Addressing Objections If you have a good understanding of the software, you may believe that you know all of the important tools and features to cover in your Web site presentations. But does that mean that you know what is most important to your prospective customers? The good news is that nearly all of your prospects are willing to tell you…if you're willing to listen. In almost every walkthrough you conduct, you are likely to hear plenty of objections. Objections are how prospects let you know what they are concerned with, and what is preventing them from buying the Web site. Some people see objections as a form of rejection, but in actuality, objections are selling opportunities. Every time your prospects raise an objection, they are telling you exactly what you need to cover in order to help them see the value in owning a Web site. Whenever you are addressing a prospect's objections, make sure to: 1. Receive the information. Listen to what the prospect is telling you and try to understand things from their point of view. Resist the temptation to interrupt, and never dismiss their concerns as trivial. If you are too busy formulating a response before they're even finished, you may miss the most important part of the objection, and you will not be able to adequately respond to their concerns. Take the time to listen to what your prospect has to say, or he or she will not take the time to listen to you. 2. Restate the issue for confirmation. Not only does this show the prospect that you are listening intently to what they're saying, but it also gives you an opportunity to soften the original objection. If the prospect says "Your monthly hosting fees are way too high!", you can restate their objection by saying "Let me make sure I understand what you're saying: you are concerned about the value you're getting with our hosting service?" This gives the prospect a chance to provide you with more details, and it helps you avoid looking like you're applying high pressure closing techniques. 3. Resolve the prospect's concerns. The most important part in addressing your prospect's objections is to make sure that you have sufficiently covered the problem. Take the time to confirm with the prospect that you have responded to their objection by asking questions like "Does that make sense?" or "Do you see how our software solves that problem for you?" If they are still not satisfied, restate the objection as you understand it, and give your prospect an opportunity to clarify the issue for you. Handling objections is one of the most crucial steps in the entire sales process. If you respond with scripted, automatic rebuttals that do not address the prospect's concerns, you run the risk of losing trust, credibility, and ultimately, the sale. When you carefully listen to your prospect's objections, restate the issue for confimation, and thoroughly address their concerns, responding to objections can be the strongest part of your entire presentation. Next time, we'll give you a few tips for effectively overcoming most of the objections you'll hear from your prospects.       Did you know that in a recent survey of small businesses… · 58% of respondents said the Internet   has helped their business grow · 51% said the Internet has made their   business more profitable · 49% said the Internet has helped them   reduce costs · And 15% claim that the survival of their   business depends on the Internet *SOURCE: AC Nielsen 3/2004

Booming Industries Over the past several years, the Internet has fundamentally transformed the business landscape for countless companies in almost every industry. Even well-established, multi-billion dollar companies like Barnes & Noble and Compaq watched their market share quickly decrease as small start-ups like Amazon and Dell leveraged the power of the Internet to rise to the top of their respective industries. Today, nearly all of the major players in industries like travel, personal finance, and many retail sectors (particularly books, music, and computers) owe a large part of their success to an effective online strategy. In the foreseeable future, the Internet will continue to play an important role in determining who becomes profitable and who goes out of business. For some companies, this growing trend will effect their business sooner than others. In fact, according to recent reports, there are six industries that are already starting to see rapid growth in online sales and competition. The next generation of successful Internet-driven companies are expected to come from: Bill payment services Hotels Jewelry Real estate Software Telecommunications If you are working with anyone who is running a business in any of these industries, let them know how important it is to establish an online presence for their business as soon as possible. Within the next few years, the new Expedia or Monster in each of these industries will emerge with a majority of the market share and profits. The longer your prospects wait to build a Web site, the less likely they are to still be in business five years from now.     New Industry-Specific Templates Over the past two weeks, we have added 16 more industry-specific templates to our growing list of professional Web site layouts. Now you'll be able to build sample Web sites for your prospective customers in industries like: *Attorneys - Law Firm *Business Outsourcing Services *Home Supply Stores *Hotels & Motels *Newspapers *Pet Supplies *Rental Company *Repair Services *Roofing & Siding *Special Events *Summer Camps *Thrift Stores *Training Services *Tree Services *Upholstery & Drapery Services *Winery These recent additions bring the total number of Web site templates in our builder to 214! Even if you can't find your prospect's exact industry, you should be able to find a layout that will work well for their business. Eventually, we should have an industry-specific template for almost any business you could think of, but if there's an industry you would like to see added to the system, please send us an e-mail, and we'll try to add your request to our list as soon as we can!     Do you have any questions about selling Websites? Online marketing? Tools or features in the software? If there is anything we can do to help make your business more successful, please e-mail us at newsletter@mawebcenters.com.