In the world of marketing, converting strangers into customers is only half the battle. The other half is sales, an art form in itself. To capture people’s attention and keep them interested, you need to convey the benefits of your product concisely and convincingly. This is where sales aids become invaluable.
What’s a Sales Aid?
A sales aid is a resource that sales reps keep on hand to enhance their presentations. Typically, sales aids are visually-focused, incorporating captivating graphics and data with minimal, concise copy to accompany the images.
Though commonly associated with complex industries featuring intricate pricing models or numerous products (SKUs), sales aids can be helpful across any industry. Let’s explore how to create an effective sales aid.
Stand Out
Regardless of how crowded your industry may be, there’s always something that sets you apart from the competition. This is what you need to focus on. A great sales aid isn’t solely about explaining your product’s perks and functionality — after all, your customers will come across plenty of similar offerings. It’s about highlighting what you do better than anyone else.
Focus on Pain Points
When selling your product, there are various angles you can take, but for the most impactful results, you need to focus on the problem your product solves. While there will be time to delve into the specifics of how your product works, start by addressing the main pain point upfront.
Take a look at this sales aid from Scotts lawn care products:
Scotts takes a direct approach with this brochure. The entire first page addresses a common customer question that Scotts can answer. While the inside of the brochure provides additional information about lawn chemicals, the pain point takes precedence.
Make Your Data Look Good
Depending on your industry, you may need to include granular data about your product and its benefits. Scientific study results, pricing model breakdowns, SKU comparisons — these details matter. However, presenting prospects with dense tables of text will only make their eyes glaze over.
If you want to include data, make it visually appealing and easy to digest. Transform it into a graph with clear labels. Utilize brand colors to highlight important comparisons. Additionally, include a brief explanation for each graph, ensuring your customers grasp the main takeaways, even if they aren’t visually inclined.
Take Your Sales to the Next Level
A well-crafted sales aid is what remains after your sales meeting concludes. It lingers in your prospects’ minds long after the face-to-face interaction is over and prompts them to reach out when they’re ready to make a decision. By supplementing your message with a compelling sales aid, you have the potential to achieve remarkable results.
To learn more about sales aids and other marketing insights, visit Zenith City News.