“Get the Toy in the Kid’s Hands.”

As entrepreneurs, we do a lot of marketing. But sometimes we forget to sell. And as I’ve learned and written about in “MARKETING ≠ SALES.” Selling requires meeting with someone who wants to buy what you’re selling—getting that thing in their hands, agreeing on the price, and delivering it.

Becoming Santa

In the 2015 film “Becoming Santa,” hearing the lead character, a toymaker, say he knows he could sell a wooden dog pull-toy if he could get the toy in the kids’ hands was an ah-ha moment.

It’s rare to see a creative entrepreneur so passionate about selling.

Yet, the toymaker met with children who wouldn’t put down their tablet PCs long enough to pick up anything else.

These focus group children had the final say on whether the manufacturer would greenlight this very low-tech toy.

The toymaker was undeterred even though the thing in his way was a “yes.

Followers ≠ Customers

“Like the toymaker’s old toy, marketing was an afterthought. In the past, salespeople knocked on doors. Advertisers paid to broadcast their products to the masses. Today, we send an email and cold call for leads. With all the social media marketing tools available in the digital age, creative entrepreneurs behave as if social media followers are customers. 

They could be, but followers are leads. They may enjoy your content but may not see the value in your offering. If they do, they will inquire about your product. Then leads become prospects, i.e., potential customers.

Three Steps to convert a Follower to a customer.

1. Determine if the prospect can make the purchase. There’s a difference between wanting and buying.
2. Do they want to buy now or later? If later, share with them the value of buying now.
3. To close the deal, remind them of the product’s benefits that are uniquely suited to them.

Note: Marketing allows entrepreneurs to know their prospects’ wants and needs.

The toymaker knew his prospects so well; he knew if he’d get the toy in their hands, imagination could turn the pull toy into anything they could think it could be. 

 He was right and made the sale. 

 Spoiler Alert: He became the next Santa Claus too.