I’m going to go out on a limb and say something that may surprise you.
Everyone out there is either selling a product or service. No surprise there. But even those who are not in sales or marketing in any fashion actually are. Here’s why. Everyone out there has to ‘sell themselves’ in order to convert their ‘wants/desires’ into reality.
For example, if you are unemployed you would polish up your resume and send it off to prospective employers. If you think you deserve a promotion due to performance or tenure than you would have to convince your employer to see things in your eyes. Same goes for a pay raise. If you are a child and you want a toy you have to make a compelling argument why. Many more examples could follow but there is no room or time to expound.
Assuming you agree with what I am saying thus far, I’ll move into the meat and potatoes of this ezine article. Let’s look at one item in particular that has proven effective time and time again for anyone involved in direct response sales and marketing.
The Good ‘Ol Fashioned Stress Ball
Today, millions of people stuck in cubicles around the world will pick up one of these little babies and squeeze them repeatedly until the sudden onset of work-related tension they experienced subsides. As you can imagine, this happens repeatedly throughout the day for many folks who work in high stress-related environments. Without putting much thought into it, examples (you may call them prospects if you like) include those working in:
• customer service
• in-bound and outbound call centers
• telemarketers
• accountants
• executives in any industry
• computer programmers
• internet marketers
• and anyone who works on commission or sits behind a desk
What does Facebook®have in common with stress relief balls?
Those who are fortunate enough to make a living from a job that has little stress cannot escape the innate human response attached to squeezing a stress ball. Not so much because the act of squishing something is fun. No, I’m more interested in the psychological effects of the act itself.
Because the mere act of playing with it breaks up the monotony of the workday, it can become quite NATURAL for you to reach for a squishy stress relief ball any time the urge presents itself. And for those who get bored with their work quite often this can be many times.
How many times have you found yourself playing computer solitaire when no one is looking or checking your Facebook®page on company time? Most people are guilty of succumbing to acts like these.
And this leads me to the secret weapon the best direct response marketers and sales professionals use to their advantage: By giving away branded promotional items that beg to be “touched” or “played with” the amount of impressions created from the item are priceless. What you have is a silent salesperson working on your behalf without any of the added cost – and a reliable means of advertising that beats the cost-per-impression rates of any T.V. or radio commercial, magazine or newspaper print advertisement. That’ not my opinion; it’s a FACT.
Put your advertising on auto-pilot
All successful advertising has the same thing in common: consistency ultimately yields compliance. Remember the last time you went to watch the game at a sports bar and you were blanketed by a healthy mix of Budweiser commercials, Budweiser bucket specials, Budweiser coasters, Budweiser banners…you get the point. By the time the waitress came around you were ordering a bucket of Buds even though you drink imported beer.
Same goes for the stress relief balls – or any other promotional product that affords some sort of utility for the recipient. Your message, logo, name, contact info – whatever it is – gets subliminally implanted into their subconscious each and every day they see it or use it that the next time they need whatever you are selling they know exactly who to call. That promotional magnet with the pizza parlor’s number on it works the same way, as does that wall calendar with your realtor’s mug on it.
It’s almost as if stress relief balls and other highly effective promotional products put your advertising on auto-pilot so you can spend more time getting other things done.
P.S.Now you are aware of something the average sales person or marketer in your field overlooks. Now is the time to help your customers relieve their stress – and meet your quota – by leveraging this marketing weapon in your favor. And who knows… you might just get that elusive pay raise just for telling your boss another one of your brilliant ideas.
P.P.S.Just print this page out. It’ll show you actually did some research. But make sure to cut off the P.S. wording or you can kiss that raise goodbye.