When I started working with Stanbic IBTC in October 2015,
I met this guy, Danielson
One of the best performing salesmen in Stanbic the previous Quarter,
As a Johnny just cum,
Quincy (My supervisor) invited Danielson to brush me up with the wisdom of salesmanship in personal banking.
And so Danielson began:
===
My guy see, in this our business,
First impression is crucial to how much you make.
So numero uno is:
You gats look good and dress sharp,
You're selling yourself first, the benefits second, the package 3rd
If you don't have money to buy new clothes,
Do what I did:
Just find 5k, go to Ibusa Junction,
Buy 3 bright-colored Okrika longsleeve shirts (N400 each)
That's N1,200, you still get like N3,800 for pocket.
Carry that money, go Ogbe-ogonogo Market,
You go see correct shoe like N1,500.
How much remain?
N2,300 abi?
You can get a good trouser for like N1,500.
Carry everything give dry cleaner (Washing, Ironing and Starching no go pass N700)
And here's the thing my man... (I just loved how he mixed Pidgin and English)
This your job is where you eat.
You have to bring a NO. B.S attitude every damn day.
During meetings, keep a fucking straight face.
When you visit a lead, give them a firm handshake
Look that motherfucker in the eye and say "Nice to meet you"
Don't take rubbish from anyone who delays the account opening process for a new client . . .
The people at the back office earn a steady monthly salary no matter what
So whether or not these accounts are opened on time,
They still get paid at the end of the month.
You and I don't have that luxury.
We only eat what we kill.
Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you need help with anything around here:
That "We only eat what we kill" sank really deep
And it would shape my philosophy throughout my time as a personal banker.
I took Danielson's advice.
Not just because he spoke with enthusiasm and conviction,
But because he was speaking from experience.
Three months later,
Some of his tricks helped me get over 70 clients in less than 30-days.
Even if I was a Johnny just cum . .
Which brings me to a very important lesson I want to teach YOU. . .
When you're just starting out in Copywriting or Internet marketing. . .
And you ain't got testimonials or credibility or a track record. . .
How do you make your prospects believe you can help them even if you have no results to show?
There are 2 ways to do it:
First,
Understand that what people really want is. . .
Your understanding of their pain point and how you can help them get results or what they want.
They do not care if you've been in business for 20 years or just 72-hours
What you do is simple:
Use a bait.
I'll explain how,
But first,
If you sell a service, don't go begging people to hire YOU.
That's a disgusting way to promote yourself
And if I catch you begging anybody to hire you,
I will break your skull and drink your blood.
TRY ME.
Anyway, here's how you bait prospects:
Do you research and aggravate a major problem they're struggling with:
For example:
Most businesses struggle with Facebook Ads,
And lets say you've been going through Benahili's Skyrocket Facebook Course,
And in Module 2,
You've learned that targeting the right audience is the real money-maker,
You simply go on Social media and talk about how NOT targeting the right audience is costing businesses a LOT of money. . .
Then end with, if you need help, you can send me a DM.
At this point, the prospect sees you as an expert who knows what she's doing. .
She doesn't care if you're a beginner or a guru
She simply wants to know how you can help her.
And it's the same with Copywriting . . .
Lets say you've been studying one of my materials where I talk about the importance of BIG Ideas in selling . . .
And how using a Big idea can mean the difference between 2 sales a week and 10 new sales every day . . .
You can simply talk about this in your cold emails. . or on Social Media (from the perspective of sharing value. . . NOT selling . . .)
But you must be consistent
You must leave a digital footprint of consistent value every day. . .
Even when you reach out to prospects via emails,
You can simply send one email a day addressing a core problem,
Then, close with
"Let me know if you need help with this"
Many of my clients reach out to me after they've read something I wrote on Twitter. .
Nobody ever asks me for samples of my work.
The person dey mad ni?
My point is:
It is easier to make people believe in you when you dissect or aggravate a problem with tact and delicacy . ..
Than when you make laughable promises like . . .
"I can sell anything to anybody"
Even so-called gurus make this blunder all the time
Listen you swine, any fool can make bogus claims,
That's why Clients care more about you having a solid understanding of the problem
Versus you telling them you can bring the dead back to life.
And that's where your focus should be when you have no testimonials.
If you're selling a product (digital or physical),
There's also a dignified way to build instant credibility when you don't have testimonials.
It's simple.
And I'll tell you about it later.
Alongside something called Third-party quotes
And how to correctly use them to solidify your sales pitch or marketing campaign.
Plus, how to handle impostor's syndrome.
The stuff that holds many beginners back.
Stay frosty.
A.
PS: . . . . Never reveal the solution when you aggravate a problem
You are the solution, that's why they'll reach out to you
And here's something:
Napoleon conquered Italy at 25
Romulus founded Rome at 20
Gladstone was in parliament in early Manhood
You keep watching porn and fantasizing about your neighbor's bum bum
While simultaneously complaining that the system is rigged against YOU.
What a Tragic waste of Human Potential.
There are better ways to use your time
Complaining isn't one of them.
Finish something today.