Back to Sales Basics

Sales Strategies for Success
Strategy #10

As the economy makes many of our business goals more challenging, remember that before you go crazy trying to find new ways to “think outside the box” to make more money, take a moment to step back and remember the basics.

You remember the basics, right? Network, marketing, qualify and question your customer, prepare and present professional offers, follow up, follow up, follow up and – remember! – ask for the sale. It has been easy to become a little complacent over the past few years as customers were happy to spend their money quickly, with little more than a small idea of what you were selling. Often you didn’t even have to follow up – they came to you! Ah, it was lovely. But it was also fleeting.

If you started your business during this time period, you may have a distorted view of what it takes to make money. What we’re seeing now in the business world is more realistic and consequently, can be discouraging if you’re not working your sales system.

Now is the time to review your sales process. Are you relying solely on referrals or going out and networking for new clients? Are you working your existing customer base or spending all your time selling to new prospects? Have you reviewed your offers to make sure they fit with today’s conservative market? While there may not be as much impulse buying right now, there is business going on and those who present a valuable product in a compelling manner will still get the sale.

For help reviewing and refining your sales process, give me a call or e-mail me. I’m happy to help you fine-tune your compelling offer.

To your sales success,

Audrey
Audrey Pierson
Secure Your Success, Inc.
www.SecureYourSuccessInc.com
831-241-1545

Prepare Your Sales Path

Sales Strategies for Success
Strategy #9

You know you are much less compelling when you are unfocused, unclear or scattered, but in fact, many of us are just that when it comes time to sell our products and services.

Before you spend your marketing dollars, make sure you know exactly what you intend to offer. You must be very clear about what it is, because your prospect is coming to you for answers and solutions. Let’s face it, if they could do what you do on their own, they’d be doing it and wouldn’t need you.

This may seem obvious, but think about it from your customer’s point of view. When they talk with you, do they understand clearly what you do, as well as how they can take advantage of it? What it costs? What they need to do? What you will do?

I often hear my clients surprised that they didn’t sell a customer when the whole process “went so well”. They had great rapport with the prospect, they were able to discern exactly what the customer needed and they KNOW they offered the right solution. They explained it in detail and believe that the customer understood the benefits. It seems inconceivable to them that the customer wouldn’t buy from them. But was the path to the sale clear to the customer?

For example, do you have options or levels of service a customer can choose? Is there a way to start small and grow, as well as a way to get everything you offer in one package? Or is it a “take what I sell or nothing” offer?

Take a close look at your sales process and make sure you aren’t forgetting this critical step. Once a prospect is interested, ensure that you present your offer in a clear, concise manner that is compelling to your client!

For help with your sales proposals, visit www.SecureYourSuccessInc.com and sign up for “Creating Compelling Sales Proposals”. We’re the pros at making your sales proposals irresistable.

Maintain Your Sales Focus

Sales Strategies for Success
Strategy #8

Let’s admit it here and now, it’s often difficult to keep that positive, energetic outlook in sales after a full day or week of hearing “no, thank you”. Even the most perky among us (I don’t like that word! Let’s use “vivacious”!) can falter and lose their drive. If you are a solopreneur, working alone, it can be particularly difficult.

Don’t let yourself get caught in that demoralizing cycle. Make sure you have a circle of people to whom you can turn who help you realize that “this too shall pass” and help make you even better at what you do.  While this circle can be friends and family, consider too that a group of like-minded and similarly situated folks can be even more helpful by not only helping you feel better, but helping you become a better salesperson.

Living in the sales world, we often hear negative comments about salesmen. And while we recognize that there are those in sales who are less than honest, I believe the vast majority of us are good, honest people whose purpose is to support and help our clients.

This is why I believe that creating a circle of people like you can both support and push you to greater success. Your group can certainly commiserate about a bad day, but even better, your team can help you recognize where you might do better, offer you ideas to change the outcome the next time and help you focus on the positive. Don’t underestimate the power of this kind of team support. The ideas that arise from a group of intelligent people focusing on the same topic can be amazing. The process is typically called brainstorming or masterminding and it’s a powerful thing.

If you don’t already have a group like this in your life, consider starting one or joining one. Through my company, I offer these groups for anyone who sells – and we all do if we have a business.  Check out my website (www.SecureYourSuccessInc.com) for more information about my Sales Support Groups. Sales tips and solutions are offered, ideas are shared, goals are discussed and we leave with the motivation to go out and do even better the next week. We meet by phone for an hour every other week, or every week, and the results are fantastic!

To your sales success,

Audrey

Audrey Pierson
Secure Your Success, Inc.
www.SecureYourSuccessInc.com