THE CHAIN

There are all kinds of “formulas” for selling, and one of the most effective ones I’ve ever used is The Chain.

When you are meeting with a prospect, you show him the entire chain; that is, the sequence of actions and events that, link by link, lead to a sale are carefully described in full detail. Then, you simply sell the first link.

For example, when I sold advertising, I would explain to the client that the first thing we do is identify the target market, which they should already know. Then, we will compare the target with the demographics of our listeners/readers and determine if there is a match. One the match is identified, we’ll take a look at previous campaigns and assess them to find out what worked and what didn’t. With that information, and a candid disclosure of what the budget is for advertising as well as the desired results, we’ll design a campaign to deliver the precise outcome and launch it in a timely manner.

All this seems reasonable, right? What you see above is a simplified version of my selling chain. (There are more links, but you get the idea.)

Then, I would simply ask, “so, what can you tell me about your target market?” If they respond, I’ve sold the first link, and I will keep going until the sale is made.

The key is to never break The Chain.

Give The Chain a shot and let me know how it works for you.