Sales are and always will be the lifeblood of a small business. No matter what your small business does, if you’re not making sales, you’re not making money, and if you’re not making money, chances are you won’t be in business very long. But what if you’re making enough to get by, but can’t seem to “step it up” and get to a place where you’re really thriving? The problem may not lie with your product, but instead might be your sales tactics. If you’re looking to refine and improve the way you sell yourself and your business, take a look at these tips:
1. Talk To Decision Makers
If you’re not talking to someone who can make the decision whether or not to buy your product or service, you’re just wasting your time. Have you ever seen a door-to-door salesman start their sales pitch when a seven year old kid answers the door? No, they ask them if their parents are home, because that salesman knows that he needs to be talking to a decision maker.
If the person listening to you doesn’t have the power to say yes, then in most cases, the person you were talking to winds up talking to the person you should have pitched it to in the first place. Instead of letting someone else represent your offer, make sure you’re talking to a decision maker right from the start.
2. Explain Why You’re Unique
You may be doing an excellent job of describing what it is that your product does, but the thing that will really sell your product is being able to explain what sets you apart from your competitors. Chances are, your potential customer will want to ensure that they’re not missing out on a better deal somewhere else, so make sure you’re ready to ease their mind by showing them what places your product ahead of the pack.
3. Identify The Customer’s Problem
When someone buys something, they’re not buying a product as much as they’re purchasing a solution. People don’t buy Drano, they solve the problem of their clogged pipes. They don’t hire a web designer, they solve their problem of not having a website. Identify the problem that your potential customer has, and show them how your product or service can solve that problem.
4. Cater To Repeat Customers
Many companies are constantly developing new sales tactics and deals to entice new customers, but the problem with that is that current and past customers are almost always ignored when it comes to these kinds of specials. While new customers are always a good thing, repeat customers have one thing going in their favor – they’ve already been sold on your products and services. This makes it far easier to get them say “yes” again in the future. Make sure that alongside your new customer strategies, you’re also offering discounts, special offers and loyalty programs to repeat customers.
5. Ask For The Sale
This always seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how often salespeople don’t directly ask for a sale. If you visited a website offering a great deal, and then found out that there was no “purchase” button on the page, you’d probably just wind up leaving, right? Well, in the same way, there has to come a time when you give your potential customer a call to action. Don’t beat around the bush or let them walk away – have enough confidence in your product to take the direct route.
Do you have any sales secrets that have worked for you time and time again? Share them with us below.
