Boost Your Sales Team’s Confidence With Internal Product Catalogs
02 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
in Inspirational, Marketing Tags: confidence builing, employees, Organize, Sales, sales team
No salesperson likes to say “I don’t know” when answering a customer’s question. While an occasional question may stump you, an internal product catalog is a great way to train your team and teach them the ins and outs of the products and services you sell. A well-produced internal catalog will help reduce those “I don’t know” moments and ensure your salespeople are knowledgeable enough to represent your products and services effectively. Here are a few tips for creating just such a catalog:
- There is no such thing as “too much information.” Gathering product information that covers anything and everything you can think of and having it readily available at your sales team’s fingertips will save a lot of time, hassle, and frustration should questions arise later.
- In addition to detailed specs, pricing configurations, and other sales team info, be sure to insert copies of finalized marketing slicks that your customers may have in front of them, so your sales team can refer to those items as needed.
- Consider using a three-ring binder, so pages can be easily organized, updated, and replaced.
- Conveniently organize sections with labeled tab dividers for easy access.
- Avoid page numbering if you plan to replace/update pages, since the removal/addition of pages can affect page numbering throughout your entire catalog.
- If necessary, date the updated documents in the lower corner of the page, so you know their relevance.
- Remember, the more knowledgeable your team is, the more satisfied your customers will be.
Boost Sales with FAQs
27 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
in Services, Web Tags: FAQ, Sales
Many people enjoy shopping online for one main reason: convenience.
A frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on your website will save your customers time by providing them with quick answers and relevant advice. At the same time, it will also save you time by eliminating repetitive questions. A well-produced FAQ will reinforce buying decisions and shorten the time it takes to order from your business. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your FAQ section:
- Answer each FAQ with well-written content that will also help rank in search engines for keywords relevant to your industry. Doing this can help turn your site into a resource for customers and other prospects.
- Allow answers to expand and minimize with a single click, so the questions remain easily scannable and readers don’t have to wait for a new page to load each time. Do not create the FAQ as a separate file (such as a PDF) that customers need to download to read.
- Update FAQs frequently to ensure answers are still relevant.
- Organize questions so they are easy to find, such as by category, with the most popular questions first.
- Use brief, informative answers. If detailed answers are required, provide a link to more information. Have the link open in a new window, so the visitor doesn’t have to leave the current page.
- Focus on providing helpful information. Avoid flashy designs that distract from your content.
- Include various contact methods should the reader want more answers. In addition to general contact information (phone, fax, email, mailing address, etc.), provide a question form that’s easily accessible from your FAQ page.
