- Apr 16, 2009
- 102
- 54
- First Name
- Eric
Jeff & Alex have posted the rules about blatant vendor self-promotion/sales pitches within the forums - here's my thoughts on how a vendor would grab my attention...
Replying to someone's question about a topic, or offering your side-by-side competitor comparisons won't prompt a phone call or an email just because you've said "Call Today" or included your link in a signature.
Providing value first will: (and I'm sure Jeff won't object to value-added, fact-driven posts that, when finished, you actually learn something rather than feeling like you were violated)
- Start a new thread about a topic that educates first. What are the stats for the industry? The metrics? The opportunities?
- Share a (real) case study that demonstrates how your product/service solved a specific problem and what the results were.
- Provide a testimonial - with contact info. (And not a shill - it'll be sniffed out right away.) A lot of my vendors have their prospects call me; its usually an easy sale for them as the prospect knows they're getting unbiased feedback.
Show the value up front and build confidence by showing that you're an expert and not just a vendor looking to "sell another product." Doing so will also be a strong indicator of your account management practices.
Jeff & Alex...thoughts? (Obviously not looking to create a flood of vendor pitches - just a helpful suggestion for those considering it
Replying to someone's question about a topic, or offering your side-by-side competitor comparisons won't prompt a phone call or an email just because you've said "Call Today" or included your link in a signature.
Providing value first will: (and I'm sure Jeff won't object to value-added, fact-driven posts that, when finished, you actually learn something rather than feeling like you were violated)
- Start a new thread about a topic that educates first. What are the stats for the industry? The metrics? The opportunities?
- Share a (real) case study that demonstrates how your product/service solved a specific problem and what the results were.
- Provide a testimonial - with contact info. (And not a shill - it'll be sniffed out right away.) A lot of my vendors have their prospects call me; its usually an easy sale for them as the prospect knows they're getting unbiased feedback.
Show the value up front and build confidence by showing that you're an expert and not just a vendor looking to "sell another product." Doing so will also be a strong indicator of your account management practices.
Jeff & Alex...thoughts? (Obviously not looking to create a flood of vendor pitches - just a helpful suggestion for those considering it