When people refuse to purchase a product, get involved with a particular organization, or conduct business with a company, it’s usually due to fear. Perhaps the potential buyer has heard rumors that cast doubt on your product’s reliability. Maybe they have questions that aren’t being answered. Or maybe they just don’t know enough about your services to make an educated decision.
Whatever the reason, your job is to use marketing and public relations to alleviate this fear and to break down the barriers that prohibit a sale. I came across a great article on the 101 Public Relations blog that uses a real-life example of how a neighbor sidestepped a PR landmine to gain acceptance from his neighbors. The lessons learned from this story can better equip you to market your goods and services in a more positive light. The main thing you need to do is listen and answer those questions that prevent the customer from buying.
Two years ago, I met with a Christian non-profit group who was interested in putting together a promotional video to recruit churches to get involved with their program. Many churches throughout the country refused to get involved in this great program, because they were uneducated. They misunderstood a lot about what this particular group was trying to achieve. And to complicate matters, an author had written a grossly inaccurate book about this program, warning people to stay away.
The first thing I did before writing the script was to ask the CEO what questions the public had about their organization. What were the key issues? I then talked with him about the objections raised in this antagonistic book that was out on the market. Once I had made a list, I was better prepared to write a script that answered questions and alleviate fears before they became an issue in the mind of the viewer. The result was a video that prompted nine churches to get involved within the first year. Take away their fear, and it will lead to a sale. And by the way, the author of that inaccurate book has since admitted that he was wrong about the program.
[...] Alleviate the fear that prevents the customer from buying the product [...]