owners how to create and implement their own marketing plans using the 10stepmarketing System.

(3) What results have you generated with your business, products or services?

For example, I increased my subscriber base by 590% in four months and I tripled my web site traffic in three months.

(4) What results have your clients or customers gotten with the help of your products or services?

For example, when I worked with the American Council on Exercise, I helped them generate over 340.8 million media impressions in three years, through public relations and public service ads. I have also secured nearly $1 million in free media exposure for my clients.

(5) How many awards or recognitions have you or your business, products or services received?

For example, I've earned three national and two local marketing awards, plus a small business top achievement award.

(6) Have you spoken, taught or done presentations?

For example, I have spoken on marketing at conferences across the United States and in Canada, and I've taught hundreds of small business owners via teleseminar.

(7) Have your articles been published or have you been quoted or interviewed or written up in the media?

For example, my marketing advice is featured in Entrepreneur Magazine's Start-Up Series publication "How To Start A Personal Training Business." Additionally I am an Expert Author on EzineArticles.com and my marketing how-to articles are featured on numerous web sites.

(8) How can you quantify your business (e.g. how many business deals or transactions have you made, or how many articles have you written)?

For example, I've written and published 40 articles in the past six months.

(9) How many products have you sold?

For example, I made 20 sales my first two weeks in business.

(10) What experts in your industry have you studied or learned from?

For example, I have taken courses from such marketing and business experts as T. Harv Eker, Jay Abraham, Brian Tracy, Robert Allen and Mark Victor Hansen.

I challenge you to spend some time this week, compiling your own list of stats. Start with these 10 questions and see what you can come up with. Draw on your personal or professional experience.

What makes you great at what you do? What experience and knowledge to you have to offer? What are you passionate about and how can you translate that passion into credibility? Why should others pay attention when you talk? Be creative. Brainstorm.

Then select a few of the strongest, most compelling stats and start using them in your marketing.

Remember, you are not using these stats to brag about your accomplishments. You're using them to get your prospects to pay attention to you and to establish credibility.

(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa

20-year marketing veteran Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to help small business owners successfully market their business, themselves without spending a fortune on marketing. To learn more about this simple, step-by-step program and to sign up for her FREE audio class and FREE weekly ezine featuring how-to articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.10stepmarketing.com

____________________

Advertisement: Honest Riches - Click Here!

Advertisement: Lost AdWords - Click Here!

Advertisement: Get $1 Million A Month In Google Pay-Per-Click Ads Free! - Click Here!

Advertisement: Who Loves Money? - Click Here!

Advertisement: SEO Elite, the GrandDaddy of SEO Software - Click Here!

---

Mortgage Marketing and Advertising ? The Magical Ingredient

Do you offer superior service, consistently close loans on time and overall are more adept than your competitors, yet you're struggling to figure out the mortgage... Read More

The Power of because...

"Do it!", "Do it now!", or "Do it because..."Which of these commands is most likely to get the response you want?If you picked the third, the one... Read More

Stretching The String: Five Tips To Maximize Your Marketing When You Are On A Shoe String Budget

"I know I need to market my business in order to grow my business, but right now I can't afford it."I have heard this statement numerous times... Read More

The Bare-Bones Basics Of Multi-Level Marketing

Multi-level marketing is the biggest growth industry in the 1980's. It is the industry that has made corporate giants of Amway, Shaklee, Mary Kay and Herbalife. It... Read More

Effective Use of Promotional Products and Ad Specialties

1. Determine the goals of your promotional products program. Do you want to create awareness? To attract new customers? To reward or provide incentives to existing customers?... Read More

Psychology of Setting Prices

Pricing is one of the four major components of marketing. Psychological pricing forms one of the key elements of demand pricing wherein the consumer demand is the... Read More

10 Effective Ice Breaking Questions

Whether you go to a Chamber of Commerce event, a PTA meeting, the racquetball court, the local health club, or practically anywhere else, opportunities to network present... Read More

Three Simple Ideas That Increase Profit? FAST!

Are you spending more time trying to get new clients than actually working with them?If the answer is yes, then these three simple ideas will help you.First,... Read More

Loan Officer Websites: Your Marketing Hub to Magnetize Realtors

Too many loan officer websites look like congested intersections, information running every which way. Fancy gadgets, like calculators, online application submission forms and loan programs filled with... Read More

How Much Is Your Popcorn Worth? Powerful Lessons In Marketing & The Psychology Of Selling - Part 1

In the following 'special report,' I will reveal some very powerful marketing strategies and psychological motivators that can easily help you make more profits from your business,... Read More

Marketing is More Important Than Expertise

Being a master of your craft, skill, or talent doesn't ensure the success of your business. You can be the greatest at what you do, and if... Read More

Postcard Direct Mail Marketing Tips And Ideas

Postcards are perhaps the least expensive way of reaching a large number of people with your sales message. Although they have their drawbacks, they are cost-effective at... Read More

An Internet Marketing Strategy that Works

You can't put up a beautiful (or any) web site and hope that people will just arrive. You have to let them know, IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY,... Read More

Ten Deadly Proposal Preparation Pitfalls

Let's face it, the name "proposal" is a great misnomer, but since many businesspeople take it literally, they often paint themselves into a corner of chasing buyers,... Read More

How To Get Business With Your Business Card?

So, you have a business card? And you have given it to a few of your friends as well? Great! But did you get those cards to... Read More

How to Size an Emerging Market

In developing their business plans, companies of all sizes face the challenge of determining the size of their markets. To begin, companies must present the size of... Read More

Set Your Business Apart With A Unique Selling Proposition

Unless your company has absolutely no competition now or in the forseeable future, you're well advised to find and develop a unique selling proposition (USP) that differentiates... Read More

The Path To Your Prospects Wallet Begins At His Heart

You want your prospect to make the decision to buy your product or service. So you show him what you have to offer in your sales letter,... Read More

Business Marketing Strategies

For many small business managers, finding the time and commitment to develop business marketing strategies is difficult. There are so many other obligations vying for our attention... Read More

How To Get New Business

Market, Market and then market some more. So many small and home-business owners do what we call spot marketing. They market hard for their business, get a... Read More

Marketing Effectively to More Than One Audience

What's a small business owner to do if they have more than one audience to market to? Perhaps they need to attract clients but they also need... Read More

How to Handle Jargon at Your Web Site - and Why

If you sell a technical product or service, you probably know you have jargon at your web site - specialized terminology that the average person doesn't understand.... Read More

When, Why, and How to Use Mailing Lists

Mailing lists may be the cause of more heartbreaks than anyother single factor in mail order. A poorly chosen list, a weakmailing and the high cost of... Read More

Marketing to Women -- Can I Buy You A Clue?

A while back a small business owner paid me a visit. He wanted help marketing his fitness business to women. Before we even started talking, he handed... Read More

Too Much To Do: Four Keys to Effective Delegating

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. General George S. PattonMany people think they... Read More

Notable News - Its Not About You!

You enjoy what you do. In fact, you love your product and want to tell everyone about it. Well, I hate to tell you this, but no... Read More