BREAKTHROUGH 9: "Do you have the expertise needed?"

I am yet to consult with a company that thinks they have the expertise but their results prove they don’t have the expertise needed to get results!

So to create a breakthrough you must be honest with yourself and truly ask the question ‘do we have the expertise needed?”

Not all that long ago I went to see a guy about a car. I went to see him because first I wanted a car but second they kept sending me letters for trucks of all things.

When I called in he asked me how I heard of him? I told him that he keeps sending me letters for trucks but I told him I don’t want a truck I want a car. After we sorted out the car I told him what I do and what I could do for him. He was interested and I liked him so we chatted and I offered him some advice as I was buying the car from him.

Now it is very hard to give advice to someone that thinks they know everything. Especially when the business we are talking about has been there for over 30-years and handed down from  their father.

The advice was very simple. This was breakthrough advice because he had told me they just send and hope to sell. That's what most businesses do.

When you do a direct mailer the most important things are as follows.

Make sure the person you mail has in interest in what you are selling – truck drivers - trucks.

Make sure the letter speaks as the prospect is thinking – New truck.

Make sure the letter has buzzwords built in – New truck - I need a new truck.

Make sure the letter has a trigger – Drive home this week – easy to pay!

Make sure the letter has a call to action – Five only, call us right now but be quick!

But there are two things that are more important than any of the above and this is the breakthrough for him.

I told him ...

You are not experts so hire an expert or employ an expert.

Create a database that has several sections so each target ie. Truck buyers, sports cars buyers, saloon buyers etc can be targeted easily.

Stop playing games with your business, stop wasting money and time by hiring an expert.

So he did everything I told him because he realised after our conversation sending thousands of mailers out in the hope that someone would react was foolish and causing a lack of business rather than a flow of business.

His business breakthrough was this.

I wrote a series of direct mail letters for him.

I created a target database for him by segmenting his data.

I created a campaign and strategy for him that was more targeted and much simpler. This slashed his waste costs.

The breakthrough result was his best ever sales of around £1.2 million of new German cars from a campaign we ran over a 3 week period.

And of course I got my new car.

So breakthrough No.9 is an easy one to remember.

You can’t be an expert at everything so hire an expert in what it is you need. How do you know what you need?

It's a problem that needs solved that has been there for a long time and isn't shifting.

In his case the problem was a lack of results over a long period of time.

Breakthrough No.9... Hire an expert!

If this has helped you leave a comment below.

To success and a good life.

Your friend

Alan Forrest Smith