5. Show that you are not desperate for sale.

This is another technique that can place customer at ease or on defensive. Here you want to indicate that you’re already doing so well (mostly from benefits you’ve derived from product) that small investment they are making will make no big difference to you. This may seem at first to be counterproductive but it works! Again if prospect ever senses that you’re just dying to get that sale you can scare them away.

Another way of stating this is to show that you’re actually creating competition for yourself by sharing this product with them.

6. Tell them what will happen if they don’t get your product.

Most likely your product is satisfying a need or solving a problem otherwise you’ll not be selling it. So you can heighten prospect’s awareness of problems that they’ll continue to have if they choose not to purchase your product or service. Here is where you really want to ‘rub their faces in mud’. Spell out, in no uncertain words, pain they’ll endure and loss they will suffer.

These six approaches are all based on a deep psychological principle that controls us all - Our desire heightens for whatever is denied us or just appears to be denied us.

This reminds me of story I read some time ago of a small hotel that had problems with guests fishing from balcony despite clear warning signs to contrary placed in all rooms. In a simple experiment, hotel management removed “no fishing” signs and problem practically disappeared overnight! I guess that thrill of fishing from balcony vaporized with signs—fishing was no longer denied.

Try making your product or service appear ‘denied’ to casual prospect and see what happens to dollars ‘fished’ out of your advertisement account.

It’s about time to go out there and be a respectable “bully”!

---------------------------------------------------- Chris Coffman is publisher of The Internet Marketing Letter. Visit http://www.theinternetmarketingletter.com to subscribe today and receive instant access to IML member community. ----------------------------------------------------

3. Objectives (where do we want to be?) Explain what you want to achieve, e.g. increase sales, improve awareness, raise response levels, etc. Try to make your objectives specific and measurable.

4. Strategy (how do we get there?) Give details of what you want agency to do for you, e.g. a direct mail campaign, a website, a brochure, etc. Explain how what you are asking agency to do fits in with your overall marketing strategy.

5. Audience (who are we talking to) Your objective is to get a response from your audience. Tell agency who your target audience is. Define your audience(s) as accurately as possible and share any insights you have about them with agency.

6. Evaluation (what success will look like) How will you measure success? When will it be measured? Who will measure it?

7. Practicalities Mandatories: Is there anything that must be included; for example - offer terms and conditions? Are there any corporate identity guidelines? What legal constraints are there?

Timings: What are deadlines? What are media booking dates (if applicable)? By when do you want to see creative concepts? Does project have to tie in with dates of other campaigns?

Budget: Specifying a budget up front will help to avoid reworking of solutions. If you are reluctant to do this, then suggest three budgets and ask agency which they would recommend and why. Alternatively, ask agency to recommend a budget.

8. Approvals (who signs off work) This should be same person who signs off brief before you give it to agency.

The time spent preparing a brief will pay off in long term. The agency needs a starting point and to know where it is you wish to go. Your brief should inspire them and enable them to do their best work for you.

Copyright © 2004, Chris Smith