Pick Up Artists (PUAs) have long had a bad rap as sleazy con artists out to take advantage of women. The newest generation of PUAs, as popularized in the book "The Game" and on the VH1 reality show "The Pick-up Artist", have now turned meeting women into an exercise in selling a questionable product (themselves) to a very picky consumer (beautiful women). Let's see what we can learn about sales by following through the typical stages of a pick up.
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APPROACH AND OPEN
IN PICK UP: Ahh, the infamous pick up line. PUAs have made the lines more effective ("Can I get a quick opinion on? Did you see those two girls fighting outside?"), but the point remains the same: get the woman's attention and start a conversation.
IN SALES: Before anything, you must capture a potential customer's attention. Rather than a pick up line, your business needs attention-grabbing headlines for blog posts, s, and/or paid ads. Copyblogger is my favorite headline-writing resource, but the cover of "Cosmopolitan" and front page of Digg can also be good sources of inspiration. One can never go wrong pushing one of the six buttons of buzz: the taboo, the unusual, the outrageous, the hilarious, the remarkable, or the secrets ("Buzzmarketing", Mark Hughes).
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DEMONSTRATE VALUE
IN PICK UP: Once a PUA has a woman's attention, he must demonstrate his value as a quality man. Most importantly, he must SHOW it indirectly ("A patient came in the other day") rather than say it directly("Did I mention I'm a doctor?").
IN SALES: After capturing a prospect's attention, you must back up your headlines with a quality product or content. Like a pick up artist, you must show, not tell. Rather than list all of your wonderful features and specs, tell a story that conveys the benefits of your product. Prospective buyers would rather envision how something will help them ("Priority Inbox can help save you time if you're overwhelmed with the amount of email you get") than hear about your latest features.
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DISARM THE OBSTACLES
IN PICK UP: Beautiful women are rarely alone, so a PUA must win over her friends to prevent getting "cock-blocked" later.
IN SALES: A prospect will always have doubts. Your website must eliminate them. Don't be afraid to directly address doubts and objections, even going so far as to point out for whom your product is NOT a good fit. FAQs are a great way to efficiently answer any lingering questions and testimonials provide a reassuring voice from outside your business.
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ISOLATE THE TARGET
IN PICK UP: Now that the PUA has made nice with his target's friends, he must get her alone to begin building a personal connection.
IN SALES: Now is the time to move website visitors down the sales funnel. Build deeper, more meaningful connections (and additional sales opportunities) by encouraging them to sign up for your newsletter or subscribe to your blog, possibly by offering a free sample or ebook as an incentive. In paid advertising, remarketing allows you to show ads to users who previously visited your site. These ads encourage repeat visits and allow you to offer discounts to people who have previously expressed interest in your product.
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HANDLE LAST-MINUTE RESISTANCE
IN PICK UP: Even if the night has gone well, the last second alarm bells will still go off in a woman's head. A skilled PUA must ease her through the last few doubts.
IN SALES: The prospect is ready to buy. Make sure your checkout process facilitates, rather than obstructs, the purchase. Display security badges, eliminate any browser-based security popups, request only the necessary information, and prevent any surprises by being upfront about taxes and shipping costs. A user should be able to move through the process quickly and confidently. Do not add to their anxiety.
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CLOSE
IN PICK UP: The close, sliding into home, going all the way, the full monty.
IN SALES: Whoohoo! You made a sale. However, your responsibility does not end there
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MANAGE EXPECTATIONS
IN PICK UP: Real men do not take advantage of women. They should always be honest about their dating/relationship situation and ensure a mutually enjoyable experience. Never hurt someone else to boost your own ego.
IN SALES: Reduce buyer's remorse and returns by sending email confirmations when an order is received and when it ships. Keep buyers updated with shipping/delivery dates and tracking numbers. Lastly, thank them for their business. You're in this together.
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