Is sales a real challenge for your small business?
I recently listened to a video by Michael Schultz from Rain today about the sales skills of small business owners and entrepreneurs. I found this video really interesting.
Basically the reason that most small businesses are struggling with sales comes down to a few simple reasons. Mike outlines these nicely in the video but here is my summary.
1. Not having enough sales conversations. Not communicating with customers. Generating leads so that you can talk an uncover customer needs. How many sales conversations do you have a week?
2. Not having skills in managing that conversation masterfully. This requires listening and being able to convey your service in a personal compelling way. Story telling, evidence and relating to the customer to show how you provide value is a big part of this. Actually knowing how to sell is a skill-set. Most small businesses haven’t invested in this skill.
3. Having a selling playbook so that you know what tools, language and options you have to meet the customer needs. This is understanding the steps to attract and move the prospect through to a closed sale. This process of attracting leads and converting them into customers is difficult and does require understand your ideal customer and the problem you solve.
4. Have a lead generation engine. You need to have some tools to get the attention of your prospects. These days the tools are many. From downloads, videos, Q&A in forums, success stories, email campaign, sales calls, PR, networking, social media engagement, sales force, SEO.
5. It is important that you build a relationship and that they like you. If they don’t like you they won’t buy from you. Being like-able is all about being helpful and listening. It is about your values and how you do things.
6. That you convince them of the value in the service you provide. This means having some clear sales tools, success stories, testimonials, cheat sheets, templates. Give them a taste of your service.
7. Have a sales plan. Every small business owner needs to generate sales conversations. How do you do it? Do you have a sales force? If not you need to create a systematic approach to sales. How do you follow up leads? How do you generate leads? I for example do speakng gigs, article writing, podcasting and workshops. I also have a e-newsletter and some free tools so that people can get a taste of me. What do you have as sales tools?
A sales plan is also about the templates and processes you use when engaging with the client, educating them and informing them about your services and how you can help them. it is about staying in touch so when they are ready to use you, you are top of mind. It is about using your tools via a sales process and funnel to consistently move prospects to have buying conversations with you. It never ends but over time can get easier and easier with an established brand and sales tools that work!
8. Establish a list of key measures to reach out to new prospects every week. E.g Visit existing clients or call them every month. Create tools that will generate a list to market too. Get your name out there as an expert in articles, forums and sites where your ideal customers are.
Sales is part of being a small business. You can either take a passive approach or take an active approach.
