One real estate company replied to email inquiries by manually replying. They hired an “email replier” guy. He’s a clerk who would regularly read the emails and reply to all those who asked for prices, pictures and whatever info related to a particular property. This clerk, however, couldn’t reply fast enough to all the inquiries. He complained, “Nobody can do this!”
This anecdote came from an old guy we spoke with yesterday. He works with one of the oldest wealthy families in the Philippines. He was a non-techie. Reading and sending SMS messages on cell phones is as far as he will go. He doesn’t read or write email. He has a secretary for that.
Fortunately, he knew what E-mail was. I had to speak in very broad Filipino terms and describe all the technical stuff in layman’s terms. My explanations included analogies related to traditional mail, libraries and print media. I told him what an email sequential autoresponder was. It’s like having that “reply clerk” but you would let a computer do it for you. It’s much more efficient and reliable.
Good thing this fellow was open minded and eager to learn. He SEEMED to understand most of what I said. I still have to send him, through courier, a primer on email autoresponders though. He still needed something he could pass along to those who will actually understand all the tech stuff.
Luckily, I have experience talking to non-techies. I used to teach old teachers how to use computers. I can still remember one of the old teachers scream “my mouse pointer won’t move!” When I looked at her, she was moving the mouse in mid-air. I had to explain to her the device had to be placed on top of the table for it to actually work. Good thing this teacher was eager to learn.
On one occasion, one old teacher’s younger daughter was sitting in the class. She was actually able to teach her mom most of the computer tips that I so desperately tried to ingrain in their heads. She was good!
Jozzua’s thoughts on how to sell technology to non-techies: DON’T.
My advice - just talk to their son or daughter or someone they trust, who understands technology. Sell to these guys instead.
Sell to those who are already sold. Then let them sell to the people who trust them.
If you REALLY HAVE TO sell to these guys, prepare a brochure or primer early on before your pitch. Something they can look back again later. Yes, it has to be printed.
How would you sell to non-techies?
May 31st, 2007 at 3:08 pm
I’d focus on the business and marketing side, and move the techie aspect as far away from them as possible (unless they themselves start asking about it).
May 31st, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Yeah, you’re right.
June 1st, 2007 at 10:36 am
Innovation comes when new technology becomes ubiquitous- when people dont even know they are knee deep in the constantly changing techie pile.
Who would have thought that the cell phone explosion would happen in the phillipines?
Who would think that people would pay a business intelligence company a shitload of money for a BI system?
If the need arises, the non-techies will evolve into task based techies. you wont need to sell em the tech, just sell em the products to meet their needs.
June 2nd, 2007 at 9:28 am
Is that you Mike B? nice to see you back and looking at blogs. Belated happy birthday. Mccoy was asking me your email. I sent your aol one to him, I think.