Advertising @ Home

“Did you see that game last night?”

“How about all this rain we’ve been getting?”

“That’s a nice bowling trophy. I love bowling!”

Ever use one of those questions? Thought so. Who are you kidding with that crap? In the words of Jeffrey Gitomer, “All things being equal, people buy from friends. All things NOT being equal, people buy from friends.”

If people buy from people they like, one of your first goals should be to get your prospects to like you.

For a salesperson, this can be tough. People have a hard time trusting salespeople with their time, money and business. Most people don’t even want to talk to you.

Welcome to reality: your prospects are busy and may feel that speaking with you is a complete waste of time. Many of your prospects may not even see a need for your product, or may be content with the version they already have.

Point being, if you want to successfully establish rapport with your prospects, you’ll have to do it quickly, before they get the chance to assume you’re just like every other salesperson. Fortunately, there are 5 keys to help you get this friendship off to a quick start!

1. RelaxHave Fun!

It is your job to create an environment that is conducive to buying. Pointless, scripted, ice-breaking questions only create a cold selling environment. So relax and have a little bit of fun!

As soon as you meet your prospective customer, you will be evaluated. That evaluation will be determined not just by how you feel, but also how you make your prospect feel. The only way to put your prospect at ease is to be at ease yourself. If you’re uptight and contrived, your prospect will remain guarded and cold. If you are having fun, chances are your prospect will, too!

After all, people buy from people, and your job as a professional communicator (a.k.a. salesperson) is to make your customer comfortable enough to grab a Coke from your refrigerator.

2. Lighten Up, Laugh It Up

Nothing is more powerful than humor when it comes to building rapport quickly with your customer. Laughter is the spark that ignites interest and cordiality between you and your prospect; it’s hard to laugh with a person and not feel comfortable around them.

Some salespeople take their job too seriously, and are so focused on the sale that they forget to think about the customer. So, lighten up! If you make them laugh, they may buy from you!

3. Get to the Point

You got them on the phone, you secured an appointment, and you got them in your store now get to the point! State your objective and why they should care. Be careful not to use clich

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Does your roommate advertisement jump out of the page and catch your reader’s attention? If you feel your advertisement doesn’t capture the imagination of potential roommates, these tips can help you. The key is to design an advertisement that’s a balance between letting people know what kind of roommate is right for you while showing potential roommates why you would be their perfect roommate.

You can attract the right people by including 5 key ingredients in your advertisement. These ingredients let you write a free flowing concise advertisement where the reader can decide straight away if it’s a good idea to contact you. Together with a positive tone, your advertisement will stand out and be remembered even after your potential roommate has read many advertisements.

The length of your advertisement also plays a vital role in finding the right roommate. You will need to decide how much space you wish to dedicate to each ingredient without your advertisement becoming too brief or long-winded. The easiest ways to find the right length is by trial and error or asking for a second opinion.

So, what are the 5 key ingredients to include in your advertisement? Let’s take a look and find out more about each one.

1. Rent and Bond/Security Deposit

Clearly stating the rent per week, any additional expenses and if a bond/security deposit needs to be paid lets people decide if they can afford to live with you as a roommate. Ideally, your advertisement should mention if the rent already includes expenses or whether they’re extra.

2. Residence and Location

In your advertisement you should mention the suburb/town and the type of dwelling you are living in. For readers to get a better picture you should include a brief description of amenities such as the number of bedrooms. You may also wish to list benefits such as cable TV, internet connection or scenic views.

3. Roommates

You should mention the number of roommates that live in your household. It lets potential roommates know how many people they would be living with and whether it’s suitable for them. This screens out any people who would like to live in a smaller or larger household.

4. Roommate Ingredients

Your advertisement should state the top 2-3 traits you are looking for in a roommate, for example, an outgoing female who is a non-smoker. Listing these traits can act as a screening process and indicates to potential roommates what kind of roommate is right for you.

5. Local Amenities

It’s important to list local amenities such as local shops, Cafes or transport. This will attract people to your advertisement, as these benefits are often a determining factor when looking for a roommate. A good example are students who may wish to live near public transport and close to College.

These ingredients let you create an informative advertisement where potential roommates can learn about your household while finding out which kind of roommate is right for you. Just remember, by simply adding each essential ingredient to your roommate advertisement, you too, can capture the eye of your perfect roommate.

Good Luck and Happy Roommate Hunting!

Enid Steiner is a Director of Flatwithme.com.au, an Australian online roommate service. Flatwithme.com.au lets people find their perfect roommate and provides helpful share accommodation tips, hints and advice.

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