Six Touches...

You may have heard it before, but it bears repeating: It takes at least six touches to turn a prospect into a customer.

That means a prospect needs to be "touched" by you half a dozen times before they will even consider buying your product or service.

Why is it that "Six Sticks"?

First, it's not some magic number. (In fact, I think its more about rhyme than reason.) No matter if it's five, six or seven, the number is an average. Some prospects will need 20 contacts, some only one. And it depends on your product, industry and the customer's brand knowledge. You could contact some prospects 60 times and not find a fit.

Where does this idea come from? The most interesting research credited with the statistic is a series of studies by a small Christian denomination: The Church of the Nazarene.

Their studies showed a visitor needed to be touched by church members seven times to feel welcomed and accepted.

In marketing, we're not talking about hugs and handshakes. We're talking about making an emotional or intellectual connection.

But the principal is the same. It takes contact to build a relationship. And in the marketing relationship it can be an ad, an article, a fax, an email, a letter or a phone call. What matters is that you keep in contact. No salesman should stop calling on a prospect after just one no. No ad should stop running if it doesn't work the first time.
So, keep in touch!

- Phil Sasso