My experience among entrepreneurs has demonstrated to me an overall sense of fear or hesitation when it comes to sales. Some business owners dread the subject. Some hope that marketing alone will sell their products, alleviating them of the perceived selling chore. The fact remains, that an integral component to success in most business endeavors is the sales function. So what is the entrepreneur to do?
For the entrepreneural person, selling is simply providing a much desired or needed solution to another person, while being ever mindful of their best interests. It involves transferring and exchanging value. "She could sell ice to Eskimos" or "he is a born salesman" are clichéd expressions we tend to be familiar with, especially when used to describe salesmen or people with extraordinary oratory and articulation skills. Contrary to such conventional thinking, there is actually no such thing as a born salesman, just well-trained and properly-prepared salespersons. You too can become a leader in this exciting and growing field, counted among the top five percent of income earners anywhere! Be aware though, that this demanding career is not for everyone, especially the weak of heart.
Many entrepreneurs are not interested in becoming career salespeople or the greatest salesman in the world. Those goals are too broad. As business owners, I believe that all of us maintain the desire and need to enhance our inherent ability to sell. Learning sales skills, via formal sales training, must become a high priority for every business owner. The greatest product or service will have little market penetration without a strong, cohesive sales effort. Robert Kiyosaki, author of The Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom, states that "the number one skill of an entrepreneur is the ability to sell." Your belief and recognition that continuous learning and ongoing self-improvement are what is necessary to improve your sales technique may indeed be the pillars of your business growth.
My experience among entrepreneurs has demonstrated to me an overall sense of fear or hesitation when it comes to sales. Some business owners dread the subject. Some hope that marketing alone will sell their products, alleviating them of the perceived selling chore. Most would rather do almost anything to avoid a cold call. All too many entrepreneurs feel uncomfortable when picking up the phone to initiate a sales call. The fact remains, that an integral component to success in most business endeavors is the sales function. At least pursuing some self-help, providing an increased knowledge of sales techniques will prove beneficial.
While it is impossible to provide complete sales training for entrepreneurs within the scope of this article, I do believe that we can distill this complex subject to a few points, assisting business owners to begin expanding their comfort zone. Since this topic is certainly a source of at least some trepidation among entrepreneurs, I suspect that most will see the need to proceed, if only with baby steps.
Let's assume that your prospects are other small businesses. Aside from having a well-designed web site selling your products and services twenty four hours per day and a marketing program designed to drive prospects to it, try these basics when contacting your next qualified prospect in person:
1. Remember what a great product or service you offer.
2. Know in your heart that others will benefit from it.
3. Replay the feelings of satisfaction you experience from the use of it.
4. Using your imagination, experience your prospect using and benefiting from it.
5. Remember to simply be yourself. Do not feel you have to pretend or be a super-salesperson.
6. Do some deep breathing exercises to relax.
7. Smile and introduce yourself using his/her name in your greeting. Imagine them right in front of you.
8. In a thirty second window, inform him as to the purpose of your call, explain why meeting with you will benefit him and ask for an appointment. Be very specific. Remember, your goal is to get an appointment.
9. Just before your appointment, repeat steps one through six. Greet your prospect by name with a firm handshake, confident eye contact and a warm smile. Sincerely show him what you have to offer, relating your benefits and value to his specific business needs. Answer his questions, if any. Make certain to ask for his order!
Daily practice and repetition are your keys to improving your selling skills, growing profits and reaching beyond your current comfort zone. Mark Twain once said "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." With practice, your sales calls will become easier and you will become far more confident, constantly pushing on the boundaries of your comfort zone. As a result, your business will grow proportionally.
Selling Means Maintaining an Open Communications Channel
None of us can be experts in everything. Customers appreciate being able to speak their language and having their audience understand it. In this manner, they feel confident that there is an open communication channel and their needs are clearly understood. What steps are you taking to ensure that you clearly understand your customer.
Are you Experiencing Sales Growth Despite the Economic Times?
The volatility of the present economic climate has left many people, including salespeople, in a state of fear and uncertainty. We now have the highest number job losses in five years as business are trimming both people and operations. How do you sell in this environment?
How to Sell Successfully in a Recession
Downward trends are indeed a stressful time posing numerous challenges, yet they do indeed present many opportunities. What is there to do when you are a salesperson needing to make a living in such a mess?
