The art of sales
“Approach each customer with the idea of helping him or her to solve a problem or achieve a goal, not of selling a product or service.” – Brian Tracy
If we would approach sales this way, we’d all be rich. But the reality is, a lot of us are scared of sales. Whether it be for fear of rejection, lack of confidence, or whatever the case may be, this fear can be crippling. But, “Sales is a part of our business, whether we like it or not,” said Clarke Freed, Freed & Associates.
We have to overcome this fear so that we can grow our business to its full potential. We asked a small yet studious group of local entrepreneurs how they approach sales and what works, or doesn’t work, for them. Here’s what they had to say.
Editor’s Note: Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
You have to show your value
“Show your end results, such as case studies, testimonials, etc., to show that you’re doing something right.” – Jasmine Decelle, Jasmine Decelle Branding
Decelle wrote a blog on how to use client reviews and testimonials, if you want to dive deeper into this strategy!
Dianne Kaplan with 1st Priority Staffing added to Decelle’s statement by quoting some advice she received from BRIDGE Local Founder Chrissanne Long, “Make it easy for people to leave you reviews.”
“Give value to your customers and make sure your clients understand the value of what you’re providing for them.” – Clarke Freed, Freed & Associates
Optimize your website
“Your website is an integral part of your sales tool.” – Chrissanne Long, BRIDGE Local & Maximize Digital Media
Here’s three questions your websites need to answer, according to Long:
1. What does your company do?
2. How is it going to make your customer’s life better?
3. How does the customer get started? How does that process look?
The price has to be right (for both you and the customer)
“Our quality will be worth what our pricing will be. Our experience is what they’ll come back for.” – Carine Mulhall, Sunny Days Pet Resort
“Bundling my services has helped people not be scared of the price of my services. For example, I’ll offer a logo with a website. Even if you have to lose money, bundling can help you become the go-to in your community and give your customer the peace of mind that you’re taking care of them and that you have their back.” – Jasmine Decelle, Jasmine Decelle Branding
Qualify the lead
“With sales, we have to be very clear about who our target audience is.” – Donald Miller, Author of Business Made Simple
Miller states that we don’t have the capacity to work with everyone. We need to go through the customer avatar activity to hone in on who we are for. He also said to ask yourself a few questions:
What problem do you solve? Be specific.
Does the lead have the problem that you help them solve?
Are they able to afford your product?
Do they have the authority to buy?
Once you know the answers to these questions, you’ll be able to determine if the lead is the right fit for you and vice versa.
Closing thoughts
We hope this advice from real-life business owners has helped you feel more confident in sales. If you’d like to hear the full conversation, watch the video provided above. Stay tuned for our next Mastermind Meeting on Tuesday, April 27 via Zoom and join us for the conversation!