A Girl Scout wanted to sell a lot of cookies. In fact, she wanted to sell more than any other girl scout that year. She was smart enough to know that she could not do it by going door to door. She knew that a lot of the other Girl Scouts planted themselves in front of grocery stores and they did pretty well. The year before she had tried that and done okay but she had learned there was a flaw with doing that. First people did not want to buy the cookies on the way in. And then on the way out chances are they had already bought cookies choosing from the wide variety available in the store. So, she put on her proverbial thinking cap and came up with a great idea. She knew what she had to do to sell more cookies than anyone else. Get this…she set herself up in front of the newly opened Marijuana store and yes, she sold more cookies than anyone else that year!
Don’t you just love stories like this? Especially when they’re true. They make so much sense that once you’ve heard them you have to ask yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
In the highly competitive world of sales, creativity and innovation are essential to stand out and drive success. Below are several examples of creative sales strategies that have proven effective in various industries.
Some are pretty obvious, some are outright ingenious, but in the end they all are valuable as a source of inspiration to use our own little gray cells of creativity.
Make it Personal: Amazon: Amazon uses advanced algorithms and AI to personalize recommendations for each user. By analyzing browsing and purchase history, Amazon provides tailored product suggestions, making the shopping experience more relevant and increasing the likelihood of additional sales. They know from your previous searches and orders what you like and thus can make customized suggestions that will especially appeal to you. In the end personalization makes customers feel valued and understood, fostering loyalty and increasing sales.
Storytelling: Apple: Apple’s marketing and sales strategies often revolve around storytelling. They focus on the lifestyle and emotional aspects of their products rather than just technical specifications. Each product launch is an event, with narratives that connect deeply with consumers. Storytelling creates an emotional connection, making the product more memorable and desirable. People buy Apple products because they want to be part of the Apple story, some would even call it the Apple cult. The great poet Maya Angelou famously said, “People will not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.” People buy Apple products because of the way it makes them feel. This same kind of thing is true of other products from beer to cars. People like the way they feel being part of the IPA crowd or the Jeep crowd.
Community: LEGO: LEGO Ideas is a platform where fans can submit their own designs for new LEGO sets. The community votes on their favorites, and the winning designs are turned into official sets. This strategy engages the community and leverages their creativity. Community building creates a sense of belonging and loyalty, turning customers into advocates. And turning customers into advocates is the key to building a successful company. We need to find ways to develop communities of our own with our own companies and products. There is nothing better for a company than having a community of loyal fans. The key to doing this, as LEGO has done is to reach out to your customers and get them involved, thus actually proactively creating the community.
Education: HubSpot: Customer Education and Thought Leadership HubSpot provides extensive educational resources through its HubSpot Academy, offering free courses on marketing, sales, and customer service. This positions HubSpot as a thought leader and builds trust with potential customers. Educating customers adds value and positions the company as an industry expert, increasing trust and brand authority. HubSpot’s creative idea is especially pertinent in our own industry. The more we can educate your customers the more loyal they will be to us. Offering webinars, seminars, micro-eBooks, white papers, and other valuable educational content to our customers is the best way to make customers view your company as a cut above, as their experts, their consultants. And of course, this will also drive new customers to your door. It is much more effective to offer your target customers a gift of knowledge than it is to ask them for an order. In our industry in particular, offering valuable educational technology content is the best way to earn customers as well as market domination.
In today’s dynamic market, staying ahead requires a mix of creativity, innovation, and adaptability. These examples illustrate that effective sales strategies go beyond traditional approaches, leveraging personalization, storytelling, technology, and community engagement to create unique and compelling customer experiences. By implementing such creative strategies, businesses can not only boost their sales but also build lasting relationships with their customers. It’s only common sense.
