The 6th Pillar Program
Action Step # 2 - Understand The Critical Difference Between Selling and PREselling!
Today's Action Step will involve nothing more than carefully reading and understanding the difference between Selling and PREselling. A deep understanding of this critical concept will pay back huge dividends as we proceed through the Action Steps of the 6th Pillar Program.
Action Step
Read, and understand the critical difference between "selling" and "PREselling."
SiteSell has affiliates who regularly earn several thousands of dollars in referral income monthly. What differentiates productive affiliates from everyone else?
They PREsell. They do not sell.
What's the difference?
"Sell" is what WE do on SiteSell's Web pages, which is essentially the conversion of a visitor into a customer. That's OUR job. If you duplicate the sales process on YOUR Web site (blog, etc.), you will alienate your visitors. They don't see the inspiring, editorial content they are searching for. Instead, they see a sales effort, and they feel "pitched".
People resist sales efforts, so click-throughs actually go down. And if visitors do click through, what do they see when they arrive at SiteSell? More sales effort. And, to top it off, many of the words are similar to the words that they've just read on your site.
Result?
Resistance, then Click - off they go.
So what is PREselling?
Effective PREselling is the presentation of unique, editorial content, blending in naturally the benefits of a product or service as they pertain directly to your audience's unique needs. In other words, it's valuable information that establishes you as an expert in your specific area, that builds a warm feeling in your reader as you share this information, and that leads gently to an honest recommendation that clearly highlights all the positives and negatives of a particular product.
Why would you present negative features when you want to earn referral income from that product?
Here's why...
- you are looking out for the best interest of your visitors
- you are familiar with the product, clearly showing that you are qualified to discuss it in an impartial manner.
No product, including SBI!, is perfect, and people accept that reality. As long as the benefits are powerful, and outweigh the few negatives, your audience will appreciate your balanced presentation.
That's the crux of PREselling. Get the click-through with an "open-to-buy" mindset.
Focus on what you love, what you know about... either a hobby or a job or a subject that fascinates you.
Any time you PREsell a product or service, try to view your effort from "outside the box." In other words, get inside your visitor/audience's mind - how will she perceive your effort? Will she see it as a recommendation from a good friend, or a blatant sales pitch?
Ask yourself...
"What type of recommendations do I respond to?"
If you are looking to buy a particular car brand from a particular dealer, the recommendation that will probably mean the most will come from an acquaintance who has bought the car you are interested in, not from the sales person at the dealer. If that person happens to be someone you like and trust, so much the better!
The same thing applies online. So...
Whatever it is that you do, first consider the impact on our visitor - if it does not make her mindset "open-to-buy," don't do it.
To sum up today's Action Step...
PREsell, don't Sell.
Successful PREselling is all about looking after the needs of your visitors first and foremost, and putting your desire to earn income second. Believe it or not, although this seems paradoxical, it is only by following this mantra that you will actually begin to earn real income on the Net.
In short...
Take care of the needs of your audience. Good things will follow.
